Should I swaddle my baby?
Have you ever seen those pictures of snuggly swaddled babies in early 20th century countryside? Well, this practice is far from outdated. Actually, swaddling is even coming back into fashion in a reviewed and improved version.
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Swaddling a baby means wrapping him in a blanket or cotton so as to limit his movements. This practice has both advantages and shortcomings. Baby swaddling is thought to possess soothing virtues and promote sleep. Keep reading and find out about the pros and cons of this practice.
The comeback of traditional swaddling
Baby swaddling has been a very common practice since ancient times. It was widely used in the 18th century as a means of protecting babies from the cold but also to aid a baby’s body development. Then swaddling was decried by doctors, who accused it of being obsolete. It’s worth mentioning that some mothers used to block their babies’ legs with a wooden board and even nailed their swaddled infants to the wall to keep an eye on them!
Fortunately, the swaddling technique has since then changed for the better. It remains a customary practice in many traditional civilisations and the United States and seems to be coming back into fashion in Western Europe as well.
Swaddling helps baby sleep
Sleep problems are common: an estimated 31% of babies have disturbed sleep and 27% have trouble falling asleep. Is swaddling a solution? Mothers’ comments on discussion forums are particularly positive: some babies who had difficulty falling asleep almost instantaneously dropped off to sleep once swaddled, while others who kept awaking during the night now slept uninterruptedly.
It seems that baby swaddling promotes sleep. Perhaps because this position is reminiscent of the confined space inside the mother’s womb and therefore assuages a baby’s anxieties, as opposed to sleeping alone in a big empty bed, which can be stressful for an newborn.
What’s more, if your baby wakes up at night, it might be because of the Startle reflex prompting him to unconsciously move his arms around, which swaddling prevents, thereby promoting sleep.
What are the drawbacks of baby swaddling?
Though vigorously condemned by some 18th century doctors, baby swaddling has evolved and is no longer decried. Its use is generally reserved for nighttime for newborn babies and it doesn’t completely hinder babies from moving. The legs are somewhat free, which eliminates risks of impaired muscle development and reduces chances of any hip damage.
The only problem is that your baby might have difficulty getting out of this habit. When he’s become used to falling asleep this way, it may prove difficult to make changes when he grows up. Professionals recommend going about it step by step: start by letting one arm loose, then the other and so on.
Some advice on baby swaddling
Nowadays, the purpose of baby swaddling is no longer to impede your baby’s movements and put him to sleep in a corner, but more to give him a comfortable and secure cocoon to fall asleep in. Here are a few guidelines you should follow:
- Be mindful of room temperature: if it’s really hot outside or if your baby has a fever, you shouldn’t swaddle him in a blanket, a muslin swaddling square would do the trick;
- Seek assistance from a midwife before leaving the maternity hospital about how to swaddle your baby, or have a look at some online swaddling demonstrations;
- Don’t keep your baby swaddled for too long if he’s big enough to move and turn in his bed (swaddling is recommended for the first 3 months).
Baby swaddling material
There is a wide range of cloths and blankets especially designed for baby swaddling and most of them are manufactured in the US, such as the Miracle Blanket. You can visit the online Baby Sleep Shop to get an idea of what’s available.
In any case, remember that baby swaddling is not destined to replace parental love and physical affection in reassuring a baby and helping him fall peacefully asleep.
Copyright © 2008 Doctissimo
Posted 15.09.2010
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