Baby & Toddler / 18 January, 2021 / Ellie Thompson

Swaddling: What Are The Benefits? How To Do It Properly And Knowing When To Stop

Swaddling your newborn baby has so many benefits. Not only does it help soothe your baby to sleep, it also helps them sleep longer. For safer swaddling, we recommend checking out Love To Dream’s range of innovative sleepsuits, together with some tips on swaddling from their resident expert, Edwina Sharrock founder of Birth Beat and registered midwife and nurse.

Should I swaddle my baby?

Research has found that swaddling replicates the snug feeling your baby is used to in utero. Swaddling soothes and quietens babies, and helps them sleep better and for longer. It also allows them to self-soothe, as they’re less likely to wake up because of their startle reflex, which typically kicks in between each sleep cycle.

Swaddling also works as a positive sleep cue. Your baby will start to associate sleep with being put into their swaddle, allowing them to relax and doze off with ease. Most importantly, swaddling encourages babies to sleep on their back, which is the best measure to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

When should I start swaddling my baby?

It’s important to start swaddling your baby as soon as they’re born, so you can begin to establish a healthy sleep routine for you and your baby.

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How should I swaddle my baby?

Firstly, it’s really important to ensure your baby is not too hot or too cold. Temperature regulation is important to ensure your baby sleeps well, as well as reducing the risk of SIDS. Avoid loose items and blankets in your crib or cot, to avoid fabric coming up to cover their face. Make sure your baby is not swaddled too tightly, you’ll want to ensure your baby is in a hip-healthy position.

Love To Swaddle UP

Traditional swaddling can be a tricky business, and that’s why we recommend checking out Love To Dream, and their ingenious range of products for safer swaddling.

Suitable from birth, the Love To Swaddle UP is a stage one sleepsuit that combines all the benefits of a traditional swaddle with the ease-of-use and safety of a sleepsuit. Not only does it make life super easy for you, it also provides complete peace of mind that your baby is being swaddled safely.

Safer swaddling

The Love To Swaddle UP has been certified ‘hip-healthy’ by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute. Designed to embrace your baby’s arms upwards in a natural position, the Swaddle UP allows leaves hips free to wriggle and move, so you can rest assured your baby’s hips can develop properly.

Made from machine washable, super-soft, clingy fabric that replicates the feeling of being in the womb, its single layer of fabric reduces the risk of overheating, while the outer seams leave no loose threads or uncomfortable seams around baby. What’s more, the sleepsuit’s two-way zipper makes nappy changes a breeze.

When it comes to safer swaddling with ease, you can’t go wrong.

Why and when should I transition my baby out of their swaddle?

Between three to six months (or it could be as early as eight weeks) your baby will have developed some muscle strength which will enable them to roll over. If your baby is able to roll onto their back while in their swaddle, it can restrict breathing, and once on their back, they may not be able to move back over to their front.

When your baby shows signs of being able to roll over during playtime, you’ll need to transition your baby from their swaddle to an ‘arms-free’ sleep for their own safety.

Key signs your baby should stop swaddling

• Starting to roll over during playtime
• Using hands to push themselves up during tummy time
• Decreased or no startle reflex
• Lifting their legs and flopping them to the side
• Ability to escape a traditional swaddle
• Resisting being swaddled traditionally

How should I transition my baby from their swaddle?

Transitioning your baby from their swaddle can be a disruptive time, which is why Love To Dream’s Swaddle UP Transition Bags are a godsend. Once baby is sleeping, simply zip off one wing so that one arm is completely free, and after a few nights, release the other arm, again, during sleep time.

Top tip: To minimise disruption to nighttime, start this transition process during your baby’s day naps.

Six months will come around quickly, and you’ll wonder where the time went. Time to invest in Love To Dream’s stage 3 sleepsuits or sleeping bags, for independent sleeping.

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Love To Dream

For safer swaddling, trust Love To Dream. They’ve been busy supplying parents with brilliant sleep solutions for over ten years, with a range of innovative products for babies & children 0-4yrs of age.

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