What You Must Know about Swaddling
In most cases, children tend to cry a lot, and some of them can be bad-tempered hence making them anxious and restless. Most parents have tried several methods to discover a way of controlling these behaviors of such fussy babies. Due to the rising technology, discoveries have been made to make a baby calm down and fall asleep, then wrap it in a cloth to resemble the feeling of a mother’s womb to soothe the baby and achieve healthy sleep. Below is essential information to know about swaddling.
Safe Swaddling of a Baby
A parent needs to ensure that a baby is comfortable and safe when wrapped in a cloth. Babies whose legs are tightly wrapped develop hip problems. If you are not watching over the baby, it is essential that the wrapping ends at the shoulders. However, the wrapping should go beyond the shoulders only when the baby is sleeping under your care. Although wrapping is essential, parents should ensure that their children are not feeling too warm. A thin blanket should be used, and the baby should be checked regularly to ensure safety.
How Long Should Swaddling Take
Swaddling gives a baby a sense of security by creating a slight pressure around the baby’s body. However, some babies don’t enjoy being wrapped in a cloth. As much as the hips and legs are free to move, the period in which a baby stays in his swaddle usually depends on the parent’s wish. The baby should be monitored closely to know the time one needs to stop wrapping it.
Do not Breastfeed a Wrapped Baby
Babies that are not swaddled usually stay awake and alert to feed. Babies typically want their arms and hands-free to help locate a nipple area and also increase milk letdown. Swaddled children always fall asleep earlier before getting enough to eat. This also has an effect of leading to more significant weight loss and a delay in milk production.
A Swaddled Baby Should Sleep on His Back
All wrapped babies should be placed flat on their backs to sleep. If the baby is put to sleep from a side position, he may roll onto his stomach. Usually, a swaddled baby’s hands are not free to help him adjust himself to a good position of sleep. This can create complications on the baby’s health, and at the end of it, all interrupt his sleep. A baby should also be put to bed with properly swaddled blankets to avoid a dead hazard caused by loose blankets in the crib. Wrapping babies in loose blankets increase the chances that a blanket may end over the baby’s face or head. This can make the baby suffocate.
Transitioning the Baby out of Swaddling
Some babies love being swaddled, and sudden removal of swaddling blankets can be a shock to them. Therefore, it’s essential to have a slow transition out of the wrapping until they are used to. A parent can opt to use ways that help teach sleeping with arms free. The transition usually begins at the age of three months when the baby starts to roll. If rolling begins during the day, then the transition from swaddle should start at night.
