Many of us choose to go organic with the food we eat, so why wouldn’t we do the same with the bedding we snuggle up in every night? And when thinking about the best baby blankets for little ones, like our pink baby blanket, many parents look for the more natural and organic options, and wool blankets will often come to mind.
Wool is a great material in every respect. As well as being soft, comfy, and luxurious, wool is a must-have in the bedroom. Choosing a wool bedspread or blanket over a cotton or synthetic alternative will change your life, with wool’s amazing ability to self-regulate temperature translating to a better night’s sleep amongst other things.
Wearing wool to bed has a similar effect with a recent study revealing that younger and older people enjoyed a more restful night’s sleep, fell asleep faster, and stayed asleep longer thanks to their choice of woollen nightwear.
It’s not just grownups that will be sleeping like babies thanks to the wonders of wool as we’ll discover in this blog post.
Why wool is best for baby
According to a study by the British Medical Journal, Lancet and the TI Australian Medical Journal, and further research conducted by Cambridge University, wool helps babies sleep better and even grow faster. So much so hospitals in England, Australia, and New Zealand line their incubators with lambswool pads.
Lying on lambswool is particularly beneficial for babies born prematurely or newborns with low birth weights. The soothing and swaddling effect of the fibres has been found to promote better and more restorative sleep, reduce stress, and enhance contentment, all of which supports weight gain in newborns.
Better sleep for baby and parent
The body temperature regulating genius of wool that we discussed earlier helps babies sleep more soundly. With wool, there’s also no danger of overheating, which will help you sleep a little easier as a parent too.
In addition to this, wool blankets are super soft, which is perfect for your baby’s delicate skin. But the reasons why wool is best for babies don’t end there as When Women Inspire details:
“It’s moisture management properties help to absorb the moisture away from the body, releasing it as vapour in the air, without leaving a wet feel. Wool doesn’t attract dust mites that thrive in hot, humid conditions.
Thus, wool can be a great choice for allergy and asthma sufferers. Sleeping in wool is safer for your baby because of wool’s fire-retardant properties.”
Wool is breathable, hypoallergenic and risk-free to ensure your little one can sleep better in the safest environment.
With you as your baby grows
Wool blankets aren’t just a great choice for newborns and babies. A study conducted by the University of Sydney researched the long term benefits of sleeping on wool as children grow.
Over three years, sleepers slept longer with wool than with cotton or synthetic bedding. The same study found there were fewer tears at bedtime with children that slept with wool.
Amazingly, just 30% of sleepers cried when sleeping with wool, whilst 67% cried when sleeping with cotton.
Has your baby been sleeping with a wool blanket? We’d love to hear about your experiences as a parent. Join us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter to share your story.