What makes a good baby swaddle?

 

Choosing swaddle for yourself or a loved one's baby can be a daunting task! We have looked at the 3 main types of wrap, weighing up the good and the bad points of each. First things first: What is swaddling? Swaddling a baby is simply wrapping them firmly in some sort of cloth to help aide sleep. Babies under 3 months sleep better swaddled, and many prefer to be swaddled much later than this. Swaddling increases the length of sleep, makes it easier to get baby to sleep and can reduce the symptoms of colic. So getting it right may make your sleepy times much easier.  There are so many different styles of swaddle available to choose from and they fall in to three main categories:

A simple flat blanket:

http://www.itibaby.co.nz/

Wings and a pocket for the feet:

http://www.miracleblanket.com/index.htm

or one that zips up the front/acts like an all in one suit:

 

http://www.ergopouch.com.au/swaddles/aircocoon-swaddle.html

There are good and bad points for all of these choices, and you need to think what works best for you and your situation.

A simple flat blanket

With a simple flat blanket there are endless ways to swaddle, a simple Youtube search will bring up many tutorials. These can get confusing and can be difficult to execute quickly and efficiently when they are required. They do need some practise to master - I recommend practising on a baby sized doll until you are confident. See the Iti Baby website for 2 methods that I recommend trying. There are some ways of folding that means their top half can stay swaddled while you change their nappies, other folds will have to be totally re-done each nappy change.
Flat swaddles come in a range of sizes and fabrics. You need a natural fabric with a good diagonal stretch, that is not too thick and can breathe when baby gets hot - ideal fabrics are merino, bamboo and cotton. Square swaddles are much easier to use than rectangle ones. In regards to size - I would not recommend any swaddle under 95cm square for a baby under 12 weeks. After 10-12 weeks babies need a wrap over 120cm square Any swaddle under these sizes are pretty useless to wrap with and you will get frustrated, and baby will escape. A larger swaddle can be used right from birth - making it a great investment. A merino swaddle can then be used as a great cot, TV, or travel blanket. 

Side note: Please do not use polar fleece to swaddle - babies overheat and are at greater risk of SIDS.

A swaddle with wings and feet pouches

These are great for Houdini babies, you strap their arms down and swaddle around them. Many people swear by them. However the aren't so helpful for babies who like their hands across their chest or near their mouths to self soothe. You need to be aware that babies will grow out of these - always check that baby has plenty of foot room. Many of these style swaddles you can change a nappy without removing the whole swaddle. These come in a range of fabrics, but are usually made from either merino or cotton knit - both of which are natural breathable fibres.

All-in-one swaddles

Similar in concept to the above swaddle, but they allow baby to have their hands up by their chest or face depending on the brand. They are nice and quick to put on, with no tricky manoeuvres to master. Again they have a size limit - you may think they are a cheaper option, until you find you need to buy several different sizes. These are very Houdini proof, but some babies find they allow too much movement to settle easily - defeating the purpose of swaddling altogether.

Many babies enjoy being swaddled well into the second half of their first year, some continue to sleep better swaddled over one year of age, so which swaddle you choose may be with you for a while - choose quality. A good quality wrap will last several children. Whichever choice you make, you need to make sure that baby can relax into a hip-healthy position when asleep.

Please remember: It is important that baby's face is kept clear at all times, and that a swaddled baby always sleeps on their back!

 

I hope this make swaddle choosing a little easier.

 

 

Swaddling your baby - are you doing it right?

Prince George - Image from Getty

When the world met baby Prince George there began a spark of controversy about the safety of swaddling in the UK papers. There were some that suggested swaddling can cause SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and others that said it causes hip dysplasia (clickey hips). What can you do to minimise these risks? Are they really risks at all?

Choose your blankets wisely

Overheating is known to contribute to SIDS, babies have very poor temperature control and rely on us to monitor them closely. According to the World Health Organisation a room to sleep in should be between 18-20 degrees Celsius. If you need a heater in the baby's room to keep it at this temperature, choose a safe one with a thermostat and one that will not cause a fire if knocked down - I know it sounds simple, but you would be amazed what silly things we do in a sleep deprived state. If baby's room is heated by heat pump, either directly or indirectly, please have it set on 18-20 and leave it on this, the room will warm up, albeit slowly, there has been at least one tragic incident where a baby died from being left sleeping in a room with a heat pump set to 30 degrees. In a room that is 18-20 degrees you will find a baby probably doesn't really need much in way of blankets if they are swaddled and wearing clothing as well (probably you won't need much if you are sleeping in the same room either).

For baby bedding, clothing and swaddles choose natural, breathable fibres - cotton, bamboo, wool and merino are great choices. Merino and bamboo in particular are amazing at absorbing moisture and wicking it away from the baby while maintaining a good temperature. Natural fibres will be warm in the cooler temperatures but stay cool if baby gets hot.

What you should avoid

Synthetic materials like polar fleece make terrible swaddles, they do not breathe and baby is at real risk of overheating. Yes they are cheap, yes they are everywhere, just please don't use them for swaddles! Keep them for lying on on the lounge floor and as knee blankets in the pushchair.

If baby is swaddled please do not put them in under your bed blankets as well, keep them on top of the blankets and keep duvets well away from their face. In their own bed a swaddled baby often needs nothing else, or just a light additional blanket may be all that is required. Ensure any blankets are tucked in well at the bottom of the bed and that baby can't slip under them, or flick anything up on to their face.

It is a good idea to check baby's temperature while they sleep - pop two fingers down the back of baby's neck and check for warmth, if it is hot and clammy remove some blankets or clothing, if it is cool take measures to warm baby up. Baby hands, feet and noses are poor temperature gauges. For peace of mind I always used to do a sneaky check of their neck as I was heading to bed, and adjust blankets are required.

Sleep Baby on their Back

A swaddled baby cannot move themselves well enough to keep their airways clear if they are placed on their tummy. Although a swaddled baby will find it very difficult to roll from their back to their stomach, but it is possible. Because of this it is suggested that once a baby can roll, you should leave one or both arms out of the swaddle just in case they do roll then they can lift their heads. In my experience a baby with its arms out are actually more likely to roll, but nothing is fool proof, so go with what you think is best for your situation.

Many parents worry about baby choking if they are lying on their back rather than on their side or tummy. It is reassuring to know that when a baby (or adult for that matter) is lying on their back, their windpipe actually sits above the oesophagus (food pipe). This means that if baby vomits it will be more likely to go straight back down into their stomach and avoid the windpipe if they are on their backs. Babies also have very acute sensors on their larynx (back of throat), as soon as anything is detected on these sensors the baby epiglottis (flappy valve thing) closes the route to the lungs, leaving the dribble/spew/other moisture to flow back to the belly where it belongs.

Careful wrapping/swaddling technique

Babies hips are soft, and still forming at birth and beyond. To ensure they form properly the muscles of the pelvis naturally flex a baby's legs and rotate the knees outwards somewhat. This ensures the ball of the hip joint stay firmly in the socket of the pelvis as it continues to form.

Pulling baby's legs down straight and keeping them there, especially for long periods, can cause them to slip out of the socket and form poorly. It is crucial that when you wrap or swaddle a baby that you allow enough room in the swaddle for them to both straighten their legs in a stretch and have it loose enough that their legs can sit naturally in a bent and relaxed outward direction - see below:

Source

 In practicality it means that all the tucking in and wrapping firmly needs to be above the hips. Swaddling is most effective when it stops baby's arms from flicking when they startle and gives a firm pressure on their belly - both of which can be done while allowing baby to have a natural hip position.

Can swaddling be dangerous? When it is done poorly, with inappropriate blankets; in a hot and stuffy bedroom; with loose bedding or swaddles near a baby's face or when a swaddle is overly restrictive on leg movement; the answer is yes, it can be dangerous. However when it is done properly, swaddling is truly a wonderful skill for parents to have in their tool box and despite what some may say, I believe it to have saved my sleep many many times.