Baby Swaddling: How It Helps Your Baby Sleep Through the Night

Swaddling is a term used when mothers snugly wrap their newborns with a blanket to provide the feeling of warmth and security. These aids especially if the baby is difficult to put to sleep. Baby swaddling has been very useful for a lot of mothers and archeological findings also records that mothers swaddled their babies throughout history.

Research also showed that swaddling your baby helps reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) since it keeps your baby sleeping comfortably on his back.  

How to Swaddle your Baby

Before swaddling your baby, make sure that room temperature is not too warm as this will make your baby uncomfortable.  Or you may use a thin, soft piece of cloth for swaddling during warm weather.

Lay a blanket out on any flat surface, a bed or probably a table, in a diamond shape. Then, fold down three to four (3-4) inches on the top corner of the diamond.

Place your baby in the middle of the blanket, her head on top of the folded corner. Then, tuck your baby’s right arm into the flap of the right-hand part of the blanket and pull it to the left.

Next, bring the bottom corner of the blanket to her chest and tuck it inside the blanket. Then tuck your baby’s left arm into the flap of the left-hand part blanket and pull it to the right tucking it behind the blanket on her back.  Make sure that the wrap is not too tight.

There are many commercial swaddling blankets available but if you are a resourceful mom, you may be also use a clean beach towel or tablecloth for swaddling.

When to Stop Swaddling your Baby   

Some babies tend to be fussy when being swaddled when they reach the age of one to two months. When you see signs that this makes your baby uncomfortable, you may now stop swaddling.

Mothers should also note that they should only swaddle babies during sleep and not during the baby’s playtime. This limits his or her movements and may delay the development of motor skills.

Stop swaddling once the baby learns how to roll over. If the baby is swaddled, and he rolls over with his arms tucked on the sides, he may not be able to roll back up and may suffer suffocation.

Alternatively, you can find ways to keep the baby warm and secure other than swaddling like warm pajamas, fleece sleepers, and blanket sleepers.

Freelance Contributor: Hazel Zanoria