There are a lot of myths about swaddling. And it is difficult for young parents to sort out such a multitude of conflicting opinions and choose the way of organizing the beginning of their baby's life that suits them. Agree, what was invented several millennia ago (and the first mention of swaddling refers to 4 thousand years BC) has passed a good test of time, since it is still relevant. You just need to know in what cases you need to apply this method.
Swaddling is a good, time-tested, way to improve the sleep of babies from birth to six months. But, like any other method, it is good if it is applied correctly and at the right time.
What do you need to remember?
Tight swaddling around the clock is a terrible thing of the past. It delays the mental and interferes with the correct physical development, for example, of the chest.
You do not need to swaddle if your baby sleeps with his parents or sleeps well in his crib.
But loose swaddling, in which a baby can tighten his legs during sleep, or swaddling an anxious baby who wakes himself up with hands is a completely justified way. It will help the child fall asleep faster, sleep harder and more calmly. Sometimes he solves the problem of 20-40 minutes of sleep, extending it to the prescribed one and a half, and sometimes three hours. Sometimes it helps to avoid a night out or what mom takes for colic.
When to swaddle a baby?
Sometimes parents swaddle their children to sleep from birth, helping the baby get used to this huge world after a cramped mother's tummy, sometimes they begin to swaddle after sleepless nights, realizing that the child just sleeps better. Swaddling is justified and useful in the first 3-4 months after birth. This time is also called the third trimester of pregnancy. Swaddling creates a feeling of tightness, comfort and, most importantly, safety in the baby, which he felt in his mother's belly all his life.
Swaddling helps the baby when falling asleep and when moving from one stage of sleep to another, at these moments the Moro effect is observed - the whole body shudders, throwing out the legs and arms. Almost all uncovered babies wake up at the same time. The sleep stages last 20 to 40 minutes. And young mothers believe that the child woke up because he slept. In fact, he just woke himself up and was unable to move into the next phase of sleep. Your toddler can be lethargic, moody, or overexcited. And all from the fact that I did not sleep enough.
Safe swaddling
1. The diaper should not squeeze, squeeze the baby.
2. Your main enemy is overheating. You don't need to cover the child "just in case". And the temperature in the room should be 22 degrees.
3. Place the swaddled baby to sleep on its side or on its back. And those children who are used to sleeping on their stomachs should not be swaddled. It may not be safe.
4. There should be no foreign objects in the bed, especially those that can cover the child's head.
5. All doctors have long been recommending "wide" swaddling. One in which the child's legs are slightly divorced. This position is natural. And is the prevention of hip dysplasia.
