Swaddle a Newborn
Are you a tired new parent trying to get your newborn baby to sleep through the night? Wondering how to duplicate the swaddling technique demonstrated by the nurse in the hospital? An amazing swaddle could be your key to a good night's sleep. It may seem like a lot of complicated folding, but properly swaddling you baby is very easy.
Contents
Steps
Folding The Swaddling Blanket
- Obtain your swaddling blanket. Be sure to use a cotton blanket that is at least 24 x 24 inches.
- This is the standard size for swaddling a nearly newborn baby. As the baby grows, you may need to use a larger blanket, about 40 x 40 inches.
- Fold the blanket for swaddling. Position the swaddling blanket on a flat surface such as carpeting or on a bed. Rotate the square blanket so the corners of the blanket are pointed up, down, and to the sides, or in a diamond shape, rather than being in the position of a normal square. Fold the top corner of the blanket down about eight inches.
- If the baby is bigger, you are going to fold less of the top corner down. If the baby is smaller, you are going to fold the top corner down further.
- If you wish you can fold the folded fabric down one more time to make an approximate 2 inch ridge. This offers more neck support, but it’s not necessary.
- The blanket should now look like a diamond or the Superman symbol.
- Place you baby on the blanket. Place your baby in the center of the blanket, with the top of the baby’s shoulders right at the folded top.
Swaddling The Baby
- Make the first swaddle fold across the baby. Hold the baby’s left hand and place it at his hip. Allow the baby’s elbow to be slightly bent. Take the left corner of the blanket, and bring it across the baby to his right side.
- Allow his right arm to be free once you bring the blanket across to his right side.
- Roll the baby to his left so you can tuck the blanket underneath his back.
- Fold the bottom of the blanket. Grab the bottom corner of the swaddling blanket and bring it up toward the baby. The corner is going to be tucked behind the baby’s back, near her right shoulder. Make sure that the baby’s right arm is held down at her hip, again with her elbow slightly bent.
- Don’t pull the bottom corner of the blanket too tight. You want the baby to have some mobility and freedom to kick her legs as they’re swaddled. However, you do want the blanket taut enough so when the baby does kick, she feels a little bit of resistance.
- Make the last swaddle fold across the baby. Hold the blanket in place by lightly placing your hand on the baby’s chest. Use your other hand to grab the folded piece of blanket approximately five inches away from your baby’s neck. Bring this portion of the blanket over to the center of the baby’s chest to make a slight V-neck. Hold this V in place with your thumb.
- Then pick up the last corner of the swaddling blanket (the right corner), and bring it across the baby and up to his left shoulder. Again, tuck the remaining blanket behind and underneath the baby’s back.
- Tuck in the loose corner. With the last portion of the blanket wrapped around the baby, take the corner of the blanket, pull it horizontally across the baby’s back, and bring it over to the front of the baby’s right shoulder to tuck it into one of the blanket folds.
Tips
- Remember that if your newborn is not swaddled correctly, she will be fussy (and not sleep). The swaddle has to be snug so that your baby does not try to get out.
- On the other hand, you don't want to go too tight! It is very important to swaddle these little ones in a way that allows movement of the hip joints to avoid hip problems.
Warnings
- Always leave enough room near the neck area for the baby to breathe. It's better to have a looser swaddle near the neck than a tight swaddle.
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