Babies love to stay swaddled while they are asleep as it replicates the warmth and comfort of a womb. This helps in their transition into the real world.
Are you wondering how to use SwaddleMe wrap in other to help you prevent your little one from rolling over or getting irritated at night?
Know that wrapping your baby in a SwaddleMe wrap can restrict their body movements and keep them from startling or waking up, so you and your baby sleep without interruptions.
Therefore, in this article, we’ve got a complete guide for you on what you should keep in mind during swaddling, how to use SwaddleMe wrap, and the benefits of swaddling your baby.
What Is Swaddling?
Swaddling is an ancient method for wrapping a newborn in a thin blanket or cloth to make them feel safe, secure, and comfortable. Ancient historians claim that it is a method that’s been used since the Paleolithic period.
Baby blankets and other types of smooth sheets are used to prevent the limbs of the baby. Although, other swaddling bands are used to have a tighter and more secure grip on the baby’s arms and legs.
Swaddling your baby helps prevent your baby from rolling over to a prone position.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that this supine position is the safest for an infant to sleep to decrease the chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
How To Swaddle A Baby
- Firstly, lay down your baby swaddle blanket on a flat surface and keep the pocket side up.
- Then lay your baby facing up on top of the sheet with his/her shoulders aligned with the top of the blanket.
- Now place your little one’s feet inside the pocket and draw it up to his/her chest.
- Take the left side of the blanket and fold it around your baby including the arm.
- Then for the excess blanket, tuck it under your baby’s opposite arm and hook it to the right-wing.
- Now hold your baby’s right arm down and fold the other side of the blanket over your baby.
- Finally, hook or Velcro this side of the blanket to the other side for a snug wrap.
Read Also: Can Baby Wear Knotted Gown in Car Seat
The Complete Guide On How To Use SwaddleMe Wrap
SwaddleMe is a uniquely made blanket to replace loose clothes made of 100% cotton.
This blanket easily wraps around the baby while still allowing enough space for the legs and allows for slight movements.
SwaddleMe is easier to use than regular loose blankets as its main function is to keep the baby wrapped in a pouch to imitate the feeling of a womb.
If you’re looking to learn how to use SwaddleMe wrap, there are only a few steps that you have to take to use a SwaddleMe blanket. It’s already designed to secure your baby within a pouch so there’s not much effort needed from you.
- Firstly, spread the blanket on the bed. Then flatten both wings (right and left) before you adjust the wrinkles in the middle.
- Then place your baby on the blanket and put their shoulders to the top of the SwaddleMe Wrap.
- Tuck your baby’s legs into the pouch. Make sure that they’re secured.
- Straighten your baby’s arms to the sides (left and right) and secure them with the wings of the wrap. Remember to use the Velcro loops to tighten the grip on your baby’s limbs.
- Then wrap the left-wing of the SwaddleMe wrap across the torso of your baby and fasten it with the Velcro hooks.
- Finally, ensure that the wrap fits tightly on your baby’s chest. Adjust it if needed.
Alternatively, here is a video showing how to use a SwaddleMe Wrap
Read Also: How Many Swaddling Blankets Do I Need?
How To Use SwaddleMe Wrap: Do’s And Don’t
Before you proceed with wrapping your baby with a SwaddleMe wrap, be aware of some of these dos and don’ts below:
- Make sure that your swaddled baby is sleeping on their back once they’re swaddled to prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
- Use the appropriate thickness of the blanket to prevent your baby from experiencing extreme heat or cold.
- If your baby becomes restless when their arms are swaddled, try letting them sleep with their arms free. Then monitor them for a few naps and see if it’s better.
- Don’t wrap your baby too tightly; just make sure that the blanket is secured. Wrapping your baby too tightly might decrease the circulation of blood and air in their body.
- Make sure there’s no hazardous material near the swaddle area.
- Learn your baby’s behavioral patterns and choose the best way to swaddle.
Read Also: How To Swaddle Baby In Summer
What Are The Benefits Of Swaddling?
- Swaddling helps babies fall asleep. In colder regions, the garment used to swaddle a baby makes them feel warmer and more relaxed.
- The baby’s limbs are secured by the cloth. Instead of flailing around and inadvertently hitting something, the arms and legs of your baby are held in place by the cloth.
- The swaddling of a baby mimics the sensation of being back in the womb, which is what a baby has been used to.
- Premature babies feel less tense. Babies of premature birth have a lower weight. This is why are prone to feeling tense due to low body weight. If you wrap them with comfortable cloth, they’ll feel more comfortable and will be able to sleep easier.
Negative Effects Of Swaddling?
Having known the benefits of swaddling your baby, you also have to ensure that there are studies that prove the opposite. We’ve listed a couple of the most alarming studies below:
- Traditional swaddling increases the risk of hip deformation in babies. Due to the circumstances involved with traditional swaddling, the hips of a growing infant might be inadvertently affected which leads to hip dysplasia.
- Tight swaddling can lead to hyperthermia. This is also known as overheating, which is a condition where a baby’s body temperature is elevated beyond normal temperature due to failed thermoregulation.
Read Also: How To Keep Baby Warm Without Swaddle
When To Stop Swaddling
Swaddling can be a smart move for babies. Unfortunately, it is not so for older babies who can break free from their blankets. More so, being wrapped up can disrupt the healthy development of older babies too since it prevents them from practicing age-appropriate motor skills.
So at what age should you stop swaddling? You may want to quit as soon as your little one becomes more active and starts to try to roll over everywhere, which might occur as early as 2 months, making it a good period to stop swaddling, but usually happens by around 4 months.
Read Also: Can I Put Swaddled Baby in Swing? Explained
Conclusion
Swaddling can help your baby sleep for much longer as it prevents sleep startles and keeps your baby snug and comfortable especially during nighttime. You don’t need several crib pillows to keep your child on their back when a SwaddleMe wrap can do the trick.
Using a SwaddleMe wrap can be quite easy; you just have to keep in mind that there are many advantages and disadvantages to it. Checking with your baby’s doctor is also very important since they can provide you with what you need to know before you purchase a SwaddleMe wrap.
We hope this article has provided you with great ideas on how to use SwaddleMe wrap. Remember, by adhering to the SwaddleMe care instructions, you can clean your baby’s blanket without damaging it.
If you have any questions or would like to share some other tips and experiences with cleaning SwaddleMe wrap, drop your comment or suggestion down below. We would love to hear it