Ever Ask Why We Swaddle Babies?

Why Swaddle?

There is so much information you try to cram in when you are in the hospital, from breastfeeding to changing a nappy. So bringing home your gorgeous, brand new baby home from the hospital can be the most exciting and scary first step in your journey into motherhood.

From day one, your little one requires a routine to settle and feel safe in their new world and wrapping is a vital part of this process. (In those early weeks, don’t stress out if it feels like no routine is working. Take a deep breath and persevere.) It can take a while for newborns to feel as secure as they were inside the warm, cosy womb.

Wrapping baby snugly can help top the startle reflex that happens as a reaction to any sudden movement or noise. Many throw their arms out, fan their fingers or kick their legs, which can wake themselves up. Firm swaddling can help minimise this reflex, and increase chance of longer, deeper sleeps for baby (and parents.)

Benefits of Swaddling?

There are many benefits of wrapping your bubba but the main three are:

• Reduce incidence of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
  Research has indicted that swaddled babies have lower risk of SIDS due to keeping them on their back and well as they are less likely to be put in the unsafe tummy position to sleep.

• Better Sleep
  Studies have proven that your little one sleep better wrapped securely, wake up fewer times during the night and get twice as much REM sleep than babies who do not get swaddled.
• Makes Feeding Easier
  Whether breastfeeding or bottle feeding, when babies are wrapped, they can solely concentrate on feeding. It can help them focus and latch on, while containing their movements. A muslin cloth can also be wrap over baby and your shoulder so what is going on around them cannot distract bubba.

How Long to Swaddle?
It is recommended that swaddling is stopped around three or four months of age. Many babies are comfortable outside the womb and do not need the added security. Depending on your child of course, as some are still happy to be wrapped up to six months old.