I can remember my early days of being a nurse, which is crazy to think that it is now over 11 years ago and learning about swaddling! In fact, it actually dates back to the summer before I was a senior in nursing school. I chose labor and delivery/NICU to be my internship before graduating. I always knew I wanted to work with babies/kids. That being said, one thing I quickly learned is that after a baby is born, they would rather go right back in the womb. They miss the warmth, the sound of mama’s blood flow and perfectly snug fit. The hard part was finding easy ways to swaddle. Here are four successful methods to swaddling; the DUDU method, the burrito method, the Velcro method as well as the double swaddle.
Swaddling has been a universal practice dating back to the 18th century and remains incredibly popular and useful today.
We’ll discuss why you should swaddle your baby, is it safe, techniques for swaddling as well as when to stop. The whole concept of having different options for swaddling include finding what works for your family and go with it. You won’t be having to do this for many months, so the sooner the better. And don’t be afraid to practice. Because you know what they say, practice makes perfect. Or at the very least it makes you confident!
Why should you swaddle your baby?
One of the very first ways your baby is going to learn about the world is through reflexes. Some of the newborn reflexes include stepping, rooting, palmar grasp, tonic neck reflex, plantar grasp and last but not least … dun dun dun, the moro reflex.
The moro (startle) reflex is the one that happens when your baby’s head shifts position quickly OR they ‘fall backward’. Not actually falling backward, but feeling like they are. It can also happen if they hear a loud or abrupt noise. Once this happens, baby will extend their arms, legs and neck followed quickly by bringing their arms back to chest.
The moro reflex is the one wakes your baby in the middle of the night which is why swaddling is so important if you are looking to elongate stretches of sleep. Sometimes newborns may not enjoy the act of swaddling but will benefit from the swaddle. They may cry while you are wrapping them but will quickly be reminded of the comfy cozy environment they came from. Swaddling serves as a sleep aid as well as a calming mechanism.
Swaddling a baby is a great part of a newborn bedtime routine. It can signify to your baby that it’s time to go to sleep. (click here for the blog post on why a newborn routine is beneficial).
You can even swaddle your baby just holding them snug in your arms. You may not even realize but containing them in your arms, you end up being the human swaddle.
Is it safe to swaddle your baby?
As long as you are using safe sleep practices, allowing full hip range of motion as well as assessing age appropriateness, it is perfectly safe to swaddle a baby.
Let’s talk a little bit about safe sleep when it comes to swaddling. Once your baby is swaddled, you’ll want to make sure they are placed on their back to sleep. Even if your mom tells you, “oh you slept on your belly”. It is especially important when being swaddled that you place your baby on their back to sleep. If your baby rolls while being swaddled, they will not be able to be strong enough to roll on their back especially without the use of their arms. And a friendly reminder, no loose blankets/stuffed animals nor plush bumpers in their crib.
One big area of concern with improper swaddling includes hip dysplasia. If baby’s legs are wrapped straight and tight, the bones of the hip joint can be at risk for developing hip dysplasia or hip dislocation. By wrapping their legs straight and tight, it forces an unnatural position for the legs and can cause damage to their hips, cartilage or joints. The easiest way to check if a swaddle allows for good hip rotation is making sure baby’s legs can bend up and out at the hips. Read more from the international hip dysplasia institute here.
Allowing full range of motion (or full flexion and abduction if you want to sound nerdy) for the hips allows baby to kick around in an attempt to relax and wind down. When swaddled, you want your baby to bring their legs up as well as move their feet freely. If you notice they cannot do that, just re-swaddle them so.
Swaddle Materials
Swaddles are made with a few different materials and some are easier than others. Muslin cotton and bamboo are the most common and easiest to swaddle with. The best part of muslin cotton is that it gets softer each time you wash it! Seriously, it almost sounds counter intuitive, but the material gets softer with each wash. If you have a bunch of swaddles prior to having your baby, run them through the wash a time or two and you can be well on your way to soft and snuggly swaddles.
Here are a few popular swaddles and a breakdown of their material;
The Ollie Swaddle is made of 85% polyester and 15% spandex.
The Halo Swaddle is made from 100% cotton.
The Simply Woombie Baby Swaddle is made from 95% cotton and 5% spandex.
The Love to Dream Swaddle is made up of 93% cotton and 7% elastane.
The Copper Pearl blanket is made up of 95% viscoe bamboo and 5% spandex.
The SwaddleMe Original is made of 100% cotton.
4 Easy Ways to Swaddle like a Pediatric Nurse
There are a few different techniques for swaddling your baby. You’ll find one way might work easier for you than it does your partner. In the hospital setting, I use all different types of techniques as well as different swaddles because each baby is unique. Some have IV’s. tubes and lines and a regular swaddle simply will not work. That being said, here are four different swaddle techniques.
1.) The DUDU Swaddle Method
This technique comes from Dr. Karp at Happiest Baby and is the DUDU (Down, Up, Down, Up) method. You first place the swaddle on your bed (or ground) like a diamond and fold down one corner. Place baby on the swaddle placing them with their neck above the top fold. According to this method, hold your baby’s right arm against their chest and grab the swaddle four inches away from them. Take that swaddle and tuck under left buttock. Time to pull taut the swaddle from the left shoulder so there is no loose material.
Next, you take the left arm and hold it tight to the body. Take the point of the swaddle, pull it up and place it on baby’s left shoulder. Next grab the taut blanket a few inches from the left shoulder and pull it down just a little. Hold this swaddle on the chest like you are holding down a ribbon on a present. The final up include taking the final piece of material and pulling it taut (while still keeping the previous swaddle in place on baby’s chest). Take the swaddle and wrap it across baby’s forearms like a belt. Wrap it around baby and tuck it into the front like a belt. Check out Dr. Harvey’s website here on swaddling.
2.) The Burrito Swaddle
Lay your swaddle on the bed like a rectangle. Place baby in the middle with neck just above the top of the swaddle. Take the swaddle on the right side across baby’s body and tuck just under the body starting at the armpit. Next, take the swaddle on the left, pull taut and pull across your baby’s body tucking it under the right side. When tucking underneath your baby’s body, feel free to really lift them up to get the swaddle underneath free and clear of many wrinkles and bumps. Lastly, take the bottom part of the swaddle and pull up and over both shoulders, making sure there is no loose material.
3.) The Velcro Swaddle
The velcro swaddle is the most straight forward swaddle and honestly, the easiest in the middle of the night. First place baby in the swaddle with their arms at their sides. Wrap the left wing over their arm and across their torso. Next, take the right wing and wrap it over the arm and torso while securing the velcro safely to the other wing. (PSA, do not wash this with the velcro out because it will catch other clothing and pull them, simply attach the velcro before you put it in the wash).
4.) The Double Swaddle
The final swaddle method is the double swaddle, but the very best for the mini Houdini babies of the world!
First off lay your swaddle flat on the ground in a diamond and instead of folding the top down, fold the top out and to the back, still giving you the flat edge. Before placing your baby, place a SECOND blanket, preferably a receiving blanket (one that’s a little smaller in size) and fold it so it is a rectangle. Place that rectangular shaped swaddle horizontally in the middle of the swaddle a few inches from the top.
Now it’s time to place baby on the swaddle with their neck just above the flat edge. You then take the inside swaddle on the right side. Wrap around the right shoulder/arm and do not pull across the body, rather tuck under the body. Next, do the same on the left side. Take the inside swaddle and wrap around the left shoulder and arm and tuck under your baby. At this point, it will look like their arms are swaddled, but nothing else. This is how your work your magic.
Time to take your outside swaddle and around the right shoulder, pull across the chest and under the buttock. Next take the bottom point of the swaddle up toward left shoulder. Finally, take the rest of the swaddle (nice and taut, ofcourse) and wrap it across the front of baby’s body and under their buttock. It is amazing to see the results!
A big area of concern with the double swaddle is the potential for overheating. Dressing your baby appropriately is important as is the temperature of the room. Many times, you can put your baby in a plain white undershirt onesie and it will do the trick. Yes, there are millions of adorable pajamas, but just proceed with caution over layering your baby especially with the double swaddle. Sometimes, less is more.
When to stop swaddling your baby?
According to this article (click here), the AAP outlines some research that shows you should not swaddle your infant while they sleep on their bellies or on their side for risk of rolling onto their stomachs. Infants who sleep on their bellies require strong necks and upper bodies to push their head off the crib mattress to change position. If a baby is swaddled, they can’t get their arms loose enough to do that. That being said, at the very latest, you should stop swaddling your baby when they can roll onto their stomachs. Ideally, you want to stop swaddling your baby around 8 weeks, or 2 months.
Reach Out
If you are looking for extra help with your child’s sleep needs, please feel free to email me at clementineparent2020@gmail.com