With the tragic earthquakes in Haiti, this donation program means more now than ever before. Baby Zoowon will donate one blanket to a child in need every time a blanket is purchased from their company. Their beautiful satin ruffle blanket collections features blankets made of a plush, minky fabric bordered with a 3″ satin ruffle. The blankets measure 29″ x 37″ and loveys are also available that measure 23″ x 24″. You can purchase one of these beautiful, soft blankets for just $55 and help a child in need at BabyZoowon.com.

I just discovered a company that makes beautiful, eco-friendly blankets from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Lina Bean creates these beautiful blankets, such as this Cameron Fleece Green Bean blanket (in photo) trimmed with a modern leaf print in bamboo and cotton. They measure 28″ x 40″ and are very soft, comfy and cozy for your little one. The company sells regular, “non-green” plush blankets that are beautiful as well. You can view the array of blankets, bibs and more at LinaBean.net, where this blanket sells for $58.

Available in a number of great colors, these soft cotton receiving blankets from L’ovedbaby are sure to please. Not only will you be able to coordinate them with just about any nursery, outfit, or stroller, but they are just the right size (and have just the right amount of stretch) for swaddling. Each is embroidered with the L’ovedbaby logo. You can’t go wrong with a great basic like this one, whether you buy it for your own little one or to give as a gift. You can purchase one for $18 at lovedbaby.com.

There are many companies who make beautiful baby blankets, but few will allow you to design your own blanket for your little one. The Polka Dot Tot is such a company, and their Posh Blankets are custom-made to your specifications. First, choose a blanket size, from Itty Bitty (7″ x 8″, for $10) to the largest, Adult (59″ x 72″, $120). Then the customer chooses the fabric for the front side of the blanket, fabric for the back side, whether she wants a ruffle border, monogram, checkerboarded fabrics, and option to gift wrap. The blanket is then custom-made, which takes up to 3 weeks to complete (rush orders are possible if you contact the company). The fabrics from which to choose are all so soft and luxurious, and the blankets themselves are simple and irresistible, just begging to be touched. You can view the array of choices for custom-made blankets and some pre-made blankets and gift sets available at ThePolkaDotTot.com. Upscale Baby readers can use the code posh4baby at checkout and receive 20% off an order.

Miracle Blanket is currently accepting video examples from parents of the calming power of Miracle Blankets. Each video must be posted to You Tube following the requirements shown on MiracleBlanket.com/call for video.htm. Then notify the company of your posted video, giving your contact information. To qualify for the $150 payment, the video must : Show a fussy baby becoming calm while getting properly wrapped in a Miracle Blanket;Be smooth and steady with a single uncut shot with good lighting and framing; and Show proper wrapping technique - Top blanket edge below shoulder level, snug fit, etc. Get out those video cameras and see how your fussy baby could earn you $150!

Parents know how difficult it can be to get babies to sleep at night. They don’t need extra stimulation from intricate bedding patterns at bedtime. Carolyn Gatzke and Diane Lechner created Engage Environments Backdrop Bedding, the winner of an iParenting Media award. With bedding designed to work with a child’s developmental needs, including a peaceful sleep environment, soothing textures, consistent surroundings, and a place to enhance their interests as they grow, Engage Environments creates crib cozies, bed skirts, crib sheets, and lovey blankets that coordinate and complement each other while simultaneously helping and encouraging a child’s development. Engage Environments Backdrop Bedding is available at CoastalCutiesGear.com, where a four-piece set of Crib Cozies sells for $250, an Expandable Bed Skirt is $200, and Banded Crib Sheets (shown above) are $40. You can read more about the philosophy of the company at EngageEnvironments.com.

I recently discovered a company with a simple idea - provide a subscription service that sends essential gifts to new moms for the first 12 weeks of baby’s life. Gifted At Birth, created by doula Tara Brooke and her partner Ari Nave, is a subscription service that sends “gifts” to you based on a profile you complete on their site, GiftedAtBirth.com. After asking a few questions, such as whether you plan to breast- or bottle-feed, whether ease of use or eco-friendliness is most important to you during the first few months of baby’s life, and whether you’re interested in just the essential baby items or the premium “gifts,” you are presented with an array of items that will be sent to you once a week for the first 12 weeks postpartum. If you live in the New York area, you are also entitled to a 30 minute consultation with a postpartum doula. What a great idea!

The company ships its products all over the United States. Their partners include Pampers, Dr. Brown, Mama Mio lotions, Moltex biodegradable diapers, and many more well-known companies producing quality products. The service costs about $124/week for the Essential Package, and about $170/week for the Premium Package. Once subscribed, you can log onto your online account and add things to each weekly delivery. This is a wonderful idea for new parents, who can concentrate more on spending quality time with their newborn and not have to worry about things like diapers, wipes, or pacifiers. Check this service out at GiftedAtBirth.com.

LittleLovees.com is currently having a sale on its blankets, which are imported to the U.S. from Israel. According to LittleLovees.com owner Betsy Murphy, these blankets are soft, fluffy, and cozy, made of gentle poly-micro fiber. They are available in blue, pink, and white, in a variety of styles. Right now they are also on sale for $25.60 to $32 (regularly $32 to $40). You can view the styles and colors available at LittleLovees.com.

I received a few flannel receiving blankets from Simply Baby Blankets while I was pregnant.  I knew I liked the extra-large size and the quality, but I didn’t know how much I would love these blankets until my little one arrived.  They have quickly become our favorite.  They are warm as can be.  They are also perfect for swaddling because they stay put when they are wrapped around the baby.  If one of these meets with a disaster such as a diaper leak or spit-up attack, it is immediately in our washer.  That is how much we depend on them to keep our somewhat fussy baby as comfortable and happy as possible.

I recently visited the site and discovered that they are closing for an indefinite amount of time and selling off their inventory at half price.  I would highly recommend these blankets to any new parent, and at these prices ($10 for luxury flannel, $6 for original flannel, $8 for seersucker), you can’t go wrong.  You can shop the sale at SimplyBabyBlankets.com.

I always like to see celebs during pregnancy, celebs and their babies, and celeb after-baby bods, but I don’t always like the price tags on the celeb baby buys. Suri Cruise has been seen with several different My Little Travelwraps, a brand of blanket touted as the “perfect woolly nest.” Made for children and sold with a linen backpack to carry it in, it is a gorgeous gift for any occasion. I especially like The Treehouse, a lovely blue version that brings to mind trips to the beach.

For those of us who aren’t interested in the £145 price tag on the Scottish cashmere blanket, are there other options? The famous little miss has the means and the need for such lush blankets, but for my family, a rainbow of cashmere is not a necessity. Though the Scottish version comes in an array of colors and is beautifully crafted, I also like Lug Nap Sac Travel Blanket by Touch of Europe. Publicized on Oprah, it includes an inflatable pillow, a pocket for a phone or other electronic accessory, and is 7.75H x 10.75L x 3W inches in size. It even comes in 7 different colors, but the best part of all, though it’s not cashmere, is that it’s only $27.99 at Amazon.com.

If you’re looking for another option for wrapping baby on a dime, check out L.L. Bean’s Fleece Travel Wrap. This option comes in black, camel, or raspberry, and won’t break the bank at $39.50.  It’s light enough to travel with or small enough to store in the car without getting in the way of all the other packages you might be piling in the trunk or on the seats.

Last of all,  I spotted a Pure Cashmere Baby Blanket (Yellow 3 Ply) outlined with satin by The Pashmina Store on Amazon.com for $69.99 if you’re in it for the real thing. Done in a sunny yellow, it is a lush choice at half the cost.