Raegan Moya-Jones, an Upper West Side mother of two and expecting her third, is a native of Australia, where swaddling infants is the norm. When she and her friend Claudia Schwartz, also from Down Under, were pregnant with their first children, they couldn’t find the lightweight muslin wraps they remembered, so they decided to start their own company. The result, aden + anais, named for their older children, has introduced moms around the country to the swaddle concept.
Moya-Jones, who swaddled both of her daughters, Anais, 3 1/2 and Lourdes, 18 months, says the main advantage of swaddling is “better sleep for both the baby and you.” She swaddled both or her children for six months, and reports, “Both my girls were sleeping eight to 10 hours a night by the time they were 12 weeks old, and I believe that swaddling had a great deal to do with that.”
There are other wraps for babies, but what sets aden + anais swaddles apart is the fabric, which keeps babies snug without overheating. They are perfect for summer, not only for wrapping, but also as stroller sun protection, as a breathable nursing cover-up, and as a lightweight blanket. The swaddles seem stiff at first, but the material softens with washing.
The swaddles come four to a pack, for about $40, in a variety of prints and colors. The company also just started making hooded towel sets, in soft cotton, which come with muslin washcloths.
aden + anais products are sold at Upper Breast Side, Kidville and Destination Maternity in Manhattan, and at BabyBird and Area Kids in Brooklyn. They are also available online: www.adenandanais.com.
Have you swaddled your baby? Tell us about your experience: editor@nymetroparents.com
