3 Ways to Swaddle Your New Born Baby
Your new born has taken your breath away and you want to spend every waking moment holding them in your arms, admiring that cute tiny nose and their incredibly cute little palms wrapped around your finger. They change your whole world and become a symbol of the future... a time of fresh beginnings, and a time for hope. In all honesty, a new born baby is an exciting event for the family, and it can be hard to know what to do when you are not sure what to expect. It takes time for parents to adjust to their new life with a newborn, but they will eventually find their own way of doing things. You may not want to put them down, but you will eventually, and this is where swaddling comes in.
Swaddling infants is a practice dating back many centuries, but the manner in which babies are swaddled has changed over the years. It is an age-old practice of wrapping infants with a blanket snugly around their body. It is known for helping to soothe babies. Many believe that swaddling has such a calming effect on newborns because it mimics how they felt in their mother’s womb. The comforting feeling it gives helps baby settle down, go to sleep, and stay asleep. Some studies have shown that babies who are swaddled can sleep up to 2 hours longer. It also helps with digestion by keeping your baby from spitting up their food. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS by 50%
Swaddling also helps prevent infants from waking themselves with their moro reflex. The moro reflex (also known as the startle reflex), which occurs when there is a sudden disruption causing an infant to “startle.” They react by throwing back their head, extending out their arms and legs, crying, then pulling the arms and legs back in. We looked at a few ways you could swaddle your baby and keep them safe and snug.
The benefits of swaddling your baby include:
- Helps the baby sleep
- Prevents startle reflexes and calms the baby
- Aids in digestion
- Helps regulate body temperature
- Encourages healthy development of motor skills
Now that we have seen how swaddling helps your adorable newborn, let’s look at ways you could swaddle your baby and carry them anywhere comfortably lying in your bassinet.
3 Ways to Swaddle Your baby
There are tried and tested ways that you could use to swaddle your baby. Here are our three favorite ways.
Basic Swaddle
The first method is called the Basic Swaddle. In this method, you will need a receiving blanket and a swaddling blanket. The baby is placed on their back and then the receiving blanket is laid on top of them so that it covers up to the neckline. Next, the swaddling blanket is wrapped around them so that they are snugly surrounded by both blankets. You could also lay the baby on their back with the blanket already laid out, and cover them snugly as shown below.
Hands Up Swaddle
The second way is the modified version of the traditional style which involves wrapping a baby with their arms outside of the blanket and their legs inside. This type of swaddling is more popular because it's easier to do and it's also more secure than the other types. For very young babies (the first couple of weeks), it’s best to go for a swaddle that keeps their arms and legs in a natural position and doesn’t forcefully stretch them out before they are ready.
The ‘hands up swaddle’ keeps a baby’s hands near their face and their legs in the frog position. This swaddling technique is perfect until your baby is ready to start stretching out, which is when you can move onto a different position.
Kangaroo Care Swaddle
The third method is called Kangaroo Care Swaddle. In this method, you will need a receiving blanket and a large t-shirt or other cloth that can be used as a swaddling blanket. You should lay your baby on their belly with their legs straight out in front of them and wrap them up in both blankets as if you were wrapping yourself up.
It is also called skin-to-skin contact, where you hold your baby close to you, preferably naked, and cover them with blankets as needed for warmth - this method can be used by parents who have had cesarean sections or those who have premature babies
When you are ready to stop swaddling your baby, there are a few ways that you can do so. You can unswaddle them and place them on their back in their crib or bassinet. You can also use a wearable blanket that will allow your baby’s arms and legs to stay warm while they sleep without restricting their movement.
With that said and done, you are ready for a day in or out, with your beautiful baby swaddled and comfortable in their bassinet.
This is not medical advise but an opinion article based on research. If seeking medical advise, contact your physician.