Swaddling your Baby is Sweet
The practice of baby-swaddling
dates back centuries and is still common in many cultures. Swaddling involves
wrapping a baby securely from shoulders to feet with a small blanket.
American Indians and people from the Middle East
use bands and more sophisticated swaddling techniques, but more traditional
swaddling techniques are still practiced in such countries as Turkey,
Afghanistan and Albania.
Not only can swaddling be a
great way to calm and sooth a fussy infant, it’s also been shown to lower the
risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). At the age of three months, when
the risk for SIDS is greatest, traditional American swaddling techniques allow a
baby to escape. It allows the baby to stay in a more stable position while
sleeping, thereby lowering the SIDS risk. In addition, swaddling has been shown
to help babies sleep longer and more restfully by preventing the sudden
movements that can cause them to wake up, thereby improving mom and dad’s sleep
quality and quantity also. Babies who are swaddled are said to feel secure,
similar to how they felt while in utero. It can also assist in temperature
regulation, keeping baby nice and toasty warm while sleeping.
A couple of additional perks
to swaddling come during waking hours, too. A swaddled baby is easy to carry
and hold ¾
an adorable, compact little
package. It can also help baby focus on breast or bottle feeding by keeping
little hands out of the way.
Swaddling usually works best
from newborn to approximately four months, but if baby is used to being
swaddled, and then it might be utilized even longer. Babies just being
introduced to swaddling may require an adjustment period. Modified swaddling,
such as leaving arms free while swaddling the rest of baby’s body, might be
needed when first introducing the practice to your baby. The blanket should
always feel snug but not tight.
Take special care to ensure baby’s circulation
is not compromised in any way or that baby is not uncomfortable. Ask
a nurse, physician, midwife or other knowledgeable healthcare practitioner to
demonstrate the correct technique for swaddling your baby.
