Developmental Swaddling

Developmental Swaddling

You can help your baby develop and grow by the way you swaddle them

Swaddling a new born is a great way to calm and relax your baby.  Swaddling works by controlling the startle reflex which is when their arms and legs “fly out” when they hear a loud noise or experience a sudden movement. This can often wake a baby and make it harder for them to settle back to sleep. Tight prolonged swaddling with their arms and legs wrapped against their bodies can delay the normal development of bringing their hands to mouth and developing deep hip joints. Properly formed hip joints are important to enable your baby to learn to stand and walk on pain free joints.

Steps to swaddling

1. lay wrap with point at one end – like a diamond
2. fold top corner down around 1/3 of the wrap
3. lay baby on wrap with fold line at level of their ear lobes
4. tuck one hand into the “pocket” created from folding down the corner, pull the end across to the opposite side of their body and tuck under
5. repeat with their other hand as in step 5
6. fold up the bottom of the wrap

Ensure when wrapping ends across the body that you do not pull it tight around the hips. We want to avoid holding the legs down and together as this prevents them developing strong hip joints. It is also important to wean swaddling when your baby has started to roll, so their hands are free to help them roll back onto their backs.