{"id":803,"date":"2020-05-24T08:35:07","date_gmt":"2020-05-24T08:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mommyinstinct.com\/?p=803"},"modified":"2022-05-07T11:17:51","modified_gmt":"2022-05-07T11:17:51","slug":"should-you-swaddle-baby-for-naps-safety-tips-all-parents-must-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mommyinstinct.com\/should-you-swaddle-baby-for-naps-safety-tips-all-parents-must-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Should you swaddle baby for naps- safety tips all parents must know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Should you swaddle baby for naps? Will it help with his sleep?<\/p>\n

Before Ethan was born, I sure did read a whole bunch of books about newborn babies. And to my surprise, they suggested swaddling baby. I never had a baby before, so I didn\u2019t even know what it was.<\/p>\n

Where I live, people don\u2019t generally swaddle their babies, unless it is winter. But even in winter, they still allow free movements. So I was very skeptical. <\/p>\n

Then I had Ethan, as soon as when we returned home from the hospital, he started catnapping. Or whatever the heck it was. <\/p>\n

Like, other babies, they took a straight 2 hours nap for every of their nap. But our son only slept for 1 hour and then he woke up crying. He was hungry for milk. We knew it as every time he woke up, if we didn\u2019t shove a bottle or my nipple in his mouth, he would open his mouth and screamed so loud that the whole neighborhood heard him. We could even see the dang-a-ling thing in his throat (just kidding). But then he was falling back to sleep in our arms while drinking the milk<\/a> and woke up crying again if we put him down on the bed.<\/p>\n

I kept a notebook and recorded his schedule to see if he slept enough. And that freaking stressed<\/a> me out.<\/p>\n

It was such a stupid decision to do that. And by that, I mean the notebook and tracking.<\/p>\n

Instead of sleeping with my son and relaxing to increase my milk<\/a> supply, I read and read and stressed myself out. So dumb.<\/p>\n

So out of the chaos, I bought a swaddle, in the hope that it would help my baby to sleep<\/a> longer than 1 hour, and sleep enough to develop. <\/p>\n

So if you are also dying like I was before, and thinking of swaddling your baby, or maybe you are just preparing things to welcome your newborn, here are all the things you need to consider about swaddling.<\/p>\n

What is swaddling?<\/h2>\n

First off, swaddling is not something new. It is a super ancient method. Here\u2019s what they say in Wikipedia<\/a>:<\/p>\n

“Swaddling is an age-old practice of wrapping infants in blankets or similar cloths so that movement of the limbs is tightly restricted. Swaddling bands were often used to further restrict the infant. Swaddling fell out of favor in the 17th century.”<\/p>\n

Hah! So yell out to all people and swaddle-obsessed moms out there who roll their eyes when I say I didn\u2019t know what swaddling was, it fell out of favor in the 17th century. <\/p>\n

But I\u2019m sure we all agree that being swaddled helps our little ones feel snug and secure, like how they felt in your womb. Hopefully this can calm a baby, and reduce the Moro reflex or startle reflex. <\/p>\n

Often people say swaddling seems to help calm their little one, helping them settle more easily and sleep for longer<\/a>. Yet there is little research to support these theories.<\/p>\n

Opinions from experts (doctors, nurses, grannies, and moms) on swaddling is also divided. So there is no one-size-fits-all solution for this.<\/p>\n

My son did sleep a little better with the swaddle. Although his cat nap continued to be a thing for us, there were few naps he slept for 2 hours. And at night, after swaddling him, I just backed off and left. This strategy worked for him until he was 4 months old.<\/p>\n

Should you swaddle baby for naps: cons<\/h2>\n

Brain development<\/h3>\n

According to Intermountain<\/a>, moro reflexes, or primitive reflexes, are essential for development. Throughout a baby\u2019s first year, the baby performs these reflexive movement responses over and over which assists the brain to develop.  As the brain matures, these reflexes become \u201cintegrated\u201d and are no longer active or needed.<\/p>\n

When you swaddle your baby, it reduces the moro reflexes, ie, somehow reduce the assistant for your baby to develop his brain. However, there is no proven research or study for this, just a common sense thought.<\/p>\n

Hip dislocation<\/h3>\n

If you swaddle your baby tightly, chances are, he will not be able to move his hips and knees well. <\/p>\n

Some swaddling techniques actually recommend that.<\/p>\n

However, there is some evidence suggesting that tightly swaddling a baby could increase their chance of developing hip dysplasia (a developmental problem with a baby\u2019s hip joint). <\/p>\n

Risk of suffocation<\/h3>\n

If the swaddle is too loose, or your baby makes it lose, when he kicks, it can go over his face and make it harder for him to breathe. <\/p>\n

Make sure this doesn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n

Overheat<\/h3>\n

Too many layers of clothes will easily overheat your baby<\/a>. Constantly check your baby\u2019s neck and belly to make sure there is no sweat or overheat risk.<\/p>\n

Overheating is very risky for babies as they can\u2019t reduce their temperature<\/a> as effectively as adults. This can cause some serious trouble if your baby is overheating (I don\u2019t want to say it out or even write it down, but it\u2019s the SDID).<\/p>\n

How to safely swaddle your baby<\/h2>\n

There are many different swaddle brands out there. But as you follow their instruction on how to use the swaddle, make sure you also follow these following safety tips.<\/p>\n