Swaddling is an age-old technique of wrapping your baby in a blanket to help settle them. Babies are born with the startle reflex and swaddling is thought to make the baby feel secure and can help to mimic the restriction they had in the womb, reducing this startle reflex. Be aware that while some babies settle beautifully by being swaddled others may not like the sensation. You can always try it out and see what works for your baby.
There has been a lot of conflicting advice abut whether swaddling is safe for your baby or not. If you stick to some basic rules, you can be safe in the knowledge of how to swaddle your baby safely.
How to swaddle your baby
- Place a thin blanket on the floor
- Lay it in a diamond shape, folding the top point over to create a flat edge and lay baby’s shoulders along the folded corner
- Tuck the left arm down and wrap over the baby’s chest, tucking under the right side of your baby
- Bring the bottom point up to tuck into this wrap.
- Tuck the right arm down, over the baby’s chest and tuck under and tuck the corner in on the other side
- The baby’s legs should always be able to move into a ‘frog position’, rather than being held straight down. This reduces the risk of hip dysplasia occurring.
Some babies prefer to have their arms free, usually if they have had them by their face in the womb. If your baby prefers this, simply follow the instructions for swaddling as above, but tuck each blanket corner under their armpit instead of over their shoulders.
What to avoid when swaddling:
- Don’t cover a baby’s head, and only use thin materials for swaddling.
- Infants must NEVER be placed on their stomach when swaddled.– Recommendations from The Lullaby Trust
- It is not recommended that you swaddle your baby when they can begin to move in their sleep*. This is simply because they could role onto their side or front and this can increase the risk for sudden infant deaths. However, a newborn is unable to role and this is a technique that can work really well to settle some babies in the initial weeks.
- Make sure that you always place your baby at the bottom of the moses basket/crib on their back, making sure they can’t wriggle down and get overheated
Swaddling can work really well for the first 4-8 weeks. It can also really help to place the baby down in their moses basket or crib without stirring, allowing you to catch up on that much needed rest.
At Emma Mills – Private Midwife I have a sleep review that I work through with mums in the postnatal period.
Happy Swaddling
Reference:
*Swaddling and the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A Meta-analysis. Pease. A et al, American Academy of Pediatrics Review Article, May:2016
Emma Mills - Private Midwife 