I get asked this from time to time. I'm a firm believer in swaddling. Both my boys, when swaddled, slept awesome as infants, many times through the night. This all changed, as we all know, when they went to more adult and humanoid sleep patterns, but that's a different post. And lots and lots of kids don't regress like my boys do.
These instructions ... are mostly for Megan.
Take a large blanket, the one shown below is 44 x 44 (okay not really - it's like 46 x 44 - if I could cut it would be 44 x 44). Fold down the top right corner of the "short" side.
Place your baby across the folded down portion, her shoulder at the top. Like so ... too far down and the fabric will cover her face, too far up and she's not secure.
My photographer kind of messed this up. But take your babies hand, and place it INSIDE the folded down fabric. THIS IS KEY TO AN EFFECTIVE SWADDLE.
Don't worry, your baby won't cry. Ever. I have fussy babies. Here is a picture of the babies arm INSIDE the folded down fabric. Again - THIS IS KEY. Do not do this and you will think swaddling is stupid and
they always break out, they hate it. No they don't. They have no motor control. They have no idea what they are doing.
Take the "wing" for lack of a better word and fold it over the baby.
Roll baby onto her side, fold the "wing" underneath the baby to secure.
Go to the bottom wing. Fold it up at the babies feet.
Roll baby onto her side again, and place this wing underneath her.
Take the remaining wing. Take babies arm and place INSIDE the folded down fabric. Again. THIS IS KEY.
Babies arm going INSIDE the fold.
Take the wing and fold it over the top of the baby. See how happy a swaddled baby is? Chalupa
loooooves being swaddled (I don't do it anymore). But he
loves it. See?
Secure underneath the baby. Using the baby's weight to keep everything all snug.
See? Fold under the baby.
There. A happily swaddled child. Go forth and swaddle. And remember ... if she breaks out it just means you didn't do it tight enough. Personal thing here ... but I don't like velcro because that prevents them from getting out at all, seems like a hazard. Though many would tell you that a loose blanket that they
can get out of is a bigger hazard. I stopped swaddling G at 3 months and Chalupa at 4 months. Chalupa only because I imagined I saw motor delays. Also because he weighed almost 18lbs and was too strong.
So now you have two swaddle blankets, a large one and a small one (small one is 42 x 36). Again, go forth and swaddle. And sleep.
Comments
swaddled babies are happy babies!