At a glance:
As every mum will know, muslins have endless uses for a new mum and we love the look of these ones from Mama Designs. With a million different uses, these larger muslins are a great new mum must have.
What they say:
“Our swaddle muslins are super soft double layered 100% cotton, so they are gentle on your baby. Perfect for swaddling, burping, feeding, wiping, comforting, a light blanket, a pram cover and anything else you can think of!”
Tested by mum Katherine Fraser for the Mother & Baby Awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
They are extremely practical and can be used for many different things. Every mother will find a different use for them, for example, I may use mine as a breastfeeding cover, but someone else may use it as a swaddle. The possibilities are endless. The product had a lovely pattern on it, which was stylish and pretty without being too 'babyish'. It was nice to have an item that looked good from the mother's perspective, as opposed to just being cute for a baby.
How did the product make your life easier?
As a breastfeeding mother it was extremely useful to have a large muslin cloth to use in public as a breastfeeding cover. Regular sized muslins didn't always do the job of covering me adequately, but these worked very well. They were also useful to use to line the carrycot of the pram, or as a light cover for baby when it was too hot for a blanket.
Would you choose this product to win?
This product is better than other muslins as they are super soft, with pretty designs, and are also larger than some other muslins. Ideally, I would use this alongside a more traditional muslin square, as the smaller ones are a bit more useful in terms of popping in a bag and wiping up small spills. However, that doesn’t detract from the usability of this specific product.
What changes would you make to the product?
The only thing I believe that could be seen as a negative for some people is that they are very large, and are therefore not quite as easy to launder and iron as some other muslin cloths. The storage of these, due to their size, could also be a negative. Making this product just slightly smaller (still not as small as a traditional muslin square) could make them more useful.
Tested by mum Ami Howard for the Mother & Baby Awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
I would recommend this product to everybody, not just mums! It's so brilliantly versatile and soft, can be used to cover things if needed, and is a lifesaver at times. The design is so pretty and delicate, and can be used for either a boy or a girl, and the material is so soft and is very good quality. It's just the right thickness/thinness for anything!
How did this product make your life easier?
I find this product makes life so much easier because it's so versatile! It can be used as a swaddle, muslin, blanket on its own or one to lay them down on and, in times of need, even a changing mat! It's a product that if I'm in a rush I can just shove in the changing bag and leave, knowing if I have forgotten one of the above, I have it now!
Would you choose this product to win?
I would definitely choose this product over all others on the market because of how versatile and how good a quality it is. It's brilliant in times of need, as it can be used for pretty much anything! It's a pretty large size too, so can be used as a thin blanket or can be folded, which is perfect for a quick play/changing mat.
What changes would you make to this product?
I honestly cannot think of a single thing I would change. The quality of the material is brilliant. Its softness is perfect to use for anything with a baby with such delicate skin. The size of the square is just the right size to be used for anything from a blanket to a changing mat, but if I had to choose something to change, I would say that there should be some more of their beautiful designs to choose from.
Tested by mum Bryony Fryer for the Mother & Baby Awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
I would recommend this product to a fellow mum, solely due to the many different ways you can use this product. Though they are quite large, they can easily be folded down small for storage and for putting inside your changing bag. I would also recommend them due to the design being very stylish and the quality of the material being very soft, and easy wash (and then dry). They’re very good value for money.
How did this product make your life easier?
This product makes my life easier as a mum as the product is very versatile and although my son is no longer swaddled, they are great for using when feeding my son and burping him, as he suffers from reflux and can be sick quite a bit. They are also good for using as a light blanket in the warmer weather. My son tends to kick blankets off, but he’s more than happy to keep this one on.
Would you choose this product to win?
I would definitely choose this product, as I like the design of the swaddling muslins, and they are also really useful and soft against my sons skin. The product is also very good value for money, and after being washed and dried, doesn’t lose its shape, unlike other muslins I have purchased before. These muslins will also last a long time, and have many different uses.
What changes would you make to this product?
If there were one thing I would change about this product, it would be their size. The size is perfect for swaddling, but if your child doesn’t like being swaddled or has outgrown being swaddled, they are a bit on the large side. I would also maybe add a bit of colour to the muslins, as the design, though lovely, only came in black and white.
Tested by mum Kathryn Glover for the Mother & Baby Awards 2018:
Would you recommend this to other mums?
I would recommend this product due to its versatility. It can be used for so many different things, which means you only have to have one product instead of many, and it looks great! I've had lots of compliments on them. They have especially been great on hot days to cover up my little girl from the sun whilst feeding, but don’t overheat her like other blankets would, and the large size meant she was suitably covered.
How did this product make your life easier?
These muslins are so handy. They can be used for swaddling, which my little girl didn't like as she likes to have her arms free; as a blanket, burp cloth, or anything you like. They wash like rags, have a great design and are a great size but take up minimal space in a change bag. The thin material means they are great as a thin cover on a hot summers day or a cover for baby from the sun whilst feeding. Alternatively, they can be folded to make a warmer cover. I use them every day!
Would you choose this product to win?
This isn't a product I would have thought about purchasing, as I wouldn't initially have looked past the description of a swaddle muslin, however, the back of the packaging gave ideas for alternative uses, which was a great source of information. They also gave good instructions for how to swaddle, which was invaluable seeing as I had never tried swaddling before. The design of the product stands out from others I have seen, as does the quality of the product.
What changes would you make to this product?
The product, to me, had no flaws. It has been so handy to have and now I am never without one. From this the only thing that I would improve is the variety of designs available, as currently there only seems to be two. I picked the pineapples over the clouds, as the clouds seemed a bit plain and were blue. It would be nice to have something a bit more ‘girly’ as an option.
How we test and choose recommended products
Our product recommendations are based on a combination of real-world testing from our burgeoning army of mum testers and the extensive knowledge of our experienced editorial team and product specialists. Where we can, we also consult experts who specialise in that field to ensure you get the right advice along with the right product, and we listen to what you say as well.
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For essential products, our annual Mother&Baby Awards shortlist the top products tested. Full reviews from our mum testers can be found on our product pages. The winners and runners-up for each category will also appear in our top picks article for that product, along with other products that were rated highly by our team.