How Many Muslin Blankets Do I Need?

Ask any mum, parenting forum, or baby garments salesperson about muslin, and you’re bound to get a ton of positive responses. You’ll hear things like how invaluable they are and a lifesaver or the best fabric in the world. Your only query now is how many muslin blankets do I need to swaddle my baby comfortably?

To keep your child safely tucked in, you’ll need a minimum of three muslin blankets a day and maybe one more to spare.  From around two months, your baby’s day will be full of spit-ups, diaper changes, and spills. Such activities will have you switching a dirty blanket with a clean one at least thrice daily. However, the maximum number of muslin cloths or swaddles you can have is totally up to you.

Muslin is indeed a fabric material so versatile that no well-meaning mom can live without them. Even when your child has grown up, you’ll always find universal functionality for the extremely soft, absorbent, and quick-drying fabric. Read on to learn why I’ve put the value of three to four as a straight answer to ‘how many muslin blankets do I need?’

What Can I Use Muslin Blankets For?

Muslin blankets are 100% natural cotton, made using a light weave or plaid, making the fabric super breathable. The material is stretchy and flexible for swaddling while gentle on your baby’s delicate skin. Also called muslin squares, such a blanket is highly absorbent, quick-drying, and durable, seeing as with every wash, the fibers become softer.

During the first months of your baby’s life, you’ll probably keep them swaddled most of the time. That helps replicate the womb-like atmosphere that your child was used to, sufficient to calm and put them to sleep. Swaddling also offers a better hold package when you’re cuddling, burping, or rocking your tot to nap.

Other uses of muslin blankets include;

Makeshift bibs:

Muslin blankets make excellent bibs due to the cotton material’s absorption properties. You’ll have wider coverage, especially if your child is a messy eater, catching more splatter than a regular bib can handle. Throw a muslin blanket over your shoulder during burping, and you’ll achieve better protection against whatever projectile spews forth.

Diaper Change Cover

Using a shared changing table, particularly those you find in public restrooms or restaurants, can be a challenge for hygiene reasons. Instead of carrying around linings and disposable covers, a muslin blanket does even better. You’ll be able to arrest any of your baby’s runaway business while offering them a softer, less drab alternative to put their bare bottoms on.

Bath and Cleaning Cloths

Muslin works well as a washcloth, and you can split squares of your baby blanket to wash them with. You can also make rags out of used muslin as cleanup cloths around your house, quickly mopping up your child’s messes. These blankets are also used as bath comforters, especially if your tot is finicky around water.

Stroller Cover and Car Seat Shade

During summer days, put a muslin blanket under your baby in the stroller for sweat absorption. You can also use the highly breathable material to shade your child from strong sunlight by draping it over their stroller’s shade. The same can be repeated in your tot’s car seat, covering them lightly as protection from harsh elements.

How Many Muslin Blankets Will My Baby Need?

Muslin makes the softest blankets, sufficient to keep your baby warm while offering excellent airflow that eliminates overheating. Your child will sleep better when you’re using these blankets, since being cotton; they absorb your scent, helping your tot feel you nearby.

As with all blankets, however, remove the muslin swaddle from the crib once the baby sleeps. While it is unlikely this fabric would cause suffocation, you can have your child lie on top instead of under it.

Having at least three blankets at hand will give you peace of mind knowing that you can change your baby’s wet or messy blanket for a fresh one. The number of muslin wraps used will depend on how many times you do your laundry every week. If like me, it’s twice weekly, you’ll be swaddling your baby at most a dozen times using a clean muslin swaddle. 

The backup will come next when one blanket is on your baby, while a third is a lifesaver. In case your three muslin blankets get dirtier faster, such as when your child has a particular messy spit-up or blow out, you can pull out a fourth. The fabric is easy to wash, dries quickly, and there’s no need for pressing. As such, you can use as many as you’re comfortable with.

What Size of Muslin Blankets Is Best for Safe Swaddling?

Muslin blankets are the safest swaddle cloths for your baby due to the improved breathability of this cotton fabric. To fully enjoy its benefits, especially once your child outgrows flannel receiving blankets, you’ll require a fitting size to reduce the risks. Ensure never to wrap your tot too tight; less they risk overheating. Too loose, and they’ll wiggle out or roll about.

The right-sized swaddling blanket will completely hold your baby in place, and it’s ideally over 47 inches square. Muslin blankets often come in sets of four. You can use this extensive surface area for tummy time when your tot starts crawling and exploring. Such a sheet also acts as a protector in the crib to prevent bed sheets from bringing up milk or teething dibble.

An expansive muslin blanket acts as a towel after a bath, enveloping your baby and absorbing all the moisture while staying gentle and soft on their skin. Sometimes you’re forced to nurse your child in public or before visitors. Throw a muslin wrap over your feeding child to accord them privacy while keeping them from overheating by staying breathable.

Conclusion

It varies with your baby how many muslin blankets you’ll need. At times, they’ll be sick or have extra gut reflux for one reason or another. In a day, you’ll possibly use three to four muslin blankets, while on others; there’ll be fewer spit-ups or feeding runoffs to catch.