Surprising no one at all is the fact that babies – especially during their earliest stages of infancy – require a considerable amount of care and affection. The sheer amount of attention that newborns need can be overwhelming, especially for first-time parents and guardians. Luckily, plenty of help can be found from a variety of sources, including books and the internet.
Some things still may not seem apparent, however, even after consulting these informational sources. Many of the “quirks” of parenting will most likely iron themselves out after you have found your feet and settled into your role as a caregiver. When it comes to children – and especially babies – it is always better to be safe than sorry, and that means conducting plenty of thorough research.
Luckily, the answers are always there if you look long and hard enough. When it comes to swaddling, there are plenty of places to learn how to wrap your baby up, and there are a plethora of articles describing its importance. However, there is a lot less information to be found on how long to swaddle your baby for or even if you should swaddle them at all. Luckily, we are here to answer those questions.
What is Swaddling?
Even first-time parents will probably be aware of the practice of swaddling a newborn, so we will keep this short.
Swaddling refers to the age-old practice of wrapping a baby up in a blanket or thick cloth to restrict the movement of their limbs. It is commonly used to soothe a newborn and lull them to sleep, though the practice is not as extensively used as it once was.
How to Swaddle a Baby
First, find a blanket that will be big enough to wrap your baby up completely, about 40 inches by 40 inches. Alternatively, you can buy a blanket that is designed for swaddling.
To start, spread the blanket out across a flat surface with one of the corners pointed at you. Fold the top corner down, then place your baby on top of it, face up.
Next, place your baby’s left arm to their side while you wrap the right side of the blanket over to the left. Tuck it under their right armpit, then move their right arm down, as well.
Fold the left side of the blanket over to the right, tucking it under the baby’s body. Your baby’s weight will keep it in place while you fold the rest of the swaddle.
Close the swaddle up by folding the bottom of the blanket up to cover your baby’s feet. Tuck the blanket into the other folds and it should stay in place.
Your baby should now be firmly wrapped up, but the swaddle should not be so tight so as to cause overheating and prevent air circulation. The blanket you use should also be fairly lightweight for these same reasons.
When Should You Swaddle Your Baby, and For How Long?
Swaddling is best employed conservatively, as your baby can quickly become fed up if they are tucked in all the time. However, swaddling is perfect for whenever your baby wants to sleep, either for a nap or during the night.
A few minutes before you send your baby off to sleep, you can wrap them up in a swaddle. If you continue this practice consistently enough, your baby might even make an association between the warmth and safety of their swaddle and sleep, which will make putting your baby to bed even easier.
Still, swaddle your baby moderately. If you are out and about, fasten them in their stroller and give them a blanket if necessary, without swaddling them. Though this probably goes without saying, you should not swaddle them during the day when they want to play.
Additionally, consider purchasing a sleep sack for your baby to wear when they go to sleep. Sleep sacks are designed without sleeves, which is far better for your child, and they are usually spacious enough to permit some room for kicking without being able to be shrugged off.
When Should You Stop Swaddling Your Baby Completely?
The timing may vary, as different babies grow and mature at different rates, but in general, you should stop swaddling your baby at around two months of age. Once they can roll over on their own, it can be very dangerous for a baby to roll over onto their stomach without the use of their arms or legs.
Luckily, though, your baby may now be too old for a good old-fashioned swaddle. They will still be able to wear sleep sacks, though, which provide ample legroom and do not restrict the movement of your baby’s arms.
Conclusion
Parenting can be tough without the right knowledge and information about how long to swaddle a baby per day. We hope to have provided you with some of both, and we hope that you will take our recommendations about swaddling to heart.