How to swaddle a baby | The Ultimate guide to baby swaddling
You might have noticed that when a baby comes out of the nursery, he lays calmly in his snuggle-wrapped blanket. This is because when he is neatly wrapped in a thin sheet or blanket, he feels like the embrace of his mother’s womb or being cuddled skin to skin. Thus, he sleeps comfortably for hours, even when he is not in your arms. So, if you have been planning to ask any nurse how to swaddle a baby, then first go through this article. We will tell you everything you need to know about swaddling a baby so that you won’t have to ask anyone else.
Swadling and its benefits
Swadling is an ancient technique of snugly wrapping a newborn in a warm and soft sheet or blanket, which helps him feel secure and comfortable.
Swadling has been around for centuries, and parents have been using it to help their kids feel settled and sleep more peacefully. As swaddling has proved to soothe a fussy and crying baby, this technique is getting popular around the globe. If you are confused about whether you should swaddle your baby or not, you should go through the benefits of it, which will help you make up your mind.
- Swaddling helps the babies to sleep comfortably for an extended period.
- Swaddling helps to soothe a crying baby.
- Swaddling helps in preventing the baby from waking up due to the Moro reflex.
- If a baby is swaddled, you won’t need to put any other comforting item in his crib.
- It helps to prevent the baby from scratching his face.
- Swaddling gives the baby a sense of touch, which helps him sleep again when he wakes up in the night.
- This technique helps in keeping the baby in the back-sleep posture.
- With swaddle, you can put your baby’s hand over the heart, which is also the preferred sleeping position for babies as they can soothe themselves back to sleep on their own.
- Swaddling helps parents too – sleeping baby in the night will let the parents sleep well too.
How to Swaddle A Baby: Step by Step Guide
Following is a step by step guide of how to swaddle a baby.
- Start with placing the blanket “all open” on a flat surface. Now make a diamond shape by pointing one corner down. Fold the other corner in such a way that it ends up near the center of the blanket.
- Now gently place the baby on the blanket with his face above the folded corner, and the body should extend all the way down to the bottom corner.
- Now gently grab baby’s right arm and hold the blanket from the right corner and wrap it snugly around the baby’s chest and right arm. Tuck it underneath her right buttock so it gives a look of a half V sweater. At this moment, your baby’s left arm will be under the blanket, and now is the time to cover the left arm.
- Now, fold the bottom corner that was pointing downward; fold it and tuck it under the first fold. Hold the left-right arm gently and pull the blanket from the left corner over the baby’s body and tuck it under the baby’s right side.
- Now grab any free blanket from the bottom and tuck it to remove any slack.
Remember, the swaddle should neither be too tight nor be too loose. To check if the swaddle is perfectly tight, try placing three fingers inside from the neck, if you are able to put them inside with applying any force, then it is perfect. You should also make sure that the swaddle is loose from the hips and under, so that the baby can move his feet freely.
The process of swaddling the baby is easy. It is just a matter of time; once you get the experience, you will be able to swaddle baby in less than a minute.
Tips to Swaddle a Baby
By now, you have learned how to swaddle a baby along with all the benefits it has for the child and the parents as well. But now let’s have a look at some tips that will help you ensure the safety and effectiveness of swaddling a baby.
Never Over-Swaddle
Swaddling a baby has its benefits, but that does not mean you start to over-swaddle the baby. Make sure you only use one swaddle blanket; using two blankets will start to overheat the body, and rather being comfortable, swaddling will become a harsh experience for the baby. Signs for over-heating are damp hair and sweating.
Don’t leave any loose ends of the blanket.
Make sure there are no loose ends of the blanket, and the blanket does not unravel. In the worst scenario, the blanket could cover your baby’s face, and he could have trouble breathing.
Hands Over Heart
The “hands over heart” position has proved itself to be an excellent position for the baby to sleep. Don’t place the hands at the sides as it can lead to joint problems.
Keep the Baby in Back-Sleep Posture
The best posture to put a baby to sleep is by placing him on the back. This will enable him to breathe easily. When the baby sleeps on his abdomen, he is more likely to inhale his own exhaled air, thus, getting less oxygen.
Swaddling for All Day Is Not A Good Idea
Don’t keep the babies swaddled all day, give them time to learn the body the movements. We know that babies love being snugly wrapped around, but you should give them the freedom to move as it is essential for their body growth.
In this article, we tried to tell you everything about how to swaddle a baby. We told you all the benefits and the things that you need to consider while swaddling a baby. Every year, millions of parents buy swaddle blankets, but they never learn how to swaddle their babies properly. Remember, practice is the key, keep on practicing, and one day you will become pro.