MemorialCare - Your Guide to Postpartum and Newborn Care

SWADDLING Wrapping your newborn in a specific way in a light blanket is called swaddling. And it’s proven to help babies feel safe and warm as they adjust to life outside the womb. In the early days, being swaddled reminds your baby of the calm and closeness they felt inside your uterus.

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SWADDLING IN 6 EASY STEPS

Bring your baby's left arm to their midline, wrap the left corner of the blanket over their body, and tuck the blanket between their right arm and the right side of their body. It should make a “V.”

Lay your baby face up on the blanket with their head above the folded corner.

Using the right size for your baby, spread a lightweight cotton or linen blanket flat, with one corner folded down.

Make sure your baby’s hips can move and the blanket is not pulled too tight. Another option is to use a wearable swaddle wrap instead of a blanket.

Fold or twist the bottom of the blanket loosely and tuck it under one side of the baby.

Bring your baby's right arm to their midline, then fold the right corner of the blanket over their body and under their left side. A small flap should come down to their upper chest to form the other half of the “V.”

Safe swaddling tips • Be sure you can put at least 2 to 3 fingers between your baby’s chest and the blanket • Your baby needs to be able to bend their hips and legs freely while swaddled • Always place your swaddled baby on their back when you put them down • Swaddling stops being safe once babies can roll over (around 2 months old) • Leaving your baby’s arms out during swaddling helps transition to being unswaddled • Swaddling may cause your baby to overheat, so watch for signs of your baby being too hot Potential risks

What to know • Your baby should also spend time unswaddled • When awake, your baby needs time to move, wiggle, touch, and be held skin-to-skin • These activities are vital for your baby’s physical, mental, and emotional development

Parents need to know that swaddling may increase the length of time your baby sleeps and make it harder to wake them up (called decreased arousal). Decreased arousal can be a problem and may be one of the main reasons babies die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Be sure to follow safe sleep recommendations on page 40 every time you put your little one down to nap or sleep. If your baby seems hard to wake up, talk with their health care provider.

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Your Guide to Postpartum and Newborn Care