To swaddle or not to swaddle…?
Let me start by saying, as your doula, I want what’s best for you. If you don’t want to swaddle your baby, no judgement, your baby-your choice. I do want you to have the most up to date information to make an informed choice.
Swaddling has been around for thousands of years. Some cultures believed it would keep your baby safe from evil spirits, some believed it would keep the baby’s limbs straight or free from deformities, and it is likely that baby Jesus was swaddled to keep him warm in that manger. Whatever the reason for it, swaddling newborns has been common practice for humans. But what does the science say?
Newborn babies are made in a perfect environment; warm, weightless, everything they need is provided by the body that’s carrying them. Once born, the baby’s senses can become quickly overloaded. It’s bright, cold, filled with new sounds, smells and they now feel gravity. Babies are born with specific reflexes that they integrate as time goes by. The Moro reflex is what you see when baby feels like they are falling, or they are startled. Signs of this are extended arms, fanning out their hands, throwing their head back and crying. These are all signs of a healthy nervous system, but it can add to the list of things to decipher for new parents.
Since the 1990’s we have been placing our babies on their back to sleep in an effort to prevent SIDS. Because of this campaign, swaddling became a more popular tool for new parents to help keep baby calm and secure. We swaddle babies the very first day they arrive to help them regulate and rest. But swaddling isn’t the only tool we have to settle and sleep newborns. Chest/breastfeeding has been shown to lower the risk of SIDS by almost 50%, safe sleep spaces with no loose bedding and cool, clean air; also show to help in prevention.
As I spent more and more time on the studies, one thing is clear, we need more research because the data is mixed. Many articles found no change in baby’s arousal state if swaddling was habitual vs occasional. Integration of reflexes happens all throughout the day, not just when babies are sleeping. The article Risks and Benefits of Swaddling Healthy Infants: An Integrative Review by Antonia M. Nelson concludes:
“If a few precautions are taken, such as swaddling securely to minimize risk of unwrapping, avoiding overheating, placing infants to sleep supine, and discontinuing swaddling when infants first show signs of rolling over, swaddling presents minimal risk.” PMID: 28394766
After 23 years in the perinatal space, I have seen many different types of swaddles. Yes, some of them are made too tight and restrict babies’ movement. Yes, some of them are too hot and can be a risk for overheating. Yes, some aren’t placed appropriately and can ride up to babies’ face as they move. But that just means we need more education on how to swaddle appropriately and what products to stay away from. Swaddling a baby can give parents an extra hour or two of MUCH NEEDED rest. When in doubt, always reach out.
With Love