There is no doubt that every parent tries their level best in order to make sure their newborns are as comfortable as possible. A newborn is a ton of responsibility. One of the biggest challenges is understanding what they are feeling.
Since they cannot voice their discomfort, parents need to look for signs to read how they are feeling. Sure, they give you the signs- crying, moving hands and legs aggressively, throwing up food, and even through bowel motions!
One of the first things that you need to learn as parents is ‘Swaddling’. This is a technique that refers to wrapping up the baby in comfortable clothing or a light blanket. In this article, we are going to look at seven tips for swaddling a newborn baby.
If you are a parent looking to understand and learn more about swaddling a baby in the right manner, this article is for you.
List of the Top 7 Tips for Swaddling a newborn Baby
- Go for Pure and Natural Fabrics for the Blanket-
You need to understand that the skin of your newborn is very sensitive. This means that any artificial or chemically induced fabrics are likely to cause rashes, allergies, and skin infections. Experts recommend going to 100% natural materials like cotton for the cloth/blanket. Do not opt for polyblends no matter how attractive they look on social media or showrooms.
- Be Gentle when you are Swaddling the Baby-
The little body of your baby is tender, sensitive, and weak. The bones, muscles, and other joints are still weak and developing. This means you need to be as sensitive and careful as possible when swaddling the baby. A lot of us have been unfortunately blessed with heavy hands (we tend to rip of buttons of shirts even when just putting them on). Make sure you are gentle.
- Make sure that the Blanket offers a Tight Snug-
You might have read how many bloggers have spoken about how the blanket comes undone at night! Babies tend to move their limbs around, leading to the blanket coming undone at night. Make sure that this does not happen. You do not want the swaddle to be too tight. Neither do you want it to so lose that it comes undone? Make sure the fit is snug.
- Swaddling should only be used for Sleeping or Calming a Baby down-
You do not need to keep your baby wrapped in a blanket all the time. It is important to let the baby stretch their limbs. Swaddling should only be done when it’s time to put the baby to sleep. If the baby is feeling irritated or annoyed, you can use swaddling to calm them down. Do not try to restrict the movement of your baby when there is no need for it.
- The Lower Part of Baby’s Body should be able to move around-
This is something that escapes the attention of many parents. They swaddle the baby tight enough so that all four limbs become snugly fit. A perfect swaddle is one where the upper part of the body is secured, while the hips, bottom, and legs have someplace to move. This prevents the baby from feeling uncomfortable and allows it to enjoy some movement.
- Swaddling is required up to the age of 2 months or when Rolling starts-
According to leading pediatricians, parents should stop swaddling the baby once they start to roll. This means that the period that you should be looking at is between eight weeks to two months. Once the baby starts to roll on its own, you need to stop swaddling. When they start rolling, they will not like it when you trap them in a blanket.
- Not all Babies require to be Swaddled-
One of the major misconceptions that we have is that all babies need to be swaddled. This is not true. Some babies do well even without swaddling. You need to understand what works best for your baby and then do that accordingly. If your baby sleeps well, feels secure, and is confident, you do not need to swaddle them. Let them be and they will be happy all the time.
The Final Word
Parents need to be mindful of the activities of their newborns at all times. The first three months are referred to as the crucial phase. This is because babies struggle to make the transition between the mother’s womb and life in the outside world. If you have any other questions, you want us to answer on swaddling, or raising a newborn, let us know in the comments below.
