Swaddling Blankets - Common Questions

This article covers the advantages of swaddling and gives instructions for how to swaddle a baby. You can find a variety of styles of swaddling blanket in the online store.

Why use a swaddling blanket?

Swaddling blankets are a great choice of bedding for your moses basket, and are a suitable alternative to traditional sheets. They are currently very popular, with current bestsellers including the Miracle Swaddling Blanket (also known simply as the "Miracle Blanket") and Grobag 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. 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.

One final advantage of buying a swaddling blanket for use as moses basket bedding is that is that it can make the transition from moving the baby from the moses basket to a cot much less stressful for the baby. Babies like familiarity when it comes to their sleep routine, and a blanket they have probably had since birth will make them much less anxious when transferring them from the familiar surroundings of their moses basket to a new cot. Using the moses basket inside the cot for a few days, before you remove it completely, can also help smooth the transition.

How to swaddle a baby

Buying a purpose made swaddling blanket will make the process of wrapping your baby much quicker and easier, and there are several styles now available. But any blanket is suitable, although ideally it should be square. Be mindful of the temperature of the room where the baby is sleeping, and ensure the material is not too heavy to avoid overheating. This is how to swaddle a baby:

* Place the blanket on the floor in a diamond shape (so points at the top and bottom). Fold the top down so the point meets the middle.

* Gently position your baby on the blanket so that his shoulders line up with the straight edge at the top which you have just created.

* Pull the left edge of the blanket over the baby and tuck it snuggly underneath.

* Pull the bottom corner of the blanket upwards and secure it underneath his left shoulder.

* To finish, pull the right side of the blanket all the way across your baby (to the left) and wrap it around him, almost like a belt. Tuck in the edge to ensure it is secure enough.

It will become easier with practise. You may want to practise on a doll or teddy before the birth, so that the method becomes second nature.

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 swaddle blanket, you can purchase one designed specifically for older babies or simply use a large, square blanket to swaddle them using the method above.