The Best Swaddles of 2025 to Help You Achieve Peak Baby Burrito

The Halo SleepSack makes swaddling a no-brainer—and that’s precisely what I love the most about it. Babylist parents agree; almost 30% chose it as their favorite swaddle in our Best Baby Gear survey (making it the top choice overall), calling it “easy” and “convenient,” two descriptors I love to hear both as a baby gear reviewer and a parent myself. “Using the Halo saves so much time overnight,” one parent said.

All of this love is mainly due to this swaddle’s Velcro wings. They wrap around your baby’s arms, positioning them against their body and keeping them there. This helps to prevent the startle reflex that’s often the culprit of frequent newborn wakings. It also keeps your little one’s arms in a safe position. “The Halo is great for newborns because you can bring the baby's hands to the middle and still get a nice tight swaddle without straightening out the elbows,” Dr. Spaeth explains. “I can't stress this enough—do not stretch out your baby's elbows! Gravity does a wonderful job of gently unfolding your baby. Forcing their elbows into extension makes it difficult for them to soothe themselves, and may cause unnecessary strain on their biceps and increased shoulder tension.”

Because this swaddle zips from the bottom, diaper changes are quick and easy. And unlike many other swaddles, this sleepsack style is looser around the legs, promoting hip health. “These sacks allow your baby's legs to be free which is an added bonus,” Dr. Spaeth explains. You can even leave your baby’s arms out completely and fasten the wings around their waist, or swaddle with one arm in and the other out if you’re working on transitioning to a regular sleep sack.

There are two things to keep in mind when you’re using the Halo. The Velcro makes a loud sound when you’re unfastening it, which may startle some sleeping babies. And don’t forget to fasten the Velcro wings when you toss the swaddle in the wash, otherwise, you’ll end up with tiny baby clothes—and whatever else you’ve thrown into your washing machine—stuck on.

And if you live in a cooler climate, add a fleece version of this swaddle to your registry. There’s also one made from organic cotton.

Here’s the thing about babies: It’s hard to know what they’ll like (and what they most definitely will not) before they’re here. One of my sons loved a tight swaddle—the snugger the better. The other most definitely…did not.

Instead of committing to one type of swaddle before your baby arrives, the Swaddle Box lets you try out four bestselling (and completely different) swaddle brands and styles. You’ll have the chance to see what your baby likes the most before you commit. You’ll also get to see what you prefer, and then can stock up from there.

“The Swaddle Box was extremely helpful as a first-time mom,” one parent shared in the Best Baby Products survey. “Not only the price, but the variety of them. Having recommendations by experts was really helpful since there are so many options in the market,” she said.

The box includes four popular picks to help you find the best swaddle for your baby: one each from ergoPouch, Love to Dream, Halo and aden + anais.

The runner-up in our Best Baby Products survey—14% of parents said this was their favorite swaddle—the Love to Dream Swaddle Up is the blanket of choice for babies who aren’t feeling the traditional swaddle approach. It’s the swaddle I used with my second son who fit this description to a tee: he was not happy with his arms on his chest or down at his sides, but he needed a swaddle otherwise he’d wake up every 20 minutes. Enter this arms-up swaddle that saved the day.

The “raise the roof” style of the Swaddle Up follows many babies’ natural instincts to sleep with their arms over their head so they can self-soothe with their hands in or near their mouths. “I like this because it allows for free movement of the hands while still providing a boundary,” says Dr. Spaeth. Many parents agree. “My daughter would only sleep with her arms up and hated any other swaddle,” one survey respondent told us. “We were finally able to get some sleep.”

I appreciate how easy this swaddle is to get on and off (it’s just one simple two-way zipper) and that you can leave it on for diaper changes. It’s also the perfect transition swaddle if you’re looking to make the switch from a traditional arms-in swaddle to a sleep sack.

You’ll want to make sure you stick to the correct sizing when using this swaddle. Because it’s designed to be used with baby’s arms up, you need to be sure the fit around the neck is snug enough that no fabric is making its way up over their mouth or face. I made the mistake of starting with a larger size the first time I tried it, and it was pretty apparent that it was way too roomy around my little guy’s neck. Once I sized down, it fit him perfectly and stayed in place throughout his wiggly nights.

I also recommend the brand’s Swaddle Up Transition Bag when it’s time to leave the newborn swaddle behind. Each arm wing zips off, transforming the arms-up swaddle into a traditional sleep bag. It made the swaddle-to-sleep-sack transition easy and was one less item I had to buy.

If you consider all the items you’ll use over the course of your child’s lifetime, then swaddles occupy a pretty short chunk of that time. Many parents don’t want to spend a lot for something they won’t use for very long. The SwaddleMe is a solid, affordable pick and comes in a multipack, so you’ll always have a backup ready to go.

The SwaddleMe is a simple pouch with fabric wings that creates a snug, soothing sack for your baby. Like the Halo, this swaddle uses hook-and-loop closures to secure the heart-shaped wings around your baby and can be as loose or as snug as you (and they) prefer. There’s also a pocket fold design so you can access your baby’s diaper without taking off the entire swaddle. This is an improvement from the original SwaddleMe design, which didn’t feature this convenience.

These 100% cotton swaddles work in both warm and cool climates. Just note that, like other hook-and-loop closure swaddles, they’re loud when you undo them.

As a two-time parent, I know a simple swaddle is key to a streamlined bedtime routine and middle-of-the-night diaper changes. I’d seen the Sleepea in action at a baby trade show (yes, they exist) but never used it firsthand. Once I did, I became its biggest fan.

It should take you about five seconds to get your baby into this swaddle. Even better? Houdini babies don’t stand a chance. The innovative design features an inner band that secures your baby’s arms to the sides and an outer layer zips that up over that, so even the wriggliest of little ones won’t be able to find their way out. There’s Velcro, but it’s magically quiet, and the organic cotton and open-weave mesh prevent overheating.

I did find that this swaddle didn’t work quite as well when my son was first born, but was great a few weeks in once he got a little larger (over about eight pounds or so). You should keep in mind that this swaddle won’t offer little ones any arm movement, which is great for sleepers who like being in that position but not so hot for babies who want their hands near their faces.

Before the zippers, before the wings and before the Velcro, there were muslin swaddles. And Aden + Anais is the gold standard. Known for their soft, lightweight fabric that gets better after every wash, these swaddles are true nursery workhorses. They can be used well beyond the baby burrito phase as nursing covers, burp cloths, playmats or stroller blankets. I recommend that every parent-to-be add a three-pack to their baby registry.

Since these are traditional blankets, expect it to take a little time—and a little practice—for you to get the hang of swaddling with these. (Pro tip: postpartum nurses are magical swaddling wizards. Learn from them!) Some parents appreciate that the fabric allows a little wiggle room for babies to move their arms, while others find it tricky to get a super-tight swaddle. If that’s the case, know that there’s a chance your wiggly baby may break free.

From garden bees and forest friends to boho florals and watercolor roses, there’s a style for everybody—and every baby—in Little Unicorn’s mudslide swaddle collection. Large, light and breathable, these cotton muslin swaddles offer just the right combination of sophistication and whimsy.

A swaddle blanket with no stretch makes it tough to get a snug fit, but one with too much stretch makes it too easy for your baby to wriggle out of. Copper Pearl’s swaddles are just right. Made from a polyester/rayon knit blend, they’re the ideal fabric to help you achieve a perfectly snug swaddle. I prefer these over muslin blankets in the early days of swaddling due to their stretch factor. They’re easier to wrap and more secure.

This swaddle bag was specifically designed for use when the temperatures drop. With a TOG rating of 2.5 (TOG = Thermal Overall Grade, a term that indicates how much heat fabric retains), the Cocoon will keep your little one warm down to about 63 degrees Fahrenheit/17 degrees Celsius. The snug fit helps to restrict your baby’s startle reflex and the bag can be transitioned to an arms-out sleeping bag once it’s time.

Just like you want to keep your baby warm when it’s cold outside, you also want them to be cool and comfortable when the temperatures start to rise. The Ideal Temp Sleep Sack Swaddle is made from temperature-regulating fabric that absorbs, stores and releases heat while your baby sleeps. I love it because you can use it three ways: arms in, arms out or hands-to-face. I do find it runs large, so be sure to choose the correct sizing for your baby’s height and weight for a secure fit and size down if your little one is between sizes.

Once your baby shows any signs of rolling over, you’ll need to transition from a swaddle to a sleep sack. This newfound freedom can be tough for some babies—and that’s where the Merlin comes in. The multiple layers of this sleepsuit make your baby look like a mini Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, but they also help calm their startle reflex. Just don’t overdress your baby underneath (a diaper or a thin bodysuit is all you need) and be sure to stop using the suit if your baby can roll over in it.