What does it mean to swaddle a baby?
Swaddling is the ancient art of snugly wrapping your baby to help him feel safe and secure.Being wrapped up can stop your baby from being disturbed by his own startle reflex. You may have noticed your baby doing little jerks of his body when he's sleeping. These jerks are his startle reflex (hypnagogic startles) and are completely normal.
Swaddling can also help settle your baby down when he's overstimulated.
In many regions, babies are settled down in cradles (palnas) fashioned out of soft cotton cloths or sarees. These cradles hold the baby snugly and serve the purpose of swaddling the baby as well providing a rocking motion.
Check that your baby isn't hungry or wet, before you start. Keep his face and head uncovered, so he can breathe easily and doesn't overheat. If your baby is swaddled, he probably won't need another blanket on top.
How do I swaddle my baby?
Here is a step-by-step guide to swaddling your baby.- Place a cotton cot sheet on a flat surface and fold down the top right corner about 15cm / 6 inches.
- Lay your baby on his back with his head on the fold.
- Pull the corner near your baby's left hand across his body. Tuck the leading edge under his right arm and around under his back.
- Pull the bottom corner up under your baby's chin.
- Bring the right-hand corner over and tuck it under his back on the left side. Some babies prefer to have their arms free, in which case you could just swaddle your baby under his arms.
You can swaddle your baby until he is about one month old. After that it may stop him moving around and hamper his development. When your baby begins to kick off covers, it's a sign he no longer appreciates being bundled so snugly!