If you can master the art of wrapping your baby up in a nice, safe swaddle, then you may have the ticket to a better night of sleep for the whole family! Swaddling is a practice that has been around since civilization began, and there’s good reason that it’s managed to stick around for so long.
In this article, we will discuss all things swaddling, including:
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What is swaddling?
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The best way to swaddle a baby
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How to swaddle a newborn baby: a step-by-step guide to the diamond swaddle
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How to swaddle an infant: a step-by-step guide to the square swaddle
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How to swaddle a baby: YouTube video instructions
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Swaddling during the witching hour
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Swaddling a baby for sleep
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When should I stop swaddling my baby?
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How long should I swaddle my baby for each day?
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What comes after swaddling?
Why are Newborns Swaddled?
You may have noticed that when you had your baby, they were returned to you as a little baby burrito. That’s because swaddling mimics that snug feeling of being in the womb–the very place that your little one has called home for the past 9 months.
Suddenly being thrust into the big, wide world is a scary thing, and a cozy, secure swaddle feels soothing and familiar to your baby. It’s the reason why babies are swaddled in the hospital shortly after birth, and why swaddling is recommended for the first 8 or so weeks of life.
Why is Swaddling Comforting to Babies?
Swaddling is an ancient practice of wrapping a baby up in a thin blanket or cloth. It is obviously super cute to look at, but the tradition also serves a purpose! By wrapping a blanket around your baby in a way that mimics the womb environment and helps them feel secure, you can more effectively soothe your little one, and ease the transition from womb to world.
The Benefits of Swaddling:
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Swaddling inhibits the moro reflex and prevents your baby from flailing their limbs and waking themselves up unnecessarily
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It keeps your baby warm until they have the ability to regulate their body temperature better
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It helps them feel calm and safe, which improves sleep (note: parents should still be realistic about how much newborns sleep)
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Swaddling decreases anxiety
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Swaddling keeps your baby from scratching their face (those tiny nails are sharper than they look!)
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The comfort of a well-wrapped swaddle eliminates the need for other objects in the crib, like a lovey or loose blanket
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Swaddling mimics touch
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It helps maintain the “back to sleep” safe sleep rule
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Swaddling can ease colic
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As a result of soothing your baby, swaddling can improve maternal mood.
How to Swaddle Safely
Before we talk about how to swaddle a baby, it is important to review the safe sleep rules and safe swaddling habits! A swaddled infant should only be placed on their back to sleep. Placing an infant on their side or stomach increases their risk of SIDS. The risk is double for babies who are placed on their bellies while swaddled. This increased risk is linked to unsafe swaddling techniques, rather than the practice itself.
Swaddling can be done from birth, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends stopping once your baby is 8 weeks old or shows signs of rolling—whichever comes first. Experts also recommend that if you’re going to swaddle your little one, you should do it from birth. Don’t introduce swaddling at two to three months, when the risk of SIDS is at its highest. By then, your baby will have learned to sleep without swaddling, so a change in their sleeping habits may make them more vulnerable.
The swaddle should always be snug and secure to ensure nothing comes loose. Loose fabric increases the risk of suffocation. But, while the fabric should be snug around their arms, it should remain loose around the hips to decrease the risk of hip dysplasia.
One last safety check-off is to make sure your baby is at a comfortable temperature while swaddled. Your swaddling blanket should be thin and breathable to prevent overheating, which can increase their risk of SIDS.
Signs of Overheating to Look for in Your Baby
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Sweating
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Damp hair
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Heat rash
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Red cheeks
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Heavy breathing
Kyte Baby swaddle blankets are made of a lightweight, breathable material (97% bamboo), which is 3° cooler than cotton. Our signature bamboo fabric helps regulate your baby’s body temperature to keep them comfortable and safe.
The Best Way to Swaddle a Baby
The experienced nurses at the hospital may have made swaddling look easy with their deft fingers, but there’s definitely a learning curve to swaddling with a blanket. Luckily, there’s a swaddle option for every baby, and practice makes perfect! Newborns sleep quite a bit, so you will have a lot of opportunities to perfect your swaddling technique. If it feels like you just can’t get the hang of it, don’t fret! There’s a solution to help you get it right.
Sleep Bag Swaddlers are an Easy Alternative to Swaddle Blankets
Our Sleep Bag Swaddler is a foolproof way to swaddle your baby safely and efficiently, without having to learn the tricks of wrapping and tucking. Designed to soothe your baby from birth and transition them into a sleep bag once it’s time to ditch the swaddle, the Sleep Bag Swaddler is an all-in-one sleep system that features our award-winning 1.0 TOG sleep bag and a removable swaddle band that takes the fuss out of swaddling (thank you, Velcro).
Stretchy Bamboo Swaddle Blankets
If you prefer to use a blanket for swaddling, our bamboo swaddle blankets have built-in stretch that makes it much easier to get a snug, secure wrap. The cotton blankets at the hospital are rigid, which makes it more challenging and frustrating to wrap. If you can’t get the hang of swaddling with the hospital baby blanket or a muslin one, you may be surprised at how user-friendly our bamboo swaddle blankets are.
Step-by-Step Guides to Popular Swaddling Methods
The Diamond Swaddle
Here is a brief description of how to swaddle a baby, step by step, with a blanket. This technique is called the diamond swaddle.
*Note: Your baby may cry while you’re doing this, and that is okay. That doesn’t mean they hate the swaddle. Try turning on white noise or giving a pacifier while you swaddle. Otherwise, once they are swaddled, pick them up and soothe them.
Most babies will prefer to have their arms swaddled down by their sides. This makes it harder for them to wiggle around and break free from the swaddle. However, others may prefer to have their hands across their chest, peeking out of the swaddle so they can suck on their fingers. Others may prefer to have their arms up in a touchdown position, and there are specific swaddles that will keep them secure while allowing their arms in this position.
Steps to Diamond Swaddle with a Swaddle Blanket:
1) Spread your bamboo swaddle blanket out on the floor in a diamond shape.
2) Fold the top corner down about 6 inches
3) Place your baby face-up on the blanket, where their head sits above the folded corner with their feet toward the bottom corner.
4) Straighten your baby’s left arm, take the left corner of the blanket and wrap it over their left arm and chest, then tuck the blanket under the other arm and back. At this point, the left-arm is swaddled, but the right arm is free.
5) Fold the bottom corner of the swaddle blanket up over your baby’s body and tuck it under the first fold, leaving the bottom loose enough for their legs to move freely and assume the froggy position It’s important not to wrap the blanket tightly around their legs to prevent damaging their hip joints.
6) Straighten your baby’s right arm and pull the right side of the bamboo swaddle blanket over your baby’s body and tuck it under the left side.
The Square Swaddle or Quick Swaddle
1) Lay a soft swaddle blanket down in a square shape, folding the top corner down about 6 inches.
2) Lay your baby down on their back with their neck at the top of the fold; your baby will be diagonal across the blanket.
3) Pull the right side over and tuck it snugly under your baby’s left side, leaving it looser at the hips.
4) Pull the left side over and tuck it snugly under your baby’s right side, again leaving the fabric looser around the hips.
5) Tuck the bottom of the bamboo swaddle blanket under your baby.
Important safety notes:
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The swaddle should be snug and secure but not tight. You should be able to stick two or three fingers in-between the swaddle and your baby
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The swaddle should be loose around the hips for healthy hip development
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Always place your baby on their back when they are swaddled
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Keep the room cool (between 68-72 degrees F is ideal) or layer appropriately
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Only swaddle for the first 8 weeks of life or until they show signs of rolling
Improper Swaddling and Hip Dysplasia
According to the International Hip Dysplasia Institute, improper swaddling of your baby can cause hip development problems. It notes, “Sudden straightening of the legs to a standing position can loosen the joints and damage the soft cartilage of the socket.”
For proper hip health, the baby’s legs should be able to move upwards and outwards at the hip and not be tightly wrapped together in an extended position, which may hinder the natural development of the joints.
How to Swaddle a Baby: Video Instructions
If you’re a visual person and you just can't picture what a swaddle should look like after reading the instructions above, YouTube is full of easy-to-follow swaddle guides.
This video highlights 5 different ways to swaddle a baby using a swaddling blanket.
This video shows 3 different ways to swaddle a baby, including the double swaddling method (be careful of overheating with a double swaddle).
This video demonstrates how to swaddle a baby, but also discusses the safety aspects.
If you just can’t get the hang of it (we know it’s tricky), try the Kyte Baby Sleep Bag Swaddler before throwing in the towel. It’s an all-in-one sleep system that makes swaddling as easy as 1, 2, 3. Watch these video instructions to get a perfect fit on your Sleep Bag Swaddler.
Swaddling During the Witching Hour
Newborn baby swaddles should be used throughout the day to help them stay calm and warm. Combining swaddling with other soothing techniques (like the 5 S’s from Dr. Harvey Karp) can get you through the dreaded “witching hour” when your baby is experiencing peak fussiness.
The “baby witching hour” is a time of the day, usually in the late afternoon and early evening, when your baby is overtired and overstimulated. That means the normal things that soothe them no longer seem to work, and they may continue fussing even after being offered the breast or the bottle.
Practicing soothing techniques, like swaddling, during that time can make a huge difference in helping your little one go back to sleep.
Swaddling a Baby for Sleep
When swaddling a baby for sleep, you will want to make sure you try various methods to see which one works best for your little one!
When your baby wakes at night, you can unswaddle, change their diapers, feed one side if nursing/half a bottle, burp, re-swaddle, and then finish feeding so that you can put them down ready for sleep when they are done eating!
When Should I Stop Swaddling My Baby?
You should only swaddle for the first few months of your newborn’s life. It is a helpful tool in those early days to get them calm for sleep, but it is not meant to be used for a long period of time. You’ll want to discontinue swaddling by 8 weeks of age or at the first sign of rolling—whichever comes first.
Ditching the swaddle can result in a short period of disrupted sleep for you and your baby as they learn to sleep without it. While it might be tempting to give in, it’s important to drop the practice when it’s time. This ensures your baby’s safety. As your little one gains more strength and mobility, swaddling presents more hazard than help. There are several methods and recommendations on when to drop the swaddle and how. You can slowly transition your baby with a “one arm in, one arm out” approach, you may opt to quit cold turkey, or you may use a Sleep Bag Swaddler from birth to make the transition from swaddle to sleep bag as smooth as possible.
How Long Should My Baby be Swaddled Each Day?
There are no hard and fast rules for swaddling limits per day, but a good guideline is to have equal swaddled and unswaddled time. If you are using swaddling to calm your little one during the day, skin-to-skin time can be even more soothing and has many benefits for both you and your baby.
While there is no current research that supports a delay in development due to being swaddled, it is important to give your baby freedom to move around and have plenty of tummy time to strengthen the extensor muscles along their back. This is the foundation for many developmental milestones!
What Comes After Swaddling?
Once your little one can no longer be swaddled safely, then it is appropriate to switch to using a sleep bag. A sleep bag is also referred to as a sleep sack or wearable blanket, and it is less restrictive (hello, arms!) than a swaddle. This will keep your baby safe and warm in their sleep space, while still giving them the freedom to move their arms and legs. Our best-selling sleep bags come in 0.5 TOG, 1.0 TOG, and 2.5 TOG to keep your baby comfortable all year long. Depending on their nursery temperature and the climate you live in, you will want to choose an appropriate TOG to prevent them from overheating or feeling too cold.
The fourth trimester is hard on everyone, and when you’re in the thick of it, swaddling is a great tool for helping you and your newborn get better sleep. It helps your little one feel safe, comforted, and secure as they get used to the sights and sounds of the world. But, like everything else involving your baby, safety should always be the first priority. Whether you choose to swaddle with a blanket or go for convenience with our Sleep Bag Swaddler, always make sure you’re following product guidelines and safe sleep guidelines. And, when it’s time to swap the swaddle for a sleep bag, don’t worry–we’ve got you.
AUTHOR: Ashley Olson is a certified pediatric sleep consultant, owner of Heaven Sent Sleep, and passionate about helping new parents, experienced parents, desperate and sleep-deprived parents form healthy sleep habits for their children.
She has over 3 years of experience in working with families and has completed over 150 hours of coursework plus continuing education related to infant and toddler sleep. The focus of her work is on fostering a routine that grows your bond with your child while improving their sleep habits. She specializes in custom sleep plans and one on one support in changing sleep practices!
