Swaddling is an excellent way to soothe your baby and the ideal way to help baby stay asleep at night.   We sometimes hear from parents that their newborn does not like to be swaddled, but often we find that baby is just not swaddled snugly enough.  Swaddling allows babies to feel the comfort of being snuggled up in utero and is an excellent way to soothe newborns whom do not yet have control of their arms and legs. Here, Nurse Ashley demonstrates safe, effective swaddling in How to Swaddle Like a Pro.

How to Swaddle Like a Pro

An important thing to remember about swaddling is to only wrap the torso, not the legs at all.

Wrapping the legs down tightly can cause hip dysplasia in infants. Also, a good cue of when to stop swaddling is when baby learns to roll over (often around 2 or 3 months.) While there are lots of products that help baby stay swaddled, this video shows 2 swaddling techniques that can be used with any basic receiving blanket or muslin.

Giving your baby lots of time outside the swaddle is great for their development too! Tummy time, being held facing out or even flat on the back in a safe spot are all wonderful ways for your baby to explore their world. For sleep though, a snug swaddle will help your baby relax.

Ideally, babies should stop being swaddled before they begin to roll over. This can occur as early as 8 weeks. Though baby may still love to be swaddled, it’s unsafe to continue swaddling once baby can roll. If baby is also consistently “busting out” of the swaddle it is time to stop the practice. You can gradually wean baby of the swaddle by letting one arm out for several nights. Then allow both arms out while still keeping snug on the abdomen. After several nights you can eliminate the swaddle blanket altogether.

In addition to safe swaddling, your baby should always be placed on their back to sleep and following the ABC’s of Safe Sleep…Alone, on the Back in a Crib. For more baby care videos please visit us on youtube.com/letmommysleepusa.