Blankets serve two purposes for babies. First, they have the practical purpose of keeping your baby warm. When babies are small, blankets are especially important for swaddling, so babies feel safe and keep warm. As babies grow, blankets can be tucked under the mattress to ensure that baby stays covered up.
Secondly, blankets serve as a security. Babies and toddlers can become very attached to their blanket. They may want to carry it around where ever they go. This is certainly okay, but if you don’t feel comfortable with your little one dragging their blanket to the grocery store, gives the blanket a special name, like “sleepy blanket”. Having this special name helps your baby understand the appropriate time to use their blanket such as bed time and for naps. This also gives you a chance to wash the blanket, since it is not travelling everywhere.
You could also consider cutting a piece off the blanket that your little one can put in their pocket or carry in their hand. This could be the blanket they take out of the house if they become seriously attached to the blankie.
As a parent, you need to decide what you are comfortable with just in case your baby gets attached to their blanket as a security item, but whatever happens in terms of security, know that it is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about!
