You may wonder why you need to buy a swaddling blanket when so many other options exist. This blanket, along with diapers and bottles, is an absolute must for your infant.
If you did not have this blanket, your baby would keep you up at night with their cries. In what specific ways can this one product guarantee your infant a peaceful slumber?
New mothers may not be aware that their newborns experience temporary disorientation after leaving the safe confines of the womb.
They are unaccustomed to the cold and dry conditions they now find themselves in.
How to Choose the Best Swaddles
Keep the following in consideration while you shop for the best swaddling blanket:
- Usability
Traditional swaddles are the way to go if durability is a priority. They are versatile blankets that you can use for a variety of purposes. In addition, they have no mechanical parts such as elastic, Velcro, or snaps that can break down over time.
- Size
Pick out a blanket that is just the right size for your kid. Pick a classic blanket with 45-inch sides if you want to use it as intended. If you are using a different product, be sure you get the right size for your size, length, and age.
- Fabric
Pick something that will allow air to circulate, like cotton. Season, indoor temperature, and the number of clothes your baby will be wearing all play a role in determining how heavy a fabric you should use for swaddling.
- User-Friendly
Swaddle sacks and other products that don’t call for expert wrapping skills are great alternatives to the more involved process of using a traditional swaddle. They are also simple to offer to the babysitter or the neighbor babysitting your kid.
How To Swaddle Your Newborn
To safely swaddle your newborn, follow these steps:
- Place the swaddle blanket on the ground and tuck one of the corners under.
- The baby’s head should be near the edge of the folded corner of the blanket as they are lying face up.
- Pick up the left corner of the blanket while keeping one hand on the baby. Wrap your infant in the blanket. Put the blanket inside their right armpit. It needs to be worn under the child’s bottom and lower back.
- Put the baby’s left arm straight down by their side. Bring the blanket across your body by picking up the corner at the right. Wrap it around their left hip.
- Tuck the blanket under the baby by loosely twisting or folding the bottom corner.
- Your baby’s neck and head should be the only body parts not swaddled.
- Make sure your baby’s legs still have some wiggle room before you unwrap them.
- You should only put babies to sleep on their backs, never on their stomachs or sides.
Swaddling Your Kid Has Several Benefits, One Of Which Is Improved Sleep
- Less Crying
Swaddling may help soothe the cries of infants younger than 7 weeks old, according to a study of 368 excessively crying babies.
- Sleep Position
Swaddling encourages parents to put their kids on their backs, which is the best sleeping position for infants.
- Premature Babies
Premature infants whose parents swaddle them have superior motor movement and muscle and nerve development.
- Better Sleep
When you swaddle a baby, it is like they are right at home in the womb again. One study of 16 infants between 10 and 16 weeks of age indicated that swaddling improved sleep duration and reduced spontaneous awakenings.
- It Is Calming And Provides Pain Relief
Babies born prematurely and swaddled feel less anxiety when you weigh them. Premature newborns can feel less discomfort before, during, and after a heel stick blood test by swaddling.
Safety Tips
Swaddling has many advantages, but it is important to do it correctly to keep your infant safe and comfortable. Keep in mind these precautions:
- When swaddling, don’t use two blankets at once. Your infant can get too hot because of the added thickness. The possibility of it coming loose increases the danger of asphyxia.
- When babies learn to roll over, you can stop swaddling them.
- After swaddling, always place your newborn on their back.
- Do not wrap it up too much. Hip growth may be stunted if you swaddle newborns so tightly that they cannot move their legs or hips. Swaddle your baby so the arms are held firmly, but they can move the legs and arms freely.
The Best Swaddle For Newborns
The ideal swaddle for newborns will help them feel safe and secure, like in the womb. This allows them to sleep for longer periods.
When wearing them, babies are less likely to wake themselves up with jerky movements (the Moro reflex). That’s the worst-case scenario.
What Is The Best Swaddle For Baby?
There are a few things to keep in mind while picking the best swaddle for your newborn:
- The Brand:
Mothercare, Jojo Maman Bebe, and Tommee Tippee are just a few popular baby companies selling comfy swaddles.
- The Style:
Do you want to wrap your baby in a blanket or a more complicated muslin swaddle? Would you rather have something less generic that has a pocket for your feet and secures with poppers or velcro?
- The Price:
What is your budget for this? This can affect choices like which fabric to choose and what kind of fasteners to put on the swaddle.
- The Durability:
How long does it take to dry, and how well does it wash?
What Types Of Swaddles Are There?
Swaddles, like most baby products, come in a variety of sizes. There are several options, and you may find that your kid responds better to one over another.
Here Are The 2 Main Types:
- Swaddling Sacks
These are considerably more appealing to first-time parents than learning the swaddling technique. Zippers, Velcro, and snaps make it so they can swaddle your baby for you.
- Traditional Blanket Swaddles
Swaddling blankets are extra-large, plush blankets used for the swaddling method. Once your infant outgrows swaddling, you can use these items as a burp cloth or blanket.
You must swaddle your baby safely to prevent suffocating and rolling over.
Stretchy Swaddle Blankets
Stretchy swaddle blankets are more convenient to wrap, more difficult for the infant to “escape” from, and more comfortable for the baby to sleep in.
Wrapping A Newborn
Newborns often prefer to be wrapped up to sleep. This is because it makes them feel safe and prevents them from waking up startled.
To keep the baby’s belly content, it is crucial for you and the baby to talk to each other. Wrapping newborns too tightly might limit their range of motion.
This will make it difficult for them to reach their mouths or feed themselves. Instead, wrap your infant in a thin muslin cloth so you don’t miss any signs of hunger.
What Are The Benefits Of Wrapping A Newborn?
- Your baby will adjust to life outside the womb more quickly.
- Babies often wake themselves from slumber by wriggling their feet and hands. All that squirming can cause an abrupt awakening, which is bad for the baby’s health.
- Properly wrapped babies tend to have more consistent sleep schedules. This will benefit both the baby and the parents.
- Blankets can decrease the risk of SIDS by keeping the infant warm and on their back while they sleep. Until the baby is able to roll over onto their stomach, doctor’s advice keeping them wrapped up.
- Swaddling a newborn baby offers a calming effect on the infant.
Better Sleep With Swaddling
You can help your baby sleep better by swaddling him. If your infant is sleeping better, you will too. Swaddling a newborn is one of those skills that, once acquired, can be done in your sleep.