Why Should one Swaddle a Baby?

Swaddling may seem very tedious and unnecessary to a lot of people, but swaddling helps the baby as well as the mother in a lot of different ways. The main concept behind swaddling up the baby is to make the baby feel safe and secured just how they felt in their mother's womb. There are so many upgrades made in the baby swaddles these days that makes one life simpler. 

Benefits of Swaddling a baby

One might be thinking that swaddling the baby every single time they go to sleep (which is a lot) seems like a lot of work, but there are unique benefits to it that the baby and mother both will enjoy:

• Swaddling protects the baby against their natural startle reflex, which means better sleep for both of them.

• It may help calm a baby with colic.

• It also keeps the baby anxiety-free by giving a feel of the mother's touch. 

• It will help the baby to self-soothe.

• It increases the baby's sleep time and maintains the calmness of the baby throughout their sleep.

• It will avoid the baby's unnecessary movements that endanger the baby's sleep.

• It also reduces the risk of SIDS.

• It keeps your baby on his back while he sleeps.

How to swaddle your baby

If it is one's first time swaddling, it looks like a tedious process, but in reality, it is not. There are just a few steps to the process, and after getting the hang of it, it's a breezy task. 

• Lay the blanket on a flat surface in a diamond shape with the pointing end towards you.

• Fold-down the top edge of the blanket, creating a loose triangle shape that will set the baby's feet pointing towards you. The baby's shoulder should be just below the fold in the blanket.

• Arrange the baby's right arm next to the body with the arm slightly bent. Pull that same side of the blanket up and over your baby's right arm and body, then tuck it underneath your baby. Your baby's left arm should be left free.

• Fold the bottom of the swaddle blanket up over your baby's feet. If the blanket is long enough, tuck it behind his shoulder.

• Complete the swaddle by pulling the remaining side of the swaddle up and over your baby's remaining arm and across his body.

Reading this whole process might seem a little overwhelming but a lot of baby swaddles are designed with the concept to make the process easier for the mother as well as the baby. But here are some points to remember. 

Avoid wrapping too tight because swaddling the baby tight enough that they can't move their hips or legs may limit the development of the hip. The thickness of the blanket should be appropriate while swaddling, the extra thickness could cause the baby to overheat. It can also dislodge easier, which adds to the risk of suffocation. One should stop swaddling when the baby starts to roll over. 

The Swaddles designed by some of the brands in Australia offer baby swaddle wrap that takes the struggle out of swaddling a newborn with no scratch velcro to hold the swaddle snug and in place throughout the night. Designed to help make Mum's (and Dad's) life easier when it comes to sleep-time and startle reflex. Made from 100% cotton which makes the single layer swaddle wrap it is adjustable and breathable. 

Thus baby swaddles and the whole swaddling process makes the parent's life easier and smoother. Wishing you and your baby the sweetest time of sleep!