The Muslin Swaddling Blanket--A Product Review

There is nothing sweeter to me than seeing a newborn baby all swaddled up tight in a little blanket! Babies love to be swaddled, and it is well known that mothers have been swaddling their infants for thousands of years.
On a recent trip to Target, I made a wonderful discovery, and I want to share it with every mother of an infant I know! I found a pack of these swaddling blankets made from cotton muslin fabric. I bought the pack and gave three to a new mom I know as a baby gift and kept one for my 6 month old. This muslin swaddling blanket is made by aden + anais, you can see their website here. I couldn’t be happier with this blanket. The fabric is soft, has a little give to it which makes it great for swaddling (and staying put!), and is big enough to wrap up even a 6 month old. It is so lightweight and breathable, it is perfect for summer or warmer climates. It also makes a great nursing cover for this same reason--it allows baby to breath without getting too warm. The only downside I would say would be cost--at Target I paid 29.99 for a pack of 4. But, absolutely worth every penny in my opinion. Check out their website--if you weren’t a convert to swaddling, you will be after reading what they have to say about it!

Baby Einstein Videos - Disney Offers Refunds

While the bright colors and moving objects set to catchy, classical music might be marketing genuis, the Disney executives are admitting that watching the Baby Einstein video series aren't going to make your baby any smarter than the next kid on the block.  In fact, they are offering refunds up to $15.99 for each DVD purchased between June 5, 2004 and September 5, 2009.  The offer, which doesn't require a receipt, is good for up to 4 DVDs until March 10, according to an October 23, 2009 New York Times article.

Many parents view the videos as beneficial for their babies, or at the very least not harmful even though the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time at all for children under the age of 2.  One group, the Campaign for a Commercial-free Childhood, has been lobbying for marketing restrictions, saying that companies such as Disney ought to acknowledge that their products are not 'educational', even suggesting that Disney be 'held accountable' and that parents should be owed compensation for misleading advertising. 

I think parents deserve more credit in this regard - while we are ultimately responsible for what our young children are exposed to in terms of media, I doubt that most consumers actually think that having their babies watch a daily dose of Baby Einstein videos will improve their IQs drastically.  If anything, it just made us all feel dumb for not coming up with the idea to market a video of colorful toys set to music for $15.99 each!  What do you think - have Baby Einstein videos harmed or helped your child, or are they just a great way to get some vacuuming done while baby is engaged for a few minutes?
-CEC