Crocheted blankets are always fun to make but crocheted baby blankets are even more fun and faster as they don’t take too much of your time. Crochet baby blankets are one of the best and most thoughtful gifts for newborns. They’re a variety of baby blanket patterns to choose from and not only are these baby blankets cute but they’re also unique because they’re handmade with the right type of materials.
However, if you’re thinking of gifting a newborn a crochet blanket or considering making one for your baby, you might be wondering if they’re safe for these precious babies because you won’t want to gift any item that will be a risk to its safety. Read through this article to find out if crochet blankets are safe for babies or not.
Are Crochet Blankets Safe for Babies?
Generally, crochet baby blankets are safe for babies under supervision. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, infants below 12 months old should not have any blankets in their crib, the reason is that having anything including any form of blankets, stuffed toys, and the like can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
It’s believed that these items may end up on the baby’s face causing smothering, entrapment, suffocation, or SIDS as babies below 4 months old can’t roll over and may not be able to remove an object on their face.
There are other ways to use your crocheted baby blanket asides crib, you can use it in your baby stroller, or car seat or lay on it as long as you’re there to supervise the baby.
What Are The Ways To Safely Use Crochet Baby Blankets?
There are ways you should use your baby crochet blanket to ensure maximum safety of your infant and prevent any accidents. These ways include:
Method 1: Use Your Crochet Baby Blanket In A Stroller
Instead of using this blanket in the crib, it’s better and safer to use it in a stroller and during this usage time, you should supervise your infant to avoid any hazards. There are a wide variety of crochet baby blankets so you can perfectly go for the one that suits the weather.
Method 2: Use In A Bouncer Seat
Another place you could use your baby crochet blanket safely is in a bouncer seat. With a nice, comfortable, and cozy crochet blanket in the bouncer seat, your baby relaxes to the soothing effect of the gentle rocking from the bouncer. Even with this don’t leave your baby unsupervised.
Method 3: Use Crochet Blanket When Holding Your Baby And Laying Down
You can use a crochet blanket when carrying your baby to offer the needed comfort and coziness. You can also use it when you lay your baby down for supervised tummy time. It offers cushion support for your baby and has a smooth texture so it’s soft on your baby’s skin.
It is also great that this blanket is very easy to maintain and care for so you can easily get rid of any spit-ups or diaper blowouts.
Method 4: Use In A Car Seat
Your crocheted baby blanket can be used for the baby in a car seat. You get the ones large enough to provide warmth in the cold warmth and the ones to toss over the car seat to provide shade from the sun. As always, ensure you’re with your baby during this time.
NOTE: Most uses for crocheted baby blankets involve supervision of the baby and for no reason should you leave the baby unattended. But if you know you’re the type that leaves your baby snuggled in the blanket to have time while you do something else it’s better to wait until your baby is older before introducing the use of the blanket.
Tips on Creating A Safe Crochet Blanket For Babies
There are certain factors you should put into consideration to make sure you’re creating the safest crochet blanket for your baby. These factors include:
– Type of yarn
There are different types of yarn and each type is different from one other you must be picking the type of yarn that is perfectly suitable for baby blankets after considering certain things like its washability as it going to be repeatedly washed because of spills and other mess babies tend to make, and how it feels on your baby sensitive skin as you don’t want something that will irritate them.
400;”>Acrylic yarn is an ideal choice because it’s machine washable and can take multiple washes. It’s also smooth and soft on the baby’s skin. Cotton blend is another fine option but never go for a pure cotton yarn as it can be harsh on the baby’s skin. There are also specific yarns made to be used by babies, these can be expensive but they’re a really good option too.
– Weight of yarn
The best yarn weight for babies is lightweight or medium weight to avoid being too bulky to place over the baby. Though some crochet baby blanket patterns would require you to use heavier yarns the most ideal choice would also depend on how you plan on using the blanket if you want a bulky blanket to provide a cushion for your baby during tummy time then heavyweight yarns should be used.
– Crochet pattern
It’s better to go for a pattern with small holes than going for patterns with huge going holes like the lace pattern. The lace pattern is not as safe as the ones with smaller holes because infants can get their toes and fingers in even smaller holes so the larger hole on lace patterns can fit their whole arm or leg which is why these types of patterns are a no-go for baby blankets.
And make sure the borders of the blankets are well secured to prevent unraveling, as when the ends get loose, they might enter your baby’s mouth and pose a choking hazard.
– Embellishments
You might be thinking of adding decorative items to your baby blanket to make it even finer, but these decorative pieces are something that should not be put on the blanket. Most babies are orally fixated, the tassel, beads, ribbon or any other ornaments you’ve used as embellishments would enter their mouth as soon as they put their blanket in their mouth.
Another reason why they should always be under supervision is that asides the bead could come loose and they could choke on it, the same can occur with ribbons and tassels as these items can wrap around your baby’s neck.
Other Crocheted Items That Might Not Be Safe For Babies
The list below contains crocheted items that pose a risk to your infant’s safety.
- Crocheted toys with safety eyes and any other removable parts, the safety eyes can become loose and a baby might put them in its mouth and choke on them.
- Crocheted mobiles might be unsafe when placed above a baby’s crib as they can fall on the child in the crib and block the baby’s airway.
Conclusion
Baby crochet blankets are never to be used in the crib for infants less than 12 months but they can be used in other places as long as you’re there monitoring the baby. While your baby is using a crochet blanket you should avoid taking bathroom or shower breaks to ensure proper supervision so as to prevent any risk to your baby’s safety.
You should also not forget that the type and weight of yarn you use matters while making these blankets to improve their safety for your baby’s use.