Swaddling blankets
Why use a swaddling blanket?
Swaddling a baby can seem very unappealing to adults, who value their freedom of movement and find the idea of having their limbs firmly secured to their body very claustrophobic. But, with a few exceptions, babies love the security of being swaddled. This is believed to be because it reminds them of being safe in the womb, where of course conditions were very cramped and their movements would have been restricted. Most midwives and health visitors advocate swaddling as a good way to sooth fussy babies (such as those suffering from colic) and for encouraging babies to sleep longer.
Newborns and young babies still have the 'moro' reflex, which means they startle very easily. The jerking sensation when they are startled can sometimes rouse them from their sleep. Restriction of the movement of the limbs calms the startle reflex and can aid peaceful sleep. Swaddling also keeps a baby on their back, which has been proven to reduce the risk of sudden infant death and is recommended as the best sleeping position by the FSID. Indeed, there have been several studies which have shown that countries where swaddling is very common have lower instances of SIDS, although the reason for this is undetermined and it is likely there are several factors at play. A further benefit of swaddling your baby is that you will not have to deal with the inconvenience of baby kicking of their blankets, which can wake them if they become cold.
Any baby blanket can be used to swaddle, but a square one is easiest. You can learn more about this in our article on how to swaddle. You can also buy made-for-purpose swaddling blankets that are shaped to make the process easier and alleviate the worry that your efforts are going to unravel! Some designs also use Velcro to make them extra secure.
Can swaddling increase the risk of SIDS?
There has been recent discussion about whether swaddling can actually increase the risk of SIDS. The suggestion is that the suppression of the moro reflex - which is what helps calm the baby and helps them to sleep longer - can also prevent the baby from waking themselves if they get into respiratory difficulty, putting them at higher risk of cot death. However, subsequent studies into this concern should help alleviate parental worry.
An Australian study in 2010 looked at how swaddling affected arousal from sleep, both spontaneously and in reaction to a stimuli. The study included both infants who were routinely swaddled and those who were never swaddled before the study took place. The results did indeed show that swaddling could make it more difficult to arouse a baby from sleep - but only if they were not used to being swaddled. Infants who were routinely swaddled at home had more cortical arousals and would react to the stimuli (in this instance, nasal air jet-stimulation).
Researchers concluded that the swaddling was only a factor in SIDS if it represented a sudden change in sleep routine for the infant. You can read the full information on studies into swaddling and SIDS on the FSID website
Please read our guidelines on swaddling safety further down the page.
When to stop swaddling?
Parents tend to stop swaddling their baby at around four months. However, some babies - particularly those who do not sleep well - may wish to be swaddled for longer. If they outgrow their swaddling blanket, you can purchase one designed specifically for older babies or simply use a large, square blanket to swaddle them.
Swaddling safety tips
Overheating is believed to be one of the more significant factors in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and this should be taken into account when swaddling. Use a blanket made from a suitable material, (fleece, for example, should be avoided for swaddling because it can get too warm), and only put additional blankets over a swaddled infant if absolutely necessary.
Swaddled infants should only ever be placed to sleep on their backs and never in the prone position, ('prone' means lying on their stomach).
There is a growing belief that a consistent sleep routine is important in young infants, particularly below the age of 3 months. Therefore, swaddling is safest when done from birth. All secondary care givers should be made aware of the infant's usual sleep practises.
If your baby was not swaddled from birth and you wish to introduce it, only use it for nap times and not for prolonged periods such as overnight.
More information:
How to Swaddle
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