Swaddling your baby is a great way to keep her calm. A nice, tight swaddle gives her neutral warmth and keeps her contained, reminding her of the womb. When babies are swaddled, it is much harder for their reflexes to take over and disturb them. Nothing like a startle reflex to ruin a good nap!
The new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics warn against swaddling baby’s hips too tightly. We want a snug swaddle around your baby’s arms, but we want it to be a little bit roomier around their hips to prevent hip dysplasia (dislocation of the hips).
How to swaddle correctly according the the American Academy of Pediatrics:
- Spread the blanket out flat, with one corner folded down.
- Lay the baby face-up on the blanket, with her head above the folded corner.
- Straighten her left arm, and wrap the left corner of the blanket over her body and tuck it between her right arm and the right side of her body.
- Then tuck the right arm down, and fold the right corner of the blanket over her body and under her left side.
- Fold or twist the bottom of the blanket loosely and tuck it under one side of the baby.
- Make sure her hips can move and that the blanket is not too tight. You want to be able to get at least two or three fingers between the baby’s chest and the swaddle.
*Tip from a pediatric occupational therapist
When you are swaddling your baby when she is awake and alert verses going to sleep, swaddle her arms so they are bent at the elbows so she can get her hands to her mouth if she wants to suck on her fingers. Sucking is calming for babies. It literally releases calming hormones, so allowing her to self-sooth is an important milestone for her own self-regulation. It is also helping her explore her world.
It is time to stop swaddling baby when she begins to try to roll over. At this point, we want to allow as much free movement as possible. You can swaddle to keep her calm while holding her, but don’t leave her unattended while swaddled.
*IMPORTANT:
Baby sleeps on her back with no other blankets or pillows in the crib with her.
Watch a NICU nurse swaddle a baby here.
References:
AAP. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/diapers-clothing/Pages/Swaddling-Is-it-Safe.aspx