Swaddling is an art, and for parents, a necessity. Since 4000 B.C. and migrating mothers, the tradition has been passed down to modern families as a way to reduce crying and comfort newborns. We wanted to take a look at exactly what the benefits of swaddling are.
The idea behind modern swaddling is that the blanket creates a womb-like cocoon that babies can feel safe and protected in. The baby feels a sense of snuggly security throughout the night as well as having a blanket to moderate body temperature. This is why the muslin fabric of swaddles from companies like Aden + Anais and Little Giraffe are so important – the natural breathability of the fabric doesn’t allow for overheating when wrapped correctly. The Journal of Pediatrics showed that swaddling increased continuous sleep throughout the night, which led to less startled awakenings and less crying. Almost sounds too good to be true!
Swaddling also reduces the risk of SIDS by helping babies stay on their back throughout the night. I hadn’t ever thought of this (sadly!) but swaddling your baby before breastfeeding is a way to make the process a LOT easier until they learn to latch on. Reducing the extra movements allows more focus that can help breastfeeding go smoothly (after learning to latch on skin contact is important for development though).
There are so many benefits of swaddling– reduce chance of SIDS, baby and mommy sleep better, warmth, extra security, easier breastfeeding… Looks like swaddles are a winner!
California Cozy Baby Boutique is an authorized retailer for Aden and Anais and Little Giraffe swaddling blankets. Each one is made of the softest muslin with chic designs. Let’s be honest– swaddles are just plain cute as well! With all the new swaddle designs, babies can be styling every time of the day.
Some wrap hints: a full wrap is great for infants younger than 60 days while a “burrito wrap” encourages arm movement in babies older than 60 days. Correctly wrapping a swaddle is very important to learn so make sure you read online or watch a video beforehand. We recommend watching this CBS feature “Swaddling Your Baby” where guest expert Raegan Moya-Jones of Aden + Anais explains the art of swaddling.
