IS SWADDLING SAFE?
Bid farewell to your doubts regarding swaddling. Hear the best and the worst from experienced parents. Like they say, experience is the best teacher!
With 2021 begins another decade of parents who are still baffled with the idea of swaddling. You want the best for your baby and is swaddling really the best option? Millions of parents go through the exact same confusion and we will share with you what experienced parents have to say about swaddling.
"Naira used to wake herself up by her own tiny fist or sometimes just randomly. She wouldn't get enough sleep and would be cranky the whole day! I consulted my pediatrician and he immediately suggested I start swaddling her. You see I was scared of swaddling because what if it suffocates her? It turns out Naira loved being snug in her swaddle and sleep was easier!"
Doctors and specialists around the world suggest parents to swaddle their babies. The Moro Reflex or the startle reflex is when the baby reacts to a loud sound or action and stretches their legs and arms. They curl back in a while but in infants, this mostly happens during their sleep which wakes them up. Swaddling prevents this as it keeps the baby comfy and their own movements wouldn't startle them.
"Swaddling is also a nice way to keep your baby warm safely. You can’t toss a loose blanket over them!"
In contrast to popular opinion of swaddling being the reason behind SIDS(Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), swaddling actually prevents that. You have to know the correct way of doing the same and it mustn't be too tight. Other than that any experienced parent would suggest swaddling.
"Swaddling provides containment, much like the womb, so it is a source of comfort for newborns. There is a kind of imitation swaddling that causes babies to cease crying. You hold them in a semi-fetal position with the arms folded across the chest. This position is described by “the baby whisperer”."
While your little one adjusts to the world outside Mama, swaddling helps them acclimate by giving them the womb-like snug and safe feeling. They can feel their palms and suck on them as well, all of which helps them self soothe.
We think Mr Singh's story is a perfect conclusion to the swaddling debate. You cannot force swaddling on your baby unless they genuinely enjoy it. Most babies do benefit from swaddling and you mustn't give up within 2 days of trying. You're a new Mama or Papa but your baby is new to the world, so you have to give them time.
