Ah, the subtle yet effective art of swaddling a newborn…
This is a very important skill that NICU nurses get REALLY good at! Why? Because we know a good, tight swaddle equals a happy, sleepy baby!
Swaddling involves snuggly wrapping a baby in a blanket for comfort and security. Not only is it cute, but it’s also very effective. Why? Because It reminds your baby of the womb! Anything that you can do to recreate an environment that mimics your warm, dark, quiet, cozy uterus, your baby will LOVE.
Swaddling is super beneficial for your baby. It provides your baby with boundaries similar to the walls of your uterus—they like to feel snug and cuddled. It helps to promote sounder sleeping and prevents the startle reflex from waking up the baby. Swaddling also brings comfort, warmth, and secure feelings in their new world environment.
Your baby may be accustomed to always being swaddled up tight in the NICU. While it’s okay to swaddle your baby for a nap from time to time, her legs and arms also need to stretch and move around. It is important to provide your baby with time every day to exercise those limbs and perform range of motion.
Keeping your baby’s legs constantly wrapped up in a flexed position can be detrimental to hip development. Your little one can end up with something called hip dysplasia. Follow these tips for safe swaddling:
Keep hips loose! Also known as “hip-healthy swaddling.” Baby should be able to move & flex hips upward.
Swaddle baby on his/her BACK!
Make sure the swaddle is not too tight (one hand must fit comfortably between the baby’s chest & the blanket).
Place the baby on a firm surface to sleep when swaddled.
Stop swaddling when baby attempts to ROLL OVER (around 3-6 months)
The most important thing to remember is that the swaddle must abide by the Goldilocks principle. It should neither be too tight nor too loose, but rather just right. The blanket should be tight enough so that your baby cannot wiggle out of it. Babies are like miniature Houdini’s and can squirm their way out of a swaddle if it’s too loose. However, the leg area needs to be loose enough to allow free movement of the legs for proper hip development. Leave enough space in the swaddle for the legs to fully extend.
Follow these steps for the perfect swaddle:
Fold a corner of the receiving blanket down about 1/4 the length of the blanket into a triangle.
Place the baby on the blanket with his/her shoulders in alignment with the top. Your baby’s head should be poking out above the top of the blanket.
Fold the left side (your right) over your baby’s body and tuck it in tightly under the right side of his/her body. Note: It’s OK to place the blanket under your baby’s right arm, unless he/she is “handsy,” in that case I would place the blanket over the arm to serve as a “restraint.”
Fold the bottom of the blanket up and tuck it tightly under the right side of the body as well.
Fold the right side (your left) over the baby’s body and tuck it in tightly under the left side of the body.
TA-DA! You now have a cozy baby burrito that’s nice & tight so that none of the “meat” falls out ♥
