Swaddling a newborn - advice please!

Lifestyle Parenting, Household Affairs and Cuisine corner
1

Hi there!

I’m due in about 6 weeks (alhumdolilah) but am still trying to figure out what is the best way to swaddle a newborn (0-3 months).

I have the option of a swaddling blanket without the velcro, swaddle blanket with the velcro or a sleep sack or bag.

I have read conflicting reviews about the swaddle blanket that comes with the velcro because of the fact that it may increase the risk of SIDs.

I have also heard from some people that if they just get a plain swaddling or receiving blanket and fold it up themselves to swaddle baby in that if it safer for the baby but then the bad part about it is that the baby can easily break out of it.

Then there are the sleep sacks that hold the baby in with the arms free such as the GRO Bag or ones by Perlimpinpin. Can these be used on a newborn? Or do you have to wait until the baby is at least 4 months to put them in a sleep sack? The reason being that they aren’t really swaddled in the sleep sack as their arms are free. Is that safe for a brand new born baby? One mother told me she puts her newborns in sleep sacks from the get-go and never bothered with swaddling, but again, I am hearing that swaddling is very important in the first few weeks/months.

I would like to hear from the mothers on GS. Which one of the above options did you use on your newborn? Why? Did it work? Thanks very much! I will really appreciate the insight as I just want my baby to be comfortable and safe!

2

Re: Swaddling a newborn - advice please!

we used the velcro one and LOVED it! bing bang boom! two seconds later, then baby is swaddled and sleeping again, and your poor, sleep-deprived, zombie self can also go back and try to get some shut-eye.

those squares of fabric are so frustrating- it takes forever to wrap them and two seconds for the kid to wiggle out of it and be wide-awake by the time he was free. blargh. they're for pro-swaddlers like hospital nurses who do it all the time somehow.

i haven't read anything about the velcro swaddles being a SIDS hazard though- if anything, I thought it would prevent SIDS because the kid is swaddled in no excess fabric to pose a suffocation hazard. when they're wee, they also don't really roll over much- they kind of just lie there like sweet little sausages. when they can roll over, that's when i would use the gro-bag so they can at least flail around and cry out if they are unable to roll back, but that's such a scary thought. we always had the video monitor with us and we'd keep the volume on high so any kind of noise would be picked up and we'd be able to check to see how he was. get a video monitor!

but yeah. velcro swaddling is what i'm a fan of.

3

Re: Swaddling a newborn - advice please!

it really depends on your baby, we have used the valcro blanket, sleeping sack and recieving blanket. Our baby gets pretty irritated with pretty much all sorts of swaddling methods, lately recieving blanket has been somewhat successful, it gives him some freedom to move his arms and he is less irritated. we used the sack and the valcro one only for a week i guess. again, every baby is different, you just have to see what works best for your baby.

4

Re: Swaddling a newborn - advice please!

why is swaddling important for the baby?do all babies need it?

5

Re: Swaddling a newborn - advice please!

^it depends on your baby....i tried alot but my baby doesnt like it....
i think its important because babies like to sleep the way thay are in our womb....they get really scared with moving hands n feet....

6

Re: Swaddling a newborn - advice please!

Hmm thanks Akmoti ..

7

Re: Swaddling a newborn - advice please!

yep what akmoti said and my baby hated it! we tried everything.. who doesnt want to hold a cute lil burritto? he hated it and we gave up on swaddling pretty fast! so yep let your baby decide!

8

Re: Swaddling a newborn - advice please!

I didn't swaddle my baby a lot but I used recieving blankets for it. Like someone mentioned my baby didn't feel like he was tied up. I liked moving his arms around.

9

2 kids, one swaddled till 8 months, other swaddled 8 days. We used receiving blankets but the larger sized ones, and after 5 months I just used mylawn dupattas :cb:
Buy a pack of receiving blankets and see how your baby likes it

10

Re: Swaddling a newborn - advice please!

Why swaddling Swaddling a baby today, is not to prevent crocked legs (completely unnecessary for that) but to make your baby feel calm and safe.
During their first one or two months of living babies go through a huge adaptation from life inside to outside the womb.
Think of it, in there it was dark, warm and narrow. In the “real” world, it is light, much colder and airy. Scary!! In addition, babies haven’t yet learned how to control their limbs (or even realizing that the things flying back and forth in front of their eye are actually their hands…). Therefore many babies can be quite disturbed, especially when trying to fall asleep, by their flaying limbs. Swaddled, your baby may feel calmer and safer.

When to swaddle a baby Swaddling your baby is the most appropriate for really young infants, may be during their first and second month of living. After that, they may just be frustrated by their immobility. You’ll notice by your baby’s reactions if he likes it or not. For a really newborn baby, you can swaddle him both when awake and for sleep. At six weeks old or so, you should release at least one arm, so that the baby can put the hand in his mouth for self-soothing if he chooses to. Also at this point in time, or may be even earlier, at around 1 month old, you should stop swaddling your baby while awake. It is time to start practicing mobility and strength - not easy while being swaddled!
For naps and night sleep, you can swaddle the baby (except for at least one arm when older than six weeks) for as long as the baby likes it. Some babies won’t settle without a nice swaddle even when approaching their first birthday!

Swaddling Your Baby: Why, When, How To Swaddle And When To Stop

Many newborns enjoy being swaddled, or wrapped tightly in a warm blanket, because it reminds them of being in the womb.
Often it helps to calm and comfort them. If your baby squirms and cries when she is being swaddled, it means she’d rather have her arms and legs free. Try wrapping her more loosely in the blanket and see if she likes that better. Also, be aware that a baby who previously enjoyed being swaddled may no longer want to be confined that way as she gets older. Caution: Don’t wrap your newborn so tightly that it interferes with her breathing, and make sure not to cover her face with the blanket.

Should I swaddle my baby? | BabyCenter

like others have noted, try it and see if your baby likes it.

11

Re: Swaddling a newborn - advice please!

my son hated swaddling plus he got overheated so i never swaddled him, it was quite difficult coz i was in pak n every1 kept nagging me to swaddle him