June 1, 2007

Wrapper's Delight

Beware those of you with expired passports: The overseas market has a few secrets when it comes to well-rested babies and well-behaved children. Luckily, they're sharing.

After having their own children, two Australian moms realized the muslin receiving blankets that were so common in their home country were nowhere to be found in the American market. Enter aden + anais, a terrific line of baby products that includes hard-to-find muslin swaddling blankets.

Swaddling is an age-old technique that not only makes a baby feel safe and secure (as in the womb), but also promotes back sleeping, the reduction of startling arm and leg movements, and also helps to keep baby's face uncovered. The ideal material for all this coziness is muslin, a light, open-weave form of cotton that allows your baby's body temperature to regulate naturally.

aden + anais wraps come in packs of four in "girl" and "boy" patterns, as well as standard white versions. The girl prints are sweet and subtle – light pink flowers, frolicking friends or stripes, while boy's star prints come in quiet shades of blue. All the swaddling cloths are multi-purpose and make great floor mats, portable crib sheets or shields for nursing in public or protecting baby from sun in the stroller. And while the blankets are incredibly soft, they are also durable and actually improve with multiple spins in the wash.

These muslin wraps might just be the baby gift to give and get this season. Handy and nicely packaged, they also include the finer points on the art of swaddling (otherwise known as the aden + anais five-step system). Breathable and warm, they're perfect for variable summer weather.

A British nanny or a French tutor may be beyond your budget, but a little foreign influence in the sleep department can't hurt.

Available online at adenandanais.com.

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