What is baby receiving blankets: What Is a Receiving Blanket? – Gerber Childrenswear

What Is a Receiving Blanket?
– Gerber Childrenswear

Over the course of your pregnancy and preparation period for your newborn baby, you’ve probably come to realize there are a lot more baby products on the market than you realized. Swaddles, receiving blankets, bibs, burp cloths, newborn towels, security blankets, footed pajamas—the list goes on. For the first few months of your infant’s life, keeping them warm and helping their body to maintain a normal temperature is essential, so many new parents stock up on baby blankets throughout the first year, but there are so many kinds to choose from.

STOCK UP ON  ADORABLE RECEIVING BLANKETS

A receiving blanket is one of the most common coverings that parents may acquire as a baby shower gift or when getting ready for the baby’s arrival. Made from thin, soft material—often cotton, flannel or plush—and typically about 30 inches by 30 inches, a receiving blanket is an extremely versatile accessory that you’ll find yourself using for almost everything. This staple baby item originally got its name from the custom of wrapping a newborn child in this type of covering immediately after birth, before he or she was “received” by the mother for the first time.

The Many Uses of a Baby Receiving Blanket

Provide Warmth or Play Area for Baby

The most obvious, and common, use for a receiving blanket is to wrap your little one up and keep him or her warm. These soft cover ups provide a baby with security and heat while the thinness of the material allows for some air flow to prevent overheating. Receiving blankets are easy to bring with you everywhere and can be laid on the ground to provide your baby with a quick, safe place for tummy time, all without needing a play mat.  Receiving blankets are perfect for blocking the wind on a stroller ride or keeping the baby warm in their car seat.

Substitute Changing Mat

Receiving blankets are one of the most useful items you can buy and are available in an assortment of fabrics and designs for both boys and girls. When you and your baby are on the go, you can quickly convert this comfy blanket into a convenient changing area for him or her. No need to purchase a travel changing mat—receiving blankets provide cushioning and comfort to lay the baby on anytime and perform a quick diaper change in any public restroom.

Burp Cloth

While you’ve probably thought about or already purchased burp cloths designed to throw over your shoulder when burping your baby after a feeding, receiving blankets can serve the same purpose. Babies spit up a lot in the few first months, so you may find yourself going through burp cloths often. Receiving blankets are the perfect replacement when you’re low on cloths, and most are designed to be machine-wash friendly, making cleanup a breeze. If you’re venturing out with your newborn, there’s no need to load up the diaper bag with too many extra items. Throw a receiving blanket in the bag and let it double as a burp cloth while you’re out and about.

The Difference Between a Swaddle Blanket and Receiving Blankets

Sometimes receiving blankets are used to swaddle babies, but there is a major difference between this type of covering and a swaddling blanket. While receiving blankets are designed in a square or rectangular shape, swaddle blankets are created in a smaller shape with two winged sides to more easily swaddle your newborn. Swaddling is a long-standing practice of securely wrapping a baby to provide comfort and security. Receiving blankets are an excellent purchase because the shape is more versatile and can be adapted for a variety of uses, while swaddle blankets are made specifically for swaddling. 

Ideas for Repurposing Receiving Blankets

Once your baby has outgrown his or her receiving blankets and you find yourself with a collection of blankets with no purpose, try converting them into new items. Many parents will save a baby’s first blanket as a token of their infant’s first few months of life, but there are tons of other ways you can repurpose a receiving blanket into a useful item.

Create a Quilt

Instead of simply saving your baby’s receiving blankets as a commemorative item, you can patch together differently patterned blankets to create a beautiful new quilt. As your baby grows, he or she will eventually leave the crib behind for a big kid bed. Sewing together old flannel receiving blankets is a great way to create a cozy first comforter for your child that they can use as a keepsake for years to come.

Sew Blankets into Pillows

For the crafty parent, receiving blankets can provide the perfect material for new pillows. Cut the blankets to your desired pillow size, purchase some stuffing from your local craft store and sew them together. If you have a lot of leftover receiving blankets, you can even create matching DIY throw pillows to go with your child’s new quilt.

SHOP BLANKETS NOW

Check out these ideas for even more inspiration on how to reuse old receiving blankets!

What Is A Receiving Blanket? Everything A New Parent Needs To Know

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Why read: Wondering what is a receiving blanket and if you need one for swaddling your baby? All the answers on receiving blankets vs swaddles and more.

For your easy shopping, this post contains affiliate links. If you click highlighted links or pictures and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

If you’re a first-time mom you might not be quite sure what a receiving blanket is.

Your head is full of questions like:

Would your baby need a receiving blanket? or
What is a receiving blanket used for? or
How is a receiving blanket different from a swaddle blanket? etc, etc. 

But don’t worry! 

After reading this article you’ll have all those questions answered. And you’ll feel more comfortable knowing what you’ll need when your baby arrives. 

What Is A Receiving Blanket?

A receiving blanket is a soft thin piece of fabric used to swaddle a newborn baby. 

It is usually made of flannel, cotton, or muslin. Nurses use it to wrap the baby up for the first meet-up with you.

Also called the Kuddle-Up blanket, the iconic receiving blanket used in American hospitals is white with blue and pink stripes. This design for receiving blankets has been used for newborn babies in hospitals for over 50 years now. The pink and blue stripes make it gender-neutral and loved by new parents. 

But you don’t need to stick to this design only. Receiving blankets come in a variety of prints and patterns. You can choose the one that fits into your nursery decor.

These blankets are typically sold in multipacks. And believe me, you’ll love them right away.

They are so comfy and functional that you will want to buy more and more.

Not surprisingly,  a receiving blanket is one of the most common gifts that a new mom gets even long before the delivery.

Why Is It Called a Receiving Blanket?

Yes, you’ve guessed correctly! 

We call it a receiving blanket because it’s the first cloth wrapped around your baby when you “receive” your bundle of joy after birth.

The little munchkin with teeny-tiny hands, swaddled tightly, what a blessing! 

No wonder the pictures of newborn babies wrapped in a receiving blanket and held by the over-the-moon-happy mom are the cutest and most popular on social media.  

What Size Is A Receiving Blanket? 

The hospital receiving blankets are rectangles 30×40 inches in size.

Square receiving blankets are also very popular and come in different sizes from 24×24 inches all the way up to the big ones of 44×44 inches. 

For newborn care, opt for the smaller size. It’ll make swaddling your tiny little one way easier.  

What Are Receiving Blankets Used for? 

The main purpose of a receiving blanket is, of course, swaddling the baby.

Swaddling recreates the snuggly environment of the mom’s womb, hence helping the baby sleep better and for longer stretches. Plus when swaddled babies don’t wiggle their arms and legs and startle themselves awake. 

But unlike the swaddle blankets with wings, which can be used only for swaddling the baby, receiving blankets are multifunctional and can serve you in many different ways when caring for your little one. 

Use your receiving blankets: 

• For covering up when breastfeeding: Due to its small size, a receiving blanket is easy to carry around in your diaper bag. It will provide you with the privacy you need when nursing in public. 
• For wrapping baby up after giving a bath: As receiving blankets are made of soft materials like cotton, muslin, or flannel, they keep the baby cozy after a warm bath.
• As a carseat or stroller cover: Keep a receiving blanket in the stroller pocket or next to the carseat and it can serve as a cover from the sun or unexpected rain. 
• As a mat for changing the diapers: Receiving blankets make it easy to make any not so comfy and clean area into a well-fitted diaper changing table. Cover up the changing boards in public toilets or even the area at home. You will keep it neat and clean without causing extra work for you. 

• As a burp cloth: With a baby who has frequent spit-ups, a regular burp cloth might not provide enough coverage. Receiving blankets act like an oversized burp cloth, and you are all neat and clean. Bonus: you have less laundry too.   
• As a play area/mat: Your baby will have numerous spaces to play at home, but when visiting friends and family, you can take your receiving blankets and let them serve as a mat for your baby to play on the ground. 
• For Playing Peek-a-boo: You can use a receiving blanket for some fun playtime with your baby. Check out these 5 fun ideas for how to play with a blanket. 
• As a blanket for a picnic: I always have one extra receiving blanket from my pack in the car for an unplanned picnic. When on a ride with your baby, it’s a good destresser from an overwhelming day to hop on a quick riverside picnic. The receiving blanket comes in handy!  

How To Repurpose Your Receiving Blankets

And even after giving your receiving blankets so much use, you can squeeze more life out of them once the baby outgrows them.

There are lots of interesting ways you can repurpose your receiving blankets. Here are some ideas: 

• Use the receiving blanket as a cleaning rug.
• Make it into a stuffed toy and keep it as a warm memory.
• Turn the receiving blanket into an apron for kid’s school art projects.
• Sew a pillow cover. Receiving blankets carry a special memory of your child, so you can turn it into a pillow to have in your room for nostalgic moments. 
• Donate to an animal shelter, as receiving blankets can be cozy for puppies as well. Or use it as a blanket for your own puppy if you have one. 
• Decorate your room by cutting it into small little shapes and figures. 
• Use a tent-at-home: As a kid, it’s always fun to make secret tents at home using chairs and small blankets. A bunch of receiving blankets can be perfect for this!                           
• You can easily use receiving blankets forever; just give way to your creativity.

How Do You Swaddle Your Baby Using A Receiving Blanket? 

The shape and size of receiving blankets make it easy to wrap around the baby. Newborns are used to cozy environments that remind them of life in the womb. So you can use a receiving blanket to recreate the coziness and keep the baby calm in the first couple of months after birth. 

To wrap your baby in a receiving blanket, you will need to:

• Spread out the blanket in a diamond shape on a  flat surface – the floor or the bed.
• Fold the top corner of the blanket several inches inwards,
• Place the baby on its back on the receiving blanket so that the head is above the fold at the top,
• Hold the baby’s arm down straight at its side, wrap that side of the blanket across the body,
• Lift the baby’s left arm so that the blanket can go under it,
• Draw the bottom corner of the blanket straight up and fold up till it reaches the baby’s neck,
• Hold the baby’s left arm and fold the right side of the receiving blanket across her body. 

In the end, your baby will look like a cozy burrito wrapped in its receiving blanket.  

Try wrapping up a baby doll or a stuffed animal toy before you swaddle your child. Babies like to move and kick, so keep patient even if you don’t manage to swaddle with the first try. Don’t you worry; mastery comes with practice.

Receiving Blanket Vs Swaddle

Swaddling a fussy baby isn’t easy!

Especially when you’re a first-time mom and not quite sure what you’re doing. 

Some babies hate being swaddled and fight big time. So you’ll need some practice to master the art of swaddling with a receiving blanket. 

To make things easier for yourself you can use a swaddle blanket with velcro wings instead.

The wings easily attach to the sides of the swaddle making the whole process a breeze. 

Unlike receiving blankets, which are multifunctional and can be used for so many different purposes, swaddles with wings are designed the way that they can be used only for swaddling. 

You can try both types to see which one you prefer. Or use them interchangeably.

Receiving Blanket Vs Muslin

Both muslin swaddles and receiving blankets are loose cloth blankets. The main difference is the fabric they are made of. 

Muslin swaddles are thinner than cotton receiving blankets so those are better for warmer climates. In hot summer weather, you still want to swaddle your baby but it’s important to not let your baby overheat. 

Hence, use muslin swaddles when it’s hot. Those are soft and soothing for baby skin and the material’s breathability let’s baby sleep without sweating. 

How Many Receiving Blankets Do I Need?

It depends on your washing routine but generally, a pack of 4 or 7 is a good starting point. 

Depending on the hospital you’ll be delivering in you might receive a couple of receiving blankets to take home too. 

My son loved being swaddled and I loved using receiving blankets with him. But with my daughter, I could hardly ever use one. She was so active and fussy every single time so I switched to the velcro swaddle and after a month or so started to use sleep sacks with her.

The good thing I could use the receiving blankets I had for all of the above-mentioned purposes. I still have a couple in the car, a couple in my diaper bag, a couple at grandma’s house for all types of emergencies. 

So it’s all individual and depends on the baby.

But  I wouldn’t stock up on too many receiving blankets in the beginning. You can buy or register for a pack and then see if you need more when your little one arrives. 

Also do consider that you’ll be swaddling your baby for only 2 months. 

At What Age Do You Stop Using Receiving Blankets?

While swaddling is very beneficial for the newborn stage, it’s important to not go overboard with it. 

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that swaddling is stopped when the baby is 2 months old or with the first sign of rolling. If the swaddled baby rolls over it may raise the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). 

To make the transition out of the swaddle easier for your baby, start using a sleep sack instead. I have a special love for sleep sacks and have all the information for you on why use a sleep sack for your baby. 

Also, check out why I love and recommend Nested Bean weighted sleep sack. 

Best Receiving Blankets

Before you register for or purchase receiving blankets take into account the season when your baby will be born. For colder months, you’d want to have thicker cotton or fleece ones, while muslin is a better choice for warmer summertime. 

Here are some options for you to choose from: 

• The Luvable Friends cotton flannel receiving blankets come in a pack of 7 for a fairly reasonable price. You can choose from lots of different colors and patterns. These are 100% cotton square blankets (30″x30″) that are perfect for everyday use.  

• Another great option of high-quality affordable receiving blankets is this Gerber Unisex 4 pack one. 

• This  Personalized Newborn Receiving Blanket is a perfect gift for a baby shower. This fleece blanket is best to be used in colder months. It is soft and lightweight and is slightly larger than usual receiving blankets with the size 36″x36″.

• And finally my favorite thin and breathable aden + anais muslin blankets. These are large (44″x44″) and extremely versatile blankets that I’ve used with both of my babies and continue to have in my diaper bag. They are perfect for California’s cool evenings but light enough for hot days as well.

One Last Thing

I hope I’ve answered all your lingering questions on receiving blankets but if you have more feel free to ask in the comments and I’ll get back to you with more info.  

Your Turn

Please share your experience with receiving blankets for other moms to read. Any tips or life hacks when swaddling your baby? 

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What’s a Receiving Blanket? And Why You Need One

• The name receiving blanket originated from the custom of wrapping newborns before passing them off to mom to “receive.”
• Receiving blankets are typically made from soft fabrics such as flannel, cotton, muslin, or jersey knit.
• You can use receiving blankets for cleaning messes, swaddling your baby, covering surfaces, and more. 

When looking for must-have baby products for your registry, you might be wondering, “What’s a receiving blanket?” 

Receiving blankets are staple items in hospitals and nurseries alike. Almost every newborn announcement features a precious infant wrapped in a decorative receiving blanket. These popular blankets can be found on every box-store baby aisle. They often appear at baby showers by the dozen. 

Their popularity may leave you with burning questions: What’s so important about baby receiving blankets, anyway? Is a baby receiving blanket the same as a swaddle blanket? Do you need to register for 5 or 15?

Don’t stress! A quick crash course on the basics of receiving blankets will clear up any confusion for new parents.

What’s a Receiving Blanket?

Receiving blankets refer to the blankets used to wrap newborns. Yes, this answer sounds too simple to be correct. The name originated from the custom of wrapping newborns before passing them off to mom to “receive.”

You might recognize the iconic hospital receiving blankets that first appeared in the mid-1900s. Today, those white blankets with pink and blue stripes continue to swaddle babies in the delivery room. They’re often regarded as the beloved first blanket of a newborn baby. 

Nurses use those flannel receiving blankets to help regulate a baby’s body temperature. In the hospital infant crib, the swaddle blanket and knitted hat keep the baby warm while away from mom or dad. 

Outside of the hospital, receiving blankets come in a variety of styles. You can find them in many patterns and colors. Some receiving blankets might be light and stretchy while others are thick and warm.

Receiving blankets are square or rectangular and are typically smaller than a child’s blanket. Their perfect size covers the newborn baby completely without leaving excess material.

What Can You Do With a Receiving Blanket?

A receiving blanket is useful for more than receiving your new baby despite its name. You can use receiving blankets for cleaning messes, swaddling your baby, covering surfaces, and more. 

You can use a receiving blanket as a:

• Playmat for baby’s toys.
• Burp cloth for spit-up.
• Nursing cover for mom.
• Stroller cover for shade.
• Mat for tummy time.
• Swaddling blanket for baby.
• Keep-sake baby blanket.
• Decorative blanket for baby’s room.
• Cleaning wipe for spit up or messes.
• Photo backdrop after baby’s arrival.
• Blanket for peek-a-boo or other hiding games.
• Changing table cover for diaper changes in a public restroom.
• Cushion (when properly rolled up) for more protection in the car seat.

With so many uses from burp cloths to nursing covers, it’s easy to see why receiving blankets are such a popular registry item!

Using a Receiving Blanket Safely

It is important to know that loose blankets should never be left in your baby’s crib or sleeping area. Loose blankets can increase the risks for sudden infant death syndrome.

Be sure to use your receiving blanket to safely swaddle your baby rather than loosely cover them. You should swaddle them snug enough so they can fall asleep easily, but not so tight it causes pain.

A good way to see if the swaddle is too tight is to place two fingers between your baby’s chest and the swaddle. If your fingers don’t fit, loosen the swaddle until they do.

You also want to be sure your newborn baby doesn’t overheat. Be sure to use appropriate dress and swaddle blanket fabric for the temperature.

Choosing a Receiving Blanket

The type of receiving blanket that’s right for your baby will depend on your needs. The climate you live in and personal taste will be deciding factors as well.

Think about the average temperatures where you live. Will you want to swaddle your baby with a heavy or light fabric? Lighter fabrics like cotton and muslin are ideal for warmer climates. A thicker fabric like flannel is perfect for cooler temperatures. Consider how many you will need for summer versus winter where you live.

Deciding what jobs you’d like your receiving blankets to do will also help you decide. Thinner fabrics like muslin make excellent nursing covers. A more absorbent fabric like flannel makes a great burp cloth.

Receiving Blanket vs Swaddle vs Muslin: What’s the Difference?

You might see many names used for baby blankets. Muslin, receiving, and swaddling blankets are the most common baby blankets. They all have slight differences but common uses.

1. Swaddle blankets are specifically designed to wrap with a snug fit around your newborn. You will find them in stretchy materials like jersey knit that allows for a tighter wrap.

(You might also notice swaddle wraps and wearable blankets in that category. These can only be used for swaddling your baby, as they aren’t a standard blanket. Swaddle wraps and wearable blankets come with special straps, zippers, or Velcro for a more secure fit.) 

2. Muslin blankets refer to any blanket made from muslin material. They are a bit larger than receiving blankets. This larger design creates room for easier swaddling. The breathable material allows for airflow so the baby doesn’t overheat.
3. Receiving blankets include both swaddle blankets and muslin blankets. Both options allow you to snuggle, wrap, and hold your sweet newborn. The only difference is material and size. 

FAQs

Why should I use a receiving blanket to swaddle my baby?

A 2005 study by Patricia Franco, et al found that swaddling babies increases infants’ sleep efficiency. 

Babies often prefer sleeping in a swaddle because it reduces twitching and sudden movements that often wake them from sleep. These movements are part of the Moro reflex and are completely normal. 

Many parents notice a major difference in the quality of baby’s sleep after they are swaddled. Swaddling an overstimulated baby often helps them to calm quickly.

How long do you use receiving blankets?

You can use a receiving blanket for years to come—long after you stop swaddling and the newborn days are over.

An old hospital receiving blanket will make a great cleaning cloth. A thin blanket like muslin is perfect for older children to use as a lovey. You can also use a receiving blanket to cover your toddler on a breezy stroller ride. When your child grows, you can even make a memory quilt out of old receiving blankets.

What is a receiving blanket made of?

Receiving blankets are typically made from soft fabrics such as flannel, cotton, muslin, or jersey knit.

How much does a receiving blanket cost?

Receiving blankets often come in a pack of 3 to 5 blankets and may cost anywhere from $10 to $40. The price depends on the material and brand you choose. A standard pack of 4 to 5 flannel swaddle blankets is an inexpensive choice, averaging around $10.

How many receiving blankets do I need?

Most new parents need around 3 to 6 receiving blankets. This is a good starting point if you are creating your registry and unsure of your needs.

If you know you’ll want your receiving blankets for many uses, consider registering for 5 to 8. You’ll want to have an extra blanket in your diaper bag and plenty to cycle through before the next load of laundry.

Owl blanket for children and adults

Remember the long-forgotten feelings when you, a small child, were hugged tightly by a warm mother with a gentle smile. This is how a person feels when he is covered with a weighted blanket. All anxieties and worries are behind, sweet slumber lulls you. Another moment, and you fall into a deep sleep until the morning. For children, the Blanket acts even faster.

The Owl Blanket works like a sensory simulator: it increases the flow of information to the brain from touch and pressure receptors, which are located on the surface and inside our body. In other words, it improves communication between two important types of receptors and the brain. (Doctors say – enhances proprioceptive feedback.)

Why do you need a weighted blanket?

• Sleeping under such a blanket is very pleasant and calm: you feel yourself in a strong cocoon, absolutely protected and serene. If your life is filled with stress, you often do not get enough sleep, you have not had a vacation for a long time, a weighted blanket will help you relax.
• The weighted blanket is effective for a wide range of problems caused by, or related to, the communication between the brain and the body.

Our mind is closely connected with the body. If the brain does not receive information from receptors
about where the body is now and what it is doing, this leads to overexcitation, neurosis, sleep disturbance, anxiety and other disorders. Restoring a reliable “communication channel” between the body and the brain leads to rapid positive changes.

Who will feel good under a weighted blanket?

Here is an incomplete list of situations in which the Owl Blanket can be useful and even indispensable:

• Aggressive behavior
• Autism and autism spectrum disorders
• ADHD and anxiety
• Insomnia and restless sleep
• Bipolar affective disorder
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Pain of various etiologies
• Dementia
• Tension and stress
• Cerebral Palsy
• Sensory Integration Dysfunction

A weighted blanket can also be used by ordinary people who want to get enough sleep and prefer a heavier blanket. A weighted blanket consists of several hundred pockets, each of which contains a precisely measured portion of weighting material – balls or buckwheat husks. In addition to the blanket, you can order a comfortable and beautiful cotton cover from us.
If you are the mother of a “special” child, then a weighted blanket will help him feel his body, become aware of himself in space. Regular use of a weighted blanket will lead to noticeable improvements in his condition. If your child is having trouble sleeping, there’s a good chance the Owl Blanket can help.

• In cerebral palsy, a weighted blanket helps reduce spasticity.
• Effectively reduces anxiety in autism, promotes
  restoration of functions of perception of oneself, one’s body.
• With ADHD helps to “ground” the child, align
  emotional background.

What is Modern Owl Blanket? How is it different from the Classic Owl Blanket?

The Classic Owl Blanket is a fixed weight blanket. The weighting agent is sewn into each pocket, and after the last stitch is made on the blanket, nothing can be changed.

The Modern Owl Blanket is a weighted, adjustable weight blanket. Each row of pockets in it is closed with a zipper, which allows you to climb inside and fill up, pour out or completely replace the weighting agent. But this is not all of its advantages.

The undoubted “plus” of the “Classic” blanket is that the product is inexpensive. Another plus is that the owner has nothing to think about, “no need to bother”.

“Cons” Blankets Classic:

• Weight cannot be adjusted.
  This is a very serious shortcoming. Firstly, different people have different levels of sensitivity – one weight is not suitable for everyone. Secondly, there is a gradual adaptation of the body to a constant stimulus. Even if today you guessed correctly with the weight of the blanket, then in a month or two this weight will be insufficient, and the effectiveness of the therapeutic effect will decrease. Thirdly, the Classic cannot be taken “for growth” for a child. He will have to put up with the extra pounds of that part of the blanket, which forms the stock. Getting in and out from under such a blanket and just pulling it up on yourself is a problem for the child.
• Difficulties with washing the product.
  Do not wash a blanket that weighs half a pound in the washing machine. You have to wash it by hand in the bath, then let the water drain, then lay it out for a very long time

Let’s move on to Modern.
“Minus”: the product is more expensive.
“Pros” weighted blanket “Modern”:

• Weight adjustment. Just open the zipper that closes a row of pockets, add or remove the weighting agent. Then repeat the operation for the next row of pockets. Adjusting the weight of an adult blanket takes about half an hour. Children’s – even less.
• Change in weight distribution. You can make the bottom
  heavier
  part of the blanket (many people like to put more weight on their legs. ) You can remove the “idling” weight from the sides of the blanket, thereby making the blanket lighter. You can achieve unusual effects by alternating filled and empty pockets
• Filler alternation. In winter, you can use a blanket filled with buckwheat husks, and in summer – filled with balls (polymer blanket is more “cold”) If you need a more intense effect on tactile receptors, you can fill the blanket with beans, chestnuts or acorns.
• Hassle-free washing. You just need to unzip all the zippers and lift the duvet by the bottom corners. All filler will spill out. (It is best to turn the duvet over in a bag, which will take all the spilled filler.) After that, you wash the cover in the washing machine, dry it
  and refill with weighting agent.
• Quilt size adjustment. If you take a blanket for a child with a margin in size, then you simply fill with a weighting agent only that area of ​​​​the blanket that the child needs now. After a year and a half, when the blanket becomes small, you unfasten the pins and fill an additional row of pockets with a stiffener.
• • How to choose a blanket for winter and summer from natural materials?

    Sleep becomes a rest, restoring health and strength, and enjoyment only when it is cozy and comfortable in bed, in this regard, the task of choosing a blanket plays one of the key roles. Therefore, the hostess, who knows how to save big, will be indifferent to the synthetic group and will consider only a high-quality product made from natural materials:

    • from plant fibers: bamboo, cotton, linen;

    • from wool and down of mammals: sheep, camel, goat;

    • from the down of waterfowl: swan, northern goose, loons.

    It is known that light viscose is obtained from cotton and linen. Products from them are highly valued in the summer. The function of sweating under them is reduced. Blankets made of them ventilate the body well, protect it from overheating and are classified mainly as summer ones. However, the properties of bamboo blankets deserve special attention, how to choose it and how to use them in winter and summer will be discussed below.

    Only warm winter blankets are made from waterfowl down, but wool does an excellent job of both functions. It warms when the body is cold and protects it from the heat on summer nights. Absorbs sweat, refreshes. An example of this is the robes of Bedouins quilted with camel hair, traveling through the deserts for many centuries in a row. During the day, they save them from the scorching rays of the hot sun, and at night – from weak frosts descending with dew to the ground. Therefore, according to most experts, a blanket made of camel wool belongs to the category of the best. How to choose the best from the proposed range?

    How to choose a bamboo blanket

    Plant fibers from nettle, cotton, flax, bamboo, etc. were obtained by our ancestors by hand. They were used to weave, make clothes and bedding. In our technical age, viscose is produced industrially. Products made from it are light, elastic, easily restore their shape as a result of crushing, are durable in operation, and most importantly, environmentally friendly. They are easy to wash, have a pleasant energy characteristic of the plant.

    The great advantage of bamboo is its good thermal insulation qualities. Bamboo fibers, reminiscent of cotton wool, are filled with blankets, getting light, but warm enough to be used in the winter season, products. They are perfect for summer too. Safe for people prone to allergies, do not absorb body odor, machine washable, dry quickly. Covers or coverings for bamboo blankets are made from fabrics consisting of bamboo fibers, combined with linen, cotton. One of the advantages is the reasonable price.

    When choosing a bamboo blanket model, study the description. Often, manufacturers use combined fillers, combining fibers from other plants, which enhances some of the properties and detracts from others. Also, before choosing a blanket, do the following:

    First, measure the bed and choose the size, at least half a meter wider than it.

    Second, make sure the quilt is thick enough, quilted evenly, and doesn’t have any lumpy or empty patches.

    How to choose a camel wool blanket.

    The advantage of camel blankets lies in the ability to keep the body temperature at an optimal level, neither overheating nor cooling down. On the other hand, wool is a generally recognized remedy. Products made from it help people suffering from rheumatism, muscle spasms, inflammation of the joints, osteochondrosis and prone to colds.

    There are woven and quilted wool blankets on the market. Quilted duvets are softer and lighter. Their geometric patterns and pleasant colors are impressive.

    When choosing, you should pay attention to:

    • on the volume of the blanket;

    • percentage of wool and down;

    • the weight;

    • covering (cotton, silk),

    • seasonality of use (summer, winter, all-weather)

    • whether washing is allowed.

    The price of the product depends on these parameters. For example, blankets made from the down of young camels are the most expensive. The higher the percentage of down in the volume, the higher the price. Therefore, on the labels of elite oriental blankets, the composition and place of collection of raw materials are indicated.

    Where to buy a blanket?

    In conclusion, camel wool and bamboo fiber blankets are not competitive. They are excellent in their own way and are good together. Therefore, often, a bamboo blanket that has served all summer is combined by housewives in a single duvet cover with another camel wool blanket. We offer you to buy high-quality blankets with excellent organoleptic characteristics and healthy fillers in our store mona-liza.com

    “Two apple trees for income.” How in Kazakhstan (not) they issue targeted social assistance

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    It is widely believed in Kazakhstan that recipients of state aid – are “parasites” and “freeloaders” who should be content with meager payments. In reality, a developed system of social protection is a direct obligation of the state and it is not being implemented, experts say Human Rights Watch . This human rights organization has published an extensive report on the situation in Kazakhstan. On October 17, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, RFE/RL is reviewing this study and sharing stories of women receiving or trying to receive targeted social assistance.

    Women with many children, single mothers, women raising children with disabilities were the main driving force behind the large-scale protests that began in 2019year after the death of five girls-sisters in a makeshift house on the outskirts of Astana. The protesters demanded from the state to improve the quality of life of citizens.

    More than three years later, the international organization Human Rights Watch concluded: vulnerable segments of the population in Kazakhstan are unable to secure their basic social and economic rights.

    Kazakhstan, as a “relatively rich country”, can afford to guarantee universal access to social protection to all citizens in need. In fact, people face stigma and red tape that pushes those who are in the most extreme distress out of the way.

    According to the organization’s findings, Kazakhstan has “strict eligibility criteria” that prevent citizens from receiving the assistance they need. In addition, the denial of such assistance automatically removes them from the category of the poor, thereby depriving them of the right to other benefits.

    If the applicant still manages to overcome obstacles and obtain benefits, HRW notes that the amounts given out are not enough to cover basic needs.

    EXTRA 2500 TENGE

    Zhansaule Zharkynbek, 26 years old, Turkestan region

    Zhansaule was kidnapped in his second year of university by a stranger for the purpose of marriage. She agreed to marry him and, according to her, did not regret the decision. She did not continue her studies. Sitting at home with three children. My husband recently passed away in an accident. After losing him, the woman got a job as a cleaner at a school to feed her family.

    Zhansaule Zharkynbek

    They live in a rented house in the village of Kaynarbulak. Zhansaule’s salary is 61 thousand tenge, another 69thousand – survivor’s allowance. Rent costs 30,000 tenge per month, 10,000 tenge for a kindergarten. And also expenses for utility bills, food, clothing…

    — Every month we owe the store 20-30 thousand. Basically, I buy essential products: flour, butter, pasta, potatoes, onions. But money is not enough. Everything is expensive. Bread used to cost 100 tenge, now it’s 150. Sometimes people show pity, give something, charitable foundations bring food,” the woman says.

    It’s cold in Zhansaule’s house. She cannot afford to stock up on wood and coal for the winter. Because of the low temperature, all four sleep in the same bed.

    – I tried to collect garbage and burn it, but it did not get warmer. Children cough because of the cold, the youngest daughter has red and inflamed eyes.

    The whole Zhansaule family sleeps on this bed – she and three children – because of the low temperature in the house

    Since February, children have been paid targeted social assistance (TSA, provided to vulnerable categories of citizens. — Rev. ). Families receiving these benefits must certify every three months that their income is below the poverty line. After Zhansaule got a job at a school, the amount of salary and survivor benefits (121,000 tenge in total) exceeded the minimum amount, and her children were deprived of TSA. Zhansaule collects documents again, but has no illusions.

    – Child allowance increased by nine thousand. If 121 thousand is a lot for them, then with 130 thousand there is no hope at all for social assistance. The amount for each family member should not exceed 28-30 thousand. We get 32,500 tenge. We cannot get TSA because of the “extra” 2500 tenge.

    Zhansaule Zharkynbek with her daughter

    Zhansaule works 11 hours a day and is thinking about switching to a seven-day work, but is afraid to leave the children alone.

    I run home during my lunch break to feed them. I want to continue my studies. If I had a degree, I would be a teacher, not mopping floors. They pay more there.

    Sizes of TSA in Kazakhstan

    According to official data cited by HRW, the volume of targeted social assistance and the number of citizens receiving it in Kazakhstan varied greatly from year to year due to changes in the issuance criteria.

    • In 2018, 600 thousand people received assistance in the amount of 4834 tenge per month.
    • In 2019, after protests broke out, the number of recipients exceeded two million, and the amount of TSA reached 12,188 tenge.
    • In the next two years, as a result of the tightening of extradition requirements at the end of 2019, both indicators were halved. Now about a million people in the country receive TSA. Its size is 6500 tenge per month.

    “BOTH PRICES AND CHILDREN GROW UP”

    Nadezhda Amirova, 29, Aktobe

    A mother of six children lives in a rented two-room house in a poor district of Aktobe, which the locals call Ugolnik.

    11-year-old Maxim, upon returning from school, immediately opens the refrigerator. Finding nothing to eat, closes. She takes off her uniform and reaches for the fridge again. Hope does not stand up: “Nothing will appear there from the fact that you will open it again and again.”

    Nadezhda Amirova, 29, a resident of Aktobe, near the house where she lives with her six children. October 11, 2022

    Nadezhda gave birth to her first child at 16. She became pregnant with her youngest son, who is now eight months old, during a meeting with her husband, who is in prison. He calls his husband Vladislav a good-natured and economic person who, if necessary, could work as a locksmith or plumber, but “foolishly” ended up in jail. Vladislav committed theft in the summer of 2020 and received three and a half years in prison. Since then, Nadezhda has been raising children alone.

    Diana, the eldest, and son Maxim are schoolchildren. The remaining four children stay at home and never went to kindergarten: there is nothing to pay for it.

    – There are people who say: “Why do you keep having children when you are barely surviving?” I never resented them. Yes, I am a woman with many children. But I do everything for the sake of the children. Never sat idle. I agree to any job, I don’t see anything shameful, says Nadezhda.

    She receives a monthly allowance from the state in the amount of 28,302 tenge for child care. In addition, the Amirovs, as a large family, receive an allowance of 76,479 tenge every month. According to the akimat, “the family’s income is below the poverty line.” Therefore, targeted social assistance is also issued – 90 156 tenge. In general, the monthly income of the family is about 200 thousand.

    Nadezhda Amirova from Aktobe

    – I pay rent of 45 thousand tenge on the day I receive benefits. The rest I spend on food and children’s clothes. On the one hand, it seems that state aid has increased in recent years, but the cost of food and clothing is increasing every day. Children grow out of clothes. Both prices and children are rising rapidly.

    Living wage in Kazakhstan

    Kazakhstan is classified as an upper middle income country. According to official figures, about six percent of its population lives below the subsistence level, which now stands at 37,389tenge (about $80). This is half the level recommended by the World Bank for countries like Kazakhstan – $165 per month.

    More than 86 percent of those living below the subsistence minimum are families with many children. But, HRW notes, the actual numbers could be higher. According to a 2021 study, about a quarter of families in Kazakhstan with four or more children do not have the resources to meet basic living needs.

    “ALL BANK ACCOUNTS HAVE BEEN SEIZED”

    Arai Sarsenbayeva, 33 years old, Uralsk

    A native of Uralsk, she studied to be a cook, but quit because of family problems: in childhood and adolescence, she often ran away from home because of her stepfather’s beatings. Survived by earnings, early married. The first and second husbands drank heavily. They have three children. The father of the fourth died before the couple could formalize the relationship.

    Arai Sarsenbayeva, residents of Uralsk

    Aray alone brings up children: two daughters, 13 and seven years old, and two sons, five and one year old. The family lives in an apartment-type hostel – in one room. Housing is rented, Aray pays 50 thousand tenge per month for it. It “eats” half of the income. She receives 50,000 tenge as a single mother and 53,000 tenge as a TSA.

    — I am not working now, I am sitting with a child. Before September it was especially difficult: three children went to school. I went to the mayor’s office. They found a sponsor there, he bought school uniforms, sportswear and stationery for my children.

    It used to be that they lived on alms: for the sake of their children, Arai stood with outstretched hand. Got into debt.

    Arai Sarsenbayeva’s children watch TV. Uralsk, October 12, 2022

    – Took out a loan for the treatment of her eldest daughter. She had a sore on her head and needed medication. Sometimes there was not enough to pay rent, and she took out loans again. Now all my bank accounts are frozen. There is only one on which the allowance is transferred, he cannot be arrested.

    Arai does not repay the loan: no money. Don’t know the size of the debt.

    — Now sometimes I wash the entrances, I take kalyms — to wash something for someone, to help with something. I earn 500, 1000 tenge at a time,” she says.

    Arai does not understand the mechanism of state support, and she does not have the strength to understand it.

    Arai Sarsenbayeva

    – In October, when I applied for benefits, I was told that I would receive 85 thousand (TSA) this quarter. Why is not specified. Together with the TSA, we receive food assistance. Sometimes. They gave it for the first time last year, twice. In this, never.

    Changes in the rules for issuing TSA in 2019

    At the end of 2019, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, spoke in favor of “adjusting” the mechanism for issuing TSA. He stated that state aid should “motivate to work, and not to an idle lifestyle.”

    Changes made since then have resulted in stricter criteria for receiving TSA and, as a result, a reduction in the number of recipients. Among other things, applicants were required to be officially employed.

    “MANY FAMILIES ARE NO LONGER CONSIDERED POOR”

    Olga Chumanova, 44 years old, Almaty

    There are no able-bodied people in this family. Olga has two children of primary school age and a retired mother. She herself is with the second group of disabilities. Struggling with cancer. All together live in a dilapidated house with stove heating.

    Olga Chumanova

    – I have a disability allowance – 57,206 tenge, plus a small disability payment, about 6,000 tenge. Mom’s pension is a minimum wage, 84 thousand tenge. In August of this year, I applied for the ASP. They counted my allowance and my mother’s pension as total income. A certificate came in: they refuse you, because your income per person is 37 thousand. It turns out that the TSA is calculated in the old way, that is, 70 percent of the subsistence minimum per person should be – for Almaty no more than 31 thousand.

    Due to the fact that the family is not classified as low-income, Olga’s children cannot qualify for assistance from the so-called universal education system – the provision of school supplies and other non-monetary support.

    – Until 2019, we had a small allowance for children up to 18 years of age. Only one MCI (then the minimum calculation index was 2,525 tenge. – Rev. ). I had to collect a lot of information. If the child received higher education or specialized secondary education, it was possible to receive this assistance until the age of 23. Then it was all cancelled. The legislation has changed, we have ceased to be included in the category of low-income families, we began to take the total income. Many families are no longer considered low-income,” says Olga.

    Stigmatization of TSA recipients

    Separately, HRW indicates the presence of stigma in Kazakhstani society, negative attitudes towards persons receiving TSA, and the widespread opinion that people should be content with what they have. Aid beneficiaries may also be accused of “unwillingness to work”, “dependence” on the state, and artificially “deteriorating their situation in order to meet the criteria”.

    “In fact, applicants have to repeatedly go through a complex application process, during which they are subjected to humiliating comments from social workers,” notes HRW.

    The organization adds that the negative sentiment is “fueled” at high levels of government, where inappropriate comments about TSA recipients are also regularly made.

    “INCOME WAS 60 THOUSAND AND A PENNY. REFUSED BECAUSE OF A PENNY»

    Meruert Aymuratova, 36 years old, Semey

    Vostochny summer cottage in Semey. A rickety house. There is a car in the yard that has not been running for a long time. The house is cold, the floors are icy. The kids are doing homework in the kitchen. During a conversation, you can hear something running between the ceiling and the slabs. Meruert says they are mice and sometimes they fall from the ceiling.

    36-year-old Meruert Aymuratova, Semey

    – Although I have many children, I do not receive TSA. For this we need state work: where they offer it, we must work there. Because of the TSA, I don’t want to work like this. If they pay me, for example, 100 thousand, they will go on the road, for lunch, 60-50 thousand will remain. I myself refused the TSA, I said that I would not work in these places.

    When mothers protested in Kazakhstan in 2019, the authorities revised the legislation and the parameters for the payment of targeted social assistance. Then Meruert was appointed TSA – 110 thousand tenge per month.

    – Once they refused to pay. I was still working at the mall at the time. I was supposed to have an income of 60 thousand, but it was 60 thousand and one penny – I won’t lie – and because of this penny I was refused. After that, I don’t take it at all. She said: “Give me a piece of paper, I myself will write a refusal.” Tired of proving to them. I have arms and legs, I’ll work better myself.

    Now Meruert is hired for a daily job: where to paint, whitewash, prepare the dacha for winter. The husband also works odd jobs.

    Meruert Aymuratova’s sons do their homework

    – Yesterday and today at the dacha I cleaned gardens for four people for 20 thousand. The work is hard. Before, I even worked as a loader, loading hay. I couldn’t get up for one week. I have an umbilical hernia, I was afraid that there was a hernia on my lower back. I wanted to go to the hospital, but I thought that they would again put someone who would look after the children. Husband is at work. She lay for a week, took painkillers, somehow passed.

    Money is not always enough for the most necessary things. Products are rising in price rapidly, and many employers cannot pay more.

    — We receive 63,500 tenge for five children, everything is spent on food. Now oil costs five liters five thousand, a kilogram of sugar – 650. A kilogram is enough for one day for children, as you say “don’t eat it”. We eat meat twice a year – on New Year’s Eve and on Eid al-Adha. Sometimes there is no bread at home. Not often, but it happens.

    Meruert Aimuratova

    The eldest son, says Meruert, sometimes gets angry, saying to his parents: “Why did you give birth?”

    – Mansour, who suffers from psoriasis, was born when I had a spiral. So God wanted it. Often they say: “You shouldn’t have given birth.” I’m offended. There is a woman in the akimat who also says so. Always cursing, yelling at me. I don’t want to ask them for anything. At that time, my husband said to me: “Go to the akimat, ask for coal, you have many children. I say: “Excuse me, dear, go ask yourself. I will work, I will buy it myself,” says Meruert.

    Registration requirement and income calculation

    Among the obstacles that will make it difficult for people to access social protection mechanisms, HRW lists income determination methods, since it includes other types of social assistance and income of more distant family members to which the applicant does not have access.

    The organization also calls the requirement that all family members have a residence permit as an obstacle. It is especially difficult to fulfill it for large families that do not have their own housing.

    As a result, “many families in need of support are excluded from beneficiaries,” says HRW.

    The organization cites a 2017 study by international consulting firm Oxford Policy Management. She estimates that in Kazakhstan, the level of error in excluding TSA applicants due to non-compliance with the criteria can be as high as 80 percent.

    “I waved my hand”

    K A Mshat Kashakova, 36 years old, Almaty region

    Four children Kamshakova Kashakova. Now the family lives in their own unfinished house, but for a long time, like many others, they lived in rented housing. At the same time, Kamshat made several attempts to issue a TSA.

    – Applied in 2020. Then, due to problems with registration, it was not possible. They explained to me that all family members should be registered in one house. We have received temporary registration. They said it would take six months after that.

    When Kamshat contacted the Akimat six months later, she was told that temporary registration would not work. The family again went to ask the owner of the house – to make a permanent residence permit. According to Kamshat, he asked for 100 thousand tenge for this. But these expenses and collections of certificates again turned out to be useless.

    — A commission came from the village akimat with an inspection. Two apple trees were planted in the yard, they counted them on account of income. They inspected the whole house, in what condition the furniture is. They said to come back in a month. Came. They said that the TSA was not appointed because the income was exceeded. At that time, I received an allowance for caring for a child up to a year, as a large family, we received an allowance of 63,000 tenge, to which my husband’s salary of 110,000 tenge was added. The total income was 2,000 more than the subsistence level.

    Kamshat hoped for help from the state in preparing children for school. But the commission from the akimat considered that the family does not belong to the socially vulnerable.

    — I asked the principal of the school to at least put the kids on the free lunch list. The director refused because I do not receive targeted social assistance.

    In 2021, when Kamshat was again denied TSA, she stopped relying on the state.

    – She waved her hand. I started sewing korpe at home. She took up her own business. I take orders for blankets, sew them, sell them. From one order I earn an average of 40 thousand tenge.

    Social support is the responsibility of the state

    A well-thought-out system of social protection is Kazakhstan’s obligation in the field of ensuring human rights, emphasizes HRW.

    “The right to social security is guaranteed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which Kazakhstan is a party,” the report says.

    Human rights activists called on the Kazakhstani authorities to “fulfill international obligations” and to this end simplify the procedure for applying for TSA, abolish or change the propiska requirement and revise the income calculation system. HRW also considers it necessary to raise the poverty line, in particular, taking into account inflation, which reached 14.5 percent from June 2021 to June 2022.

    The government of Kazakhstan expressed its position on TSA, raising the subsistence minimum and the poverty line in May 2022. Then a representative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population said that they would not revise these indicators, since the increase would “put people at home”, reducing their desire to work. He called the previous experience of increasing the size of the ASP “bitter” – for the same reason.

    READ ALSO:

    When meat becomes a pipe dream. How inflation drives Kazakhstanis into a dead end
    

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