Why swaddle?
It helps your baby sleep longer and sounder and it limits the startle reflex,which consistently wakes babies during their sleep. By recreating the warmth and security of the mother's womb, swaddling your baby helps her sleep through the night sooner and helps her become aware of your efforts to soothe her. It is also proven to reduce colic, fussiness, and the risk of SIDS.
My daughter is already two months old, is it too later to start swaddling?
It's never too late to start, even if your baby is already 6 weeks or even up to 12 weeks old. Many mothers swaddle their baby until 6 months of age. Also, some of our best success stories stem from older babies being swaddled for the first time. If your baby is not sleeping well, you must start to swaddle her consistently and you will see a difference.
Isn't swaddling primitive?
Yes, it’s true! It is a prehistoric practice, but it works!
Aren't the babies uncomfortable? my son seems to not like being swaddle?
Newborns not only love, but crave, the security of being tightly swaddled. A lot of times, we found that parents just gave up on swaddling because their baby resisted and flailed their arms. It's an easy defeat for any tired parent but you must not give up and keep swaddling. In fact, one of our sons hated it initially but after 2 weeks of consistent swaddling, he loves it. He now knows that when he’s swaddled that it’s time to go to bed….and as parents so do we!
My baby will be born in the summer, will she overheat?
Newborns are used to being in the womb, an environment close to 100 degrees. Remember swaddling is not seasonal, although in warmer climates, you could swaddle them in a onesie or even in a diaper. You should be able to easily gauge how hot your baby is, and change the climate of the room accordingly.
Swaddling seems to take too much effort, is it really worth it?
Swaddling may seem to take some extra effort in the beginning, but after a few times you'll be an expert and your baby will not only get used it, but actually enjoy it. The rewards will be well worth it!
Can I buy one individual bumper?
It is likely that your newborn will come to rely on being swaddled to easily fall asleep at night, but swaddling gives your baby the comfort she needs. And it gives parents a reliable tool to help soothe their baby. As she grows older, she will become less dependent on swaddling. Around 6 months, she will have more control over her arms and legs, and will also be able to self-soothe more easily. Like most things, you and your baby will learn together when you're ready to stop swaddling, and it should be an easy, gradual process.
The blanket is so tightly wrapped around the baby, can this hurt the baby?
Absolutely not! The tighter the better...Remember, you want to recreate the womb. A properly swaddled baby, is a tightly swaddled baby. If you do not wrap the blanket tightly, it will also become loose and undermine the function of the blanket. Also, for maximum security and safety, you should swaddle the baby as tightly as possible.
How can my baby suck her fingers, if she's swaddled?
Good question! The parent has to decide how proficient the baby is at doing this. Most babies are unable to successfully suck their thumb or other finger at this young age and it does not warrant leaving an arm loose for that purpose. A newborn will be better soothed for a much longer period of time by having both arms swaddled, particularly because of the uncontrollable movement of the baby’s arms, which tend to consistently wake her throughout the night.
My baby is 6 months and still loves being swaddled. How can I wean my baby off swaddling?
No, not at all. By all means swaddle your child during daytime naps, before bedtime and when they wake in the middle of the night. As the parent, you are training your baby to realize that swaddling equals sleep. The more you swaddle your baby, the sooner he or she will realize that it’s time for sleep. Not only does swaddling keep your baby asleep longer, it plays a vital role in triggering your baby's readiness for bedtime.
