What Is a Receiving Blanket — and Do You Need One?

You’ve undoubtedly seen a picture of a newborn wrapped in a soft white blanket with pink and blue stripes along the edge. That blanket is an iconic design and often the very first blanket that many families in the United States receive their baby snuggled up in — hence the name receiving blanket.

While the hospital receiving blanket is a staple, there are many reasons why that first receiving blanket you use shouldn't be the last. From protection from unexpected spit-up messes to a treasured lovie, these inexpensive cotton blankets are a multifunctional must-have for every registry.

As noted above, the name receiving blanket comes from the fact that this item is usually the first blanket used to wrap up newborns so that their parents can officially "receive" their newest family member. (Of course, let's not forget who just did the work to deliver this package, am I right?)

These blankets are typically made from a relatively thin, soft flannel cotton material and measure 30 by 40 inches. Although the hospital version is the most recognizable, they come in a variety of patterns and colors to suit your style.

While you can certainly make do without receiving blankets — or only with the one or two that happened to come home from the hospital with you (don't worry, we won't tell) — they are a useful item to stock at home as well.

They’re usually inexpensive and sold in multi-packs for less than $10. In fact, having 4 to 6 receiving blankets on hand can be useful, as explained below.

While these types of blankets may be used interchangeably, especially with newborns, each has a specific design that's suited to its general purpose.

Receiving blankets are made to withstand heavy use and laundering, work for a variety of temperature conditions, and usually sized a little smaller for wrapping up those fresh-from-the-womb little ones.

Meanwhile, swaddling blankets are made to stretch to tightly wrap babies of varying size, come in several materials for different temperature conditions, and may have features like velcro or specially designed shapes or flaps to facilitate swaddle wrapping.

While it's perfectly acceptable to use each type of blanket for swaddling or just snuggling, some of these features may make one preferable over the other for your intended use. Swaddling blankets are a specialty item designed with one purpose in mind, while receiving blankets are really a multipurpose item.

Why all this emphasis on swaddling? A swaddled newborn is calmed and falls asleep. They aren't startling themselves with their arms waving in random motion, and they are used to a snug fit before birth.

You can use a receiving blanket to swaddle, and it's as simple as mastering the fold. Check out a how-to video here.

So clearly they’re great for that first baby photo op, but before you add them to the registry, you want to be sure they’re useful for more than that. They definitely are!

When your baby is young, receiving blankets are good for the following:

When baby gets a bit older, you want them to be able to stretch out their arms and discover their fingers and surroundings. You might also use receiving blankets for the following:

As with all blankets, receiving blankets should not be placed in the crib with your baby during sleep.

You should also use caution and supervise your baby when using them in the car seat or stroller, so that they don't restrict breathing or cause overheating.

But when it's time to snuggle up and give your baby some cuddles, you might want to grab a receiving blanket, as it might just come in handy!