Infant Blanket Swaddling Instructions
One of your first parenting lessons in the hospital will likely be how to swaddle. This practice can be very soothing to some babies, although other babies never take to it. Traditional use involves a receiving blanket, although you can also use a swaddling blanket with Velcro tabs to help keep it closed. It might take a few tries before you can successfully wrap your baby, but it becomes much easier once you get used to it.
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Swaddling Benefits and Safety
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You can swaddle your baby the day he's born. Keeping him wrapped snugly can help calm him if he's fussy or help him sleep by making him feel warm and secure. If you put him to bed swaddled, make sure the blanket is tight enough so that it won't come undone, which could lead to suffocation if the blanket covers his face. Loosen the blanket if you can't fit your hand between it and your baby's chest, which indicates that it's wrapped too tightly. Your baby should be warm enough, but not in danger of becoming overheated while he's swaddled. Check his fingers and ears to see if he feels hot to the touch. Redness and sweating indicate that you'll need to put him in a lighter outfit, lower the room temperature or just have him sleep in a diaper and cotton blanket.
How to Swaddle
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Spread a swaddling blanket or receiving blanket out on a smooth, flat surface. Fold the upper right corner down about 6 inches. Put your baby on the blanket on her back so that her head rests on the folded corner. Take the corner near your baby's left arm and pull it across her body. Lift your baby's right arm and tuck the blanket edge under her back on her right side. Pull the corner near your baby's feet up over her until it's just under her chin. Pull the corner near your baby's right arm over her body and tuck it under her back on her left side. You can swaddle her with the blanket under her arms if she likes to have her hands free.
When to Stop Swaddling
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You should stop swaddling when your baby can kick the blanket off so that you don't risk having it cover his head. You should also stop swaddling during the day when your baby becomes more active so he'll have a chance to develop his motor skills, which swaddling can interfere with. You can stop swaddling your baby at night if he's able to sleep well without it. You can test this out by wrapping one arm only to see how he responds. If he gets fussy, go back to wrapping both arms and try again a few weeks later. If he sleeps fine with one arm in the blanket, he should be ready to sleep without being swaddled. Babies generally reach the point where swaddling is no longer necessary or safe around 3 to 4 months of age.
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