When should I use a blanket around my newborn? Please help! :)?

The thing with blankets in the crib is that you're not watching every second to make sure baby doesn't wriggle under the blanket. That's not a problem with a stroller, because you have baby in your sight all the time.

For car seats there are blankets with holes in the back and velcro fastenings. You put the blanket in the seat, thread the straps through the holes, put baby in, fasten the straps, and then fold the blanket over baby and fasten with velcro. It's a bit like a loose swaddle, and the blanket easily stays put, without risk of covering baby's face.

As for swaddling: some babies like it, some don't. Don't spend a fortune on special swaddling products until you know. In general you swaddle for sleep, although I've heard of restless babies who latch better on the breast when swaddled. You definitely don't swaddle all the time, baby needs to be able to move around when awake. And like I said, they don't all like it. My oldest needed it in the early days to be able to sleep, so we swaddled. My youngest hated it with a passion, so we didn't. He needed my presence to sleep, not a swaddling blanket.

If you have a Moses basket and you put the baby's feet right at the end then you can use blankets as there is no chance of them shifting down and getting suffocated. However, they tend to kick them off so it's better to swaddle them. It also helps them to sleep because they feel like they're still in the womb. You can absolutely use blankets in a car seat because they're definitely not going to be moving anywhere!

So, for sleep, as Suzy Q rightly said, the danger with blankets is that you aren't watching them all the time, and Baby may accidentally suffocate. Instead of a blanket, you can use a sleep sack for when it's cold. I prefer to use a pure woollen sleep sack for the colder months (as opposed to those plastic fleece ones), because I feel it's much healthier for Baby's skin - her skin can breathe. Also, because infants have trouble regulating their body temperature, they can easily become too hot, so it's actually better for them to be slightly cooler when they're sleeping.

A blanket in the pram is completely fine, as long as she's within your sight. I've known some parents who used the pram as a bed for naps, so if you're leaving Baby unsupervised to sleep, best use the sleep sack. But otherwise, a blanket in the colder months can be quite useful, and doesn't pose any risk. You can also drape a swaddling blanket over the pram in the summer months, to provide a bit of shade.

In the car, also, a blanket is fine, and is sometimes necessary. The main thing about the carseat is that Baby shouldn't have any sort of coat or snowsuit on while in the carseat, as it poses a danger in the case of a crash, so if the car is a bit cold, it's better to buckle Baby into her carseat, and then put a blanket around her.

And as for swaddling, this is mainly for younger infants - typically up to around 4 months (although there are some infants who like to be swaddled longer). Many newborns (birth-5 weeks), like to be swaddled all of the time, because it mimics the feeling they had in the womb. Swaddling also helps keep them warm, which is very important for newborns. After the newborn stage, Baby may still like to be swaddled for naps, but for the rest of the time (waking hours and night sleep), it's best for Baby to have unrestricted limbs, so that she can develop her muscle tone, explore the physical sensations of movement, and develop her hip flexors.

I would say, buy a few large swaddling blankets (although wait until the last minute, because this is a popular baby gift), and see how Baby likes it. If your child doesn't like to be swaddled, those blankets make great burp cloths, picnic blankets, and can even work as towels if you're in a pinch (I always keep one in my baby bag). If Baby's really into the swaddling, you might look into getting a few more if you find you need them.