How To Keep Baby Warm Without Swaddle

Are you wondering how to keep baby warm without swaddle? We all know having a new baby is always great news.

Well, not when it comes to the long hours of cradling and the fact that they have a lot of needs which include the need to be warm as they lose heat faster and cannot regulate their body temperature as we do.

There are several ways to keep your baby warm and comfortable so he doesn’t get to stress you.

Swaddling is one of them but it has presented its troubles and has left most parents searching for how to keep baby warm without swaddle.

What is Swaddle?

We are all not expected to know what swaddle is so let’s start by giving its descriptive illustration before delving into how to keep a baby warm without swaddle.

Swaddle in simple terms is just the act of wrapping a baby all over from neck to toes, sparing just the head. It is done for many reasons which include: keeping the baby warm, and giving the baby the fake impression of the cradle or the environment of the womb.

Extensively, it helps you as the parent to sleep well at night as the baby will also be calmly asleep. But this is not just the only means of achieving a good night’s rest for both you and the baby.

Let us explore the procedures in swaddling for a better understanding of why it is not a good approach to keeping the baby warm or making him feel comfortable.

When you get your cloth, spread them flat on the bed. A square-shaped cloth would be a better option.
Then you fold one end inwards (this is the end where you place the baby).
Lay your baby’s shoulders over the folded area with his head above the level of the edge of the cloth; make sure he is laid down with the face up.
Fold one end of the cloth around his body and tuck it into the other (opposite) side of his back.
Bring the lower part of the cloth above his feet, up to his body making sure both feet are covered well.
Fold the other end of the cloth around his body, just like you’ve done for the first end, and tuck it on the other (opposite) side of his back.

Cons Of Swaddling

Notice that the limbs have been seemingly immobilized. That is one of the disadvantages of swaddling a baby. It brings the baby’s legs together and can cause hip problems. A condition termed Hip Dysplasia.

Imagine being wrapped that way for long hours. Not only does it do that, but if the cloth is loose, it can also predispose the baby to suffocation as the baby may roll over with his face down.

This is one of the situations that result in sudden infant death syndrome – you just suddenly find out that your baby is not breathing.

Again, when a baby gets used to being swaddled, breastfeeding becomes difficult as there is no adequate skin-to-skin time with the mother; this will eventually lead to inadequate weight gain for the baby.

Most especially, even for the reason of keeping the baby warm, the swaddle can cause the baby to overheat.

A lot of parents who have experienced one or more of the above, or the ones who have heard similar stories from affected parents have developed doubt towards swaddling and they are not to be blamed.

We all want the very best for our newborns. You are most probably in this category and I am here to help you with tips on how to keep baby warm without swaddle, or how to keep your baby comfortable at night without having to swaddle.

Read Also: How To Use SwaddleMe Wrap

How To Keep Baby Warm Without Swaddle: 6 Easy Ways

Here are a few tips on how to keep baby warm without swaddle:

1. Warm Environment

First of all, anyone who needs warmth knows better than to stay in a cold environment. Babies do not know this but you do. As a parent, it’s your responsibility to think rightly for their sake and the best way to do this is to learn to put yourselves in their position.

Make sure that your baby’s environment is not cold. If you’re used to keeping your air conditioner on for a long time, I’m sorry but you have to compromise for your baby.

It would be better if you opened the windows for better ventilation but try to keep the baby away from the wind.

2. Firm Mattress

Let your choice of crib be the one with a firm mattress. The ones with soft mattresses pose as absorbers of cold air and will transmit the cold to your baby.

But when the mattress is hard, it simply means that there is not enough space to let air into it.

3. Warm Mattress

You can also find a way to make the crib’s mattress warm before you lay your baby. You may dump a heated blanket or hot water bag on the crib for a long time before you lay your baby.

This means that you have to do that as early as possible, preferably once he is not lying in the crib. Remember to remove heating materials from the mattress to prevent overheating or burning the baby.

4. Socks and Gloves

You can also cover your baby’s hands and feet with socks and gloves. Even as adults, this is a good means of shielding our bodies from cold and it works for babies too.

Do well to cover their heads too. This is unlike swaddling where they have to be almost immobile.

With this method, as you have worn him the appropriate clothes and covered his head, hands, and feet, the part of the body that will be left will be the face, just like in swaddle, but there is no risk of hip dysplasia in this case.

5. Cotton fitted sheet

When it comes to buying a crib sheet for your baby mattress, it’s best advised to go for a crib sheet that’s made with only 100% cotton.

Naturally, cotton is a breathable material, and it helps regulate the baby’s body temperature depending on the weather conditions.

One of my favorites is Burt’s Bees Baby crib sheets, I used them on my babies. I like it because the sheets are made of 100% organic cotton jersey material, that is soft to touch and breathable.

I also like the tight-fitting flannel sheet, I use them especially in winter to keep my baby extra cozy and warm.

6. Change Baby’s Diaper

Always change your baby’s diaper. This is because a wet diaper becomes a cold diaper as air makes its way through your baby’s waist or thigh. Doing this frequently will not only keep diaper rash away but will also keep your baby warm.

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Take-Home

These are a few of the many proven tips on how to keep baby warm without swaddle. You can also bring it up to your doctor, relaying your fears to him and requesting alternatives.

It’s also important to talk about it with your parents, one may not know what to expect from such discussions as people go to different places for solutions, and without having that discussion, you may not know the solutions others must have gotten during their own time.