To Swaddle or Not to Swaddle?
Hello caregivers! I am so excited to be sitting down to write my first ever blog post! The issue I have chosen to write about today addresses a topic that I frequently see brought up in newborn forums and groups…swaddling a newborn!
First things first….should you swaddle your newborn?
If you’re asking me (and you’re here, so you are)…my answer is yes. You should swaddle your newborn, if you want them to sleep more soundly (and you do!).
Imagine you spend 8 to 9 months floating in a pool, and then you come out to open air. The difference between pool and air is striking, even after just an hour of swimming…so after 9 months of it? You’re going to exit that pool and immediately feel awkward, and you’ll want your pool life back desperately!
If you haven’t guessed, the pool in the above metaphor is the womb that your baby was in before birth, and once they are out in the open air, they’re sure to be feeling like a literal fish out of water. Since you can’t submerge your baby into bath water all day, the next best way to make them feel secure and comfortable again is to wrap them in a swaddle. When their skin is covered snuggly in fabric, it gives them the sensation of being surrounded by fluid again, and they find it quite comforting!
Another benefit of swaddling is the snug swaddle can make your baby feel like they are being held, which takes their comfort one step further, since babies love to be held!
A third benefit of swaddling? It helps a newborn’s sleep by controlling their reflexes. Newborns have what is commonly referred to as a “startle reflex”. When they are asleep on their backs, sans swaddle, their arms slowly drift open towards the mattress, and about halfway down, the infant seemingly feels as if they are falling, and they startle awake, pulling their arms back into their chest. This startle wakes them up, over and over again. You should always place a newborn on their back for sleep, to reduce the risk of SIDS, and you cannot always hold your baby while they sleep, so….stop the startle - swaddle that tiny human into burrito form and set them down for their snooze. Swaddling holds their arms in place so as they sleep, no startling can wake them!
Second thing’s second - You say your baby HATES to be swaddled?
The most common comment I see about swaddling is caregivers mentioning that they tried to swaddle once or twice, and the newborn cried, and therefore the newborn hates to be swaddled. And I am here to tell you…yeah. Your newborn probably does not like the process of being swaddled. But, what they dislike is the process, not the actual feeling after it is done. Give them a minute to settle into it. Be sure you’ve educated yourself on how to use the swaddle or blanket you are using for the newborn, make the swaddle snug, but not tight, pop that pacifier in your baby’s mouth, pick them up, and take some deep breaths. Give them a nice cuddle and some elongated shhhhhh sounds. They will most likely settle down! You might have to rock them to sleep in the swaddle the first few times, and that’s okay. Once they associate being swaddled with comfort and sleep, they will enjoy it and calm down in their swaddle rather than winding up.
Of course, there are always exceptions, but I find that parents and caregivers are very quick to give up on swaddling without realizing how beneficial it can be if they really give it a chance.
Are there any reasons that you should NOT swaddle??
Yes, of course there are instances where swaddling is not recommended. The number one reason you should not swaddle your baby is if they are able to roll over from their back to their stomach, which can occur as early as 6 weeks old. If your baby is rolling, set their arms free! Other reasons to not swaddle a newborn are medical or situational. For example, while you can swaddle a premature newborn, the technique on how to wrap their arms varies due to their developmental stage and changes as they age. I want to specify that I am not referring to premature or NICU newborns in this post, or any newborns that have medical conditions that swaddling could affect. Always refer to your baby’s pediatrician before practicing swaddling.
If you have questions about what swaddling is, which swaddle blanket to purchase, how to swaddle, or if you should even swaddle, be sure to reach out to me! Send me a message on my contact page to receive personalized advice!
