BABY
Benefits of Swaddling
An important step in your safety routine—swaddle your baby before sleep.
Written by
Dr. Harvey Karp
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BABY
Written by
Dr. Harvey Karp
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Bestsellers
The ABC’s of safe sleep go a long way to keeping your baby as safe as possible. Your little one should sleep: Alone, on the Back, and in a Cot (or similar safe space). But I advise parents to add one more step to the safety routine: Swaddle your baby before sleep.
Yes. Besides helping to calm your baby and promoting sleep, swaddling is a safety measure to prevent dangerous mishaps that can occur while your infant is sleeping.
Sure, wrapping your baby in a traditional sleep swaddle can feel weird at first, like baby origami, but once you understand the benefits of swaddling, it will become a core part of your baby’s sleep routine.
Many babies seem unhappy sleeping on the back, although it is considered to be the safest position. They may wriggle or cry…or may just not seem so comfortable. When parents get dismayed (and exhausted!) with the fussing, they may give up and lay their baby on the stomach. In fact, paediatricians used to suggest babies sleep tummy-down because that would help some babies sleep better, but retracted their claim when stomach sleep was found to cause SIDS, killing thousands of babies each year.
The good news is that babies tightly wrapped like little burritos are happy ones! When in a sleep swaddle, babies recall the familiar feeling of life in the womb, and the calming reflex turns on. They sleep so well on the back, parents will not be tricked into trying the stomach.
Note: Some babies resist swaddling initially, but once you rock and shush them a little they calm and the wrapping keeps them peaceful and happy longer.
Overcome with fatigue, you may accidentally fall asleep with your baby on a risky surface, like a sofa, an adult bed, etc. When you are exhausted your brain gets numb, just like when you are drunk! That is a big problem. Of course you would never bring your baby into bed with you if you were drunk…so why do it if you are ‘drunk’ tired? You could roll on your baby or put an arm over her face without even realising it. Swaddling helps babies sleep a little better so you are less tempted to do something that might boost your baby’s risk of SIDS and suffocation.
By 2-4 months, most babies learn to roll over. Another benefit of swaddling is that it makes rolling on to the stomach much more difficult, however, not out of the question. This fact led me to an “Aha!” moment...Would we not save babies’ lives if a sleep swaddle and cot combo existed, that kept babies on the back?
I thought about that a lot…then invented one!
Happiest Baby’s SNOO Smart Cot comes with a special sleep swaddle with ‘wings’ that clip into the side of this ‘smart’ baby cot. If used properly, they keep baby on the back, helping to promote safer sleep. Whether you use SNOO or a regular cot, swaddling makes sleep much safer, in your baby’s first few months of life. (I also recommend keeping your baby’s cot free of pillows, loose blankets, stuffed animals, etc. These are all suffocation risks.)
If your baby cries a lot, it can bring up subtle worries that perhaps your milk is not satisfying your baby. It turns out, this is a key reason mums give up on the breast. But, since wrapping reduces crying, it therefore boosts successful breastfeeding, which is known to lower the risk of SIDS by 50%! That is a win-win-win situation! When combined with white noise, swinging motion and sucking, swaddling works even better to soothe crying babies and boost sleep.
Swaddling and installing your infant’s car seat have an important thing in common: You have to do it correctly to keep your baby safe. Many mums and dads find that perfecting the proper swaddle form can be quite a challenge. The swaddle should be secure, but should not be too tight or loose, and have the right amount of insulation without being too heavy.
I designed the Sleepea 5-second Baby Swaddle with baby safety and parental sanity in mind. Some of the key features include:
When used in conjunction with the SNOO cot, you can help aid your baby’s nightly sleep. I recommend wrapping your baby for all naps and night sleep until she starts turning over on her own (usually around 4 months).
Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider. Breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for babies. It is important that, in preparation for and during breastfeeding, mothers eat a healthy, balanced diet. Combined breast- and bottle-feeding in the first weeks of life may reduce the supply of a mother's breastmilk and reversing the decision not to breastfeed is difficult. If you do decide to use infant formula, you should follow instructions carefully.
