Lots of parents often ask about swaddling. Many are not sure of either the best way to do it or even why they should be doing it in the first place. Some parents have tried it previously and have their reasons why they didn’t stick to it: the baby hated to be swaddled, the swaddle never stayed put anyway, I want her arms free so she can self soothe, etc.
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How does swaddling help a baby?
Swaddling isn’t just cute because you make a little baby burrito. It’s beneficial for your baby (and you!). While there are lots of reasons why many parents choose not to swaddle their newborn babies, there are far greater reasons why you should! Here are just a few:
Safer sleeping.
Studies have found that newborn babies who are swaddled and placed on their backs in the crib are less likely to pull blankets over their head. Swaddling also makes it harder for babies to roll over onto their fronts, thus further lessening the risk of suffocation. Once your baby can roll onto his tummy, you must stop swaddling. But until then, it can help to decrease the chances of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
It is soothing.
There is a theory about the fourth trimester, which believes that babies are actually born three months too soon. This means that the more we can replicate conditions as they were in utero, the more we are able to soothe our newborns. Being swaddled can help newborns feel safe and secure, as well as keep them warm and cozy without overheating. Swaddling recreates the soothing and secure feeling inside the womb, meaning newborns are less likely to cry and more likely to sleep better.
It controls the startle reflex.
Is your baby’s startle reflex getting worse? Some babies wake themselves by flailing their arms and legs when startled by a loud noise. While this is normal for your baby’s neurological development, being swaddled helps to control the startle, or Moro, reflex and thus further allows for better sleep. Preventing your newborn from moving her arms and legs involuntarily also helps to improve her motor skills in general.
Babies cry less when swaddled.
And why wouldn’t they? They’re feeling safe, secure, and soothed in their little cocoon, so why would they cry unless they need something? Many parents have also found swaddling to help colicky babies. The light pressure from the swaddle and feeling of being inside a cocoon imitates the womb, helping with over stimulation and providing much-needed peace for babies and parents.