Swaddling Your Baby
I know when we first brought our son home, swaddling was one of the most frustrating skills we had to learn. It seemed like no matter what, our son was able to Houdini his way out of it.
The swaddle sacks we sell at Wadgee, found here, are an easier option if you don't want to deal with learning blanket origami, and some even consider them safer since there is no way for loose fabric to inadvertently cover baby's face.
Regardless of how you choose to swaddle, here are some tips from the American Association of Pediatrics to keep in mind.
Swaddling Safety Tips
- Do not cover baby's head or face with the swaddle. Babies regulate their temperature through their heads, so putting them to bed with a hat could cause overheating. Also, the hat could come off and pose a suffocation risk.
- Make sure the swaddle is snug, but not too tight. You should be able to fit 2-3 fingers between the swaddle and baby's chest.
- Keeps baby's legs loose enough to sleep in a natural "frog leg" position. This ensures good joint development.
- Always make sure a swaddled baby is placed on their back. A swaddled baby on their stomach has an increased risk of suffocation.
- Stop swaddling when baby starts to show any signs of trying to roll over. Once this starts, transition to sleep sacks.
- Check your swaddled baby regularly for signs of overheating. This includes sweating, damp hair, rash, rapid breathing. To help with this, be sure not to overdress baby before swaddling.
- Never use a weighted blanket or weighted swaddles. These can place too much pressure on baby's chest and lungs.
Step-by-Step Guides
Here is an infographic from St. Louis Children's hospital showing how to properly swaddle your baby using a cotton or muslin wrap.
The following infographic showing a different technique was found on the Australian Department of Health, Disability, and Ageing's website.
