What are the benefits of swaddling for baby?

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Nateo CONCEPT

Our advice for soothing and reassuring baby.

Practiced since ancient times, swaddling is a technique that helps baby feel secure and thus sometimes find sleep more easily. This simple method however requires some know-how. So how do you swaddle a baby? What are the advantages and benefits of this technique? How do you create a soothing and reassuring environment for your child?

What is swaddling?

Swaddling is a technique that involves wrapping your baby in fabric. This technique, used since ancient times, aims to limit baby's movements so they feel as if in a cocoon.

Simple to perform, this method requires taking certain precautions. You can certainly learn it in the maternity ward, but also try it at home using a tutorial video or by asking your midwife for advice. It's important to note that swaddling should be reserved for specific moments when baby needs soothing. The rest of the time, it's important that baby can move freely to develop body awareness. Furthermore, it's recommended to practice swaddling until a maximum age of 3 months. It's also important to note that swaddling is no longer recommended when baby is able to roll onto their tummy.

Bébé emmailloté dans les bras de ses parents

How to swaddle baby?

You can swaddle baby using a swaddling blanket or a simple muslin cloth. Fold the blanket in half diagonally to form a diamond shape, then gently place baby inside. Then fold the blanket on each side, being careful not to wrap too tightly. To ensure it's not too tight, you should be able to slip your hand between the fabric and baby's chest. The upper body is gathered so the wrists are near the face. Finally, twist the bottom of the blanket and then fold it under baby's legs. Make sure baby can still move their legs and isn't too hot.

Swaddling your baby: advantages and disadvantages

Swaddling offers many advantages, but also disadvantages that need to be considered.

The advantages

The main advantage of swaddling is being able to calm and reassure baby. Indeed, this technique allows them to feel secure by reminding them of the sensations in the mother's womb. This is why this method is particularly recommended for premature babies. You can use this method to provide comfort and thus help baby calm down when crying or find sleep more easily. Swaddling is therefore on the list of possible solutions to use to calm an infant.

The disadvantages

There are no real disadvantages to swaddling, but rather precautions to follow which are, as a reminder:

  • Don't swaddle baby if they are over 3 months old or can roll onto their tummy
  • Don't wrap the swaddle too tightly
  • Check that baby isn't too hot
  • Don't use this method too often to allow baby freedom of movement

Finally, it's also important to note that some babies don't like being swaddled. It's important to respect this and prioritize other methods to help calm baby, such as singing a song, rocking baby, etc.

Creating a reassuring environment for baby

Beyond swaddling, it's also possible to create a reassuring environment for baby during the first months, and throughout early childhood. You can take care to create a lovely, soothing, and reassuring room for your child.

The furniture

By choosing a wooden baby room, you opt for materials that are sturdy, warm, but also more respectful of the environment and your child's well-being. For this, you should prioritize a PEFC certified wooden baby room, with low formaldehyde materials and solvent-free paints.

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You can opt for a complete baby room and thus enjoy a wooden baby room with matching furniture. This type of wooden baby room typically includes:

  • A wooden baby cot: This can be a classic barred cot, but you can also choose a convertible cot or even a combination cot.
  • A baby dresser: It allows you to store baby's items and can be combined with a removable changing top to have a changing table with integrated storage (more information on this topic here).
  • A baby wardrobe: If space permits, it allows for even more storage in the wooden baby room.

You can opt for many different styles for your wooden baby room by choosing, for example, a vintage baby cot to give a retro touch to the room. You can even choose a complete vintage baby room if you wish.

Decoration

Decoration also helps create a reassuring environment for baby, especially as they grow and begin to observe their surroundings. Most often, it's recommended to choose soft colours such as pastels for example. To make the room even more pleasant, you can add a lovely armchair, a rug at the foot of baby's bed, curtains, a pretty lamp to create a soft ambiance in the evening and of course beautiful decorative objects.

Habits

More than just a beautiful wooden baby room, it's also daily habits that will help reassure baby. Swaddling is an excellent technique, but there are also lullabies, caresses, speaking softly, using a comfort toy with your scent, and many other methods that parents can implement.

When the wooden baby room is ready, all you'll need is to find pretty swaddle blankets to wrap baby and ensure they feel secure during their first 3 months of life!

bébé avec sa maman et son doudou