In the early days of parenthood, sleep can be tricky – for everyone. Swaddling is a popular way to help keep your newborn baby calm and cozy, and promote restful sleep, as they adjust to life outside the womb.
Swaddling, which involves snugly wrapping your baby in a light breathable blanket, is often likened to the comforting environment of the womb. Therefore, it’s common for healthcare professionals to show parents how to swaddle their baby shortly after birth to help their baby with the adjustment. Plus, what’s cuter than a baby burrito?
While swaddling is endorsed by many healthcare providers and sleep specialists to comfort babies in their initial months, it's important to know how to swaddle your baby safely and recognize when it's time to stop swaddling your baby to minimize potential risks.
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What Is Swaddling?
Swaddling is a traditional practice of wrapping your young baby snugly in a light, breathable blanket or cloth to help them feel secure and calm and promote better sleep. Swaddling is very common worldwide – it’s estimated that more than 20% of all babies around the world and 90% of all babies in North America are swaddled in the first few months.
Swaddling is only recommended for babies who show no signs of rolling over from back to front. When they start to show signs that they may flip from back to front, which can be as early as 2 months of age (sometimes sooner), you should stop swaddling. It’s recommended to put all babies under the age of 12 months down to sleep on their back, whether they are swaddled or not.
Not all babies like to be swaddled, and that’s okay. Speak with your pediatrician if you’re concerned your baby isn’t happy when swaddled. And remember that it could take a few days and/or nights for your baby to get used to being swaddled.
What are the Benefits of Swaddling Your Baby?
Swaddling is believed to mimic the sensation of being in the womb, which can soothe a baby and help them settle and sleep better. Other benefits of swaddling include preventing newborns from startling themselves awake with their own natural startle reflexes. Swaddling can also stop your baby from scratching their face, since baby nails grow super-fast. Don’t be discouraged if your baby doesn’t take to swaddling right away – swaddle them for a few days to see how it goes.
Swaddles also help keep your baby warm. Since the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies under the age of 12 months sleep without blankets or other loose bedding, swaddles are a good choice until they show signs of rolling over.
Specific benefits of swaddling reported by parents and healthcare professionals include:
- Makes it easier for your baby to settle for sleep
- Enhances the duration of the baby's sleep
- Mitigates the risk of newborns being awakened by the 'startle reflex' (Moro reflex), characterized by involuntary arm and leg movements
- Prevents your baby from scratching themselves when sleeping
- Part of a holistic approach to safe sleep to reduce your baby’s risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or other sleep-related deaths
Some experts differ in opinion regarding the scientific validity of benefits associated with swaddling. There is no research to support that proper swaddling directly reduces your baby’s risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
To further complement the benefits of swaddling your newborn, download the Smart Sleep Coach by PampersTM app. Developed by pediatricians and sleep consultants, Smart Sleep Coach helps you start building healthy sleep habits in your baby from day 1. It includes personalized guidance and suggested sleep times to help you take some of the guesswork out of how to tackle those first few months of sleep with a newborn.
When to Swaddle Your Newborn?
You can start to swaddle your baby right after they are born. In fact, it’s common for a nurse in a hospital to swaddle a baby as soon as they are born to help soothe them as they adjust to the outside world.
A baby can be swaddled until they show signs that they are trying to roll over from their back to the front. Swaddling is no longer safe one your baby starts showing signs that they are going to roll over. This often happens between 2 and 4 months of age but can happen even earlier. The second you notice your baby looks like they could roll over, it’s important you stop swaddling immediately.
When swaddling is no longer safe, the American Academy of Pediatrics says you can switch to a sleep sack or wearable blanket that allows your baby to move freely and doesn’t compress the arms, while also keeping them warm.
The milestone of rolling over can be reached at different times – speak with your pediatrician if you have any questions.
How long can you swaddle a baby at night?
Babies who are young enough to be swaddled often don’t yet know the difference between day and night as their sleep revolves around feeding. A newborn’s wake window can be as little as 10 minutes at time, so they can be swaddled on and off all day and night.
Babies under 3 months old typically wake every 2 to 4 hours to feed. When your baby wakes for a feed, unswaddle them. For many, being too cozy during feeding causing them to doze off instead of eating and can cause overheating. In between wake windows and being swaddled is also a good opportunity for a diaper change.
If your baby enjoys being swaddled, they may experience a slight sleep regression when it’s time to transition to not being swaddled. There are several great techniques to help you gradually transition from swaddle to a sleep sack or wearable blanket, such as swaddling with their arms out.
Is Swaddling Safe?
There has been lots of research done around swaddling and many people have had different interpretations.
Many healthcare providers and pediatricians believe that swaddling can be safe for babies if they are swaddled correctly, are not at risk for overheating, are placed in their sleep space on their back, and show no signs of rolling over onto their bellies.
If the swaddle is too tight your baby has an increased risk of hip dysplasia. If they are swaddled too loosely, there is a risk that it will become undone and accidentally cover your baby’s face. If their sleep space is too warm when they are swaddled, or they are feeding when swaddled, they may be at risk of overeating.
If your baby shows signs of rolling from back to front, stop swaddling immediately. For swaddled babies, rolling over onto their stomach can increase the risk of suffocation as their arms are constricted and they may not be able to roll back on their back.
For all babies under 12-months-old, whether they are swaddled or not, it’s recommended they always be placed to sleep on their back. Babies who sleep on their backs are at lower risk for SIDS than babies placed to sleep on their stomachs or sides.
Recommendations for ensuring safe sleep when swaddled include:
- Learn to swaddle your baby safely – loose around the hips and snug enough not to become undone
- Monitor your baby to make sure their swaddle doesn’t become loose or unwrapped
- Do not place soft objects or lose bedding in your baby’s sleep space
- Remove the swaddle when your baby wakes up
- Room-share with your baby, but not bed-share, for the first six months of their life
- Offer a pacifier
- Do not use a weighted swaddle
- Download the Smart Sleep Coach app which will walk you through how to set up your baby’s sleep space to be most conducive to safe and restful sleep
How to Swaddle a Baby Step-by-Step
Here are instructions for how to swaddle your baby:
- Lay out a thin or lightweight baby blanket made of breathable material in a diamond shape out on a changing table, bed, floor, or other flat surface
- Fold the top corner of the blanket down to almost the middle of the diamond
- Place your baby on their back in the center of the blanket with their head right above the folded corner and their shoulders right underneath
- Move their arms to their sides
- Take one side of the blanket and pull it over their shoulder and across their body towards the opposite side and tuck it under them
- Bring the bottom corner up over their feet; if it's long you can tuck it underneath their body
- Take the last corner and pull it over your baby towards their other side, tucking it snugly underneath, leaving just the head and neck exposed
- Check that the swaddle isn’t too tight around their legs or hips – they should still be able to move a little
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics are multiple variations for safely swaddling your baby.
There are also swaddles you can purchase that are designed with Velcro to help make swaddling easier for parents and ensure they stay in place. Speak with your pediatrician for their recommendation.
Additional tips for safe swaddling:
- Use a lightweight blanket made of breathable material
- Put your baby to sleep on their back on a firm, flat surface
- Make sure the blanket is snug, but not too tight – your baby should be able to move their hips and legs (the American Academy of Pediatrics say you should be able to 2-3 fingers between the swaddle their chest)
- Make your baby is not at risk for overheating, and is not overbundled or wearing appropriate sleep clothes
- Remove the swaddle when your baby wakes up
- Leave enough room at the bottom for your baby's legs to move freely
- Stop swaddling once your baby starts to show signs of rolling over, which can happen as early as 2-months-old (or sooner)
- Ask your pediatrician or baby care expert for guidance if you’re unsure of how to swaddle correctly
- Stop swaddling if they seem uncomfortable or if you notice any signs of distress
Wrapping It Up
There are many ways to try and soothe your newborn baby and swaddling is one of them. Many parents choose to swaddle their baby, and many choose not to.
If you choose to swaddle your baby, make sure it’s done correctly and stop swaddling immediately when they show signs of being able to roll over.
If you have questions about whether swaddling your little one is right for you, how to properly swaddle, or if it’s time to stop, speak with your pediatrician.
