How to Effectively Swaddle Your Baby

Nearly all cultures across the globe have created a swaddling contraption to carry their infant. Whether is the Native American papoose, or the slings used by African mothers, infants have been bundled tightly and kept close to the mother’s body for centuries. Dr Claudia Gerard, who led the research said: "Now we have scientific evidence to support the age-old belief that swaddled infants sleep better than unswaddled ones.”

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Swaddling Blanket
• Baby (fussy babies only please)
• Patience
• Trust it will work

1. • Lay a square, stretchy blanket on a flat surface in a diamond shape. Now fold down the top-right corner about 6 inches.
2. • Place your baby on his back with neck and shoulders on the fold.
3. • Pull the corner near your baby's right hand across his body, and tuck the leading edge under his back on the left side under the arm.
4. • Pull the bottom corner up over the baby’s left shoulder tucking the blanket (and his left arm) tightly in the left back.
5. • Bring the left side of the fold down right under the baby’s chin and then pull the last corner all the way around the baby tucking it in his left side.
6. Basically, you have made a little love burrito! If this is too confusing, ask a doula, a grandma, a lactation consultant or a fellow mom to show you how it’s done. Dr. Karp DVD "The Happiest Baby on the Block" can really visually help too.

Tips & Warnings

• Visit thehappiestbaby.com
• Do not routinely swaddle, but use it with caution and common sense. If your baby is happy and goes to sleep easily there is no need to swaddle. Swaddle only if baby is very fussy, preferably only at night, and always place baby to sleep on his/her back when swaddled. Do not let new born sleep for more then 3 to 4 hours at one time. Wake up to feed. Swaddling has been proven to help prevent mother's postpartum depression.