Baby blankets in hospital

[LillianFullStop]

Ok this may be an odd question - do hospitals provide a blanket/swaddle for the baby or do we have to bring our own? I rarely see it on hospital bag lists.

They provide them but I brought one for the baby bag for the car journey home, as well as a few muslin swaddles. I slept with the muslins for a few nights in the hope they'd smell like me and comfort DD, but I don't think she gave a shit in all honesty

Anyway it's nice to have a "first blanket" for the memories so I would bring one.

I've always taken my own, although they have them you can use there too usually.

Might depend where you are, when I had DC3, now aged 5, I was asked where my blankets were for baby. I said I hadn’t brought any, obviously surprised, and was told not to worry, they had spares. They were extremely well washed baby blankets, so maybe it’s a budget thing as more and more gets cut?? I wasn’t asked with dc 1&2, blankets were just provided. Certainly wouldn’t have minded taking them, as it’s probably something everybody buys.

In my hospital they had them but they were thin and tiny.
I never brought my own and they just automatically provided them for me.

I'v never ever been provided with anything, the only thing I'v heard being given out is a formula top up if mum is trying to breastfeed but baby is struggling. Ask your midwife though as they'll probably know.

There should be blankets available, but they're not for taking home. It's actually printed on the blankets not to!

You'll need something to cover baby with for the journey home. Depending on the temperature, it can just be a muslin or two of you don't have blankets yet.

I was provided with one for the hospital. What surprised me was the number of hospital blankets I saw at baby groups. I don't think the hospital ones are for you to take home.
Mums at expensive baby groups had old hospital blankets. Very odd. I wouldn't have dreamed of taking the hospital bedding so why is a baby blanket ok?

They do but you need your own for when they come home.

People take them as ‘it was the first blanket my baby had’ so somehow think they are entitled I know lots who have done this

I was given a blanket to use with DD(6). Like others have said, I never have taken it home with me. I’ll probably take my own this time so that I can have the soft blanket I want.

I took my own, it never occurred to me that the hospital might provide them, and they never offered for either of my two dc.

I took my own, as above it didn't occur to me the hospital would provide them. I was never offered any and didn't notice anyone else using hospital blankets.

They've always been provided the 3 times I've been in. One came home with first baby but it wasn't me. A midwife checked the car seat before we left and wrapped it round him.

We took our own when we had DS in December but we were still given a hospital one to use (it was in the cot when we got to the ward). However, when it came to us leaving the midwife gave us the blanket and said that we could keep it. It's a lovely keepsake but I was very suprised given the budget cuts.

Our hospital provide them but they have a message printed on them saying not to take them home!

With mine they were both wrapped up in hospital ones when they were born, but then we changed them for our own once we got them dressed. Not sure why anyone would take a hospital one, they are just like a not very attractive towel 😂

We took our own, they prefer you to take a waffle blanket. But they also supplied one that I didn't take as I thought it was best to leave it for someone who needed it

Thanks for the replies! I do have a couple of cellular blankets I could pack but was hoping to save space in my hospital bag. I'll bring one and if it gets soiled at least there will be some at the hospital to borrow.

I'll also have a knitted going home blanket - don't need to pack that at least I'll let DH bring it with the car seat when we go home.