Ekaterina Rakitina

Dr. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinikum, Germany

Reading time: 6 minutes

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Article last updated: 04/21/2019

Every new parent faces the same dilemma: is it necessary to swaddle the baby at night, or can you do without it? In fact, this method has been used for more than one thousand years, and it’s not so easy to convince people that it is not needed. There will still be conservatives to whom you cannot prove anything. But is there really evidence that swaddling is harmful, or, conversely, that it brings any benefit? It’s worth finding out what Dr. Komarovsky has to say about this.

Myths and misconceptions

Let's first highlight all the known positive arguments of diaper supporters:

  1. You don't throw money away every couple of weeks on new clothes;
  2. The baby moves his limbs freely, without experiencing absolutely any discomfort (with free swaddling);
  3. The child is more accustomed to the feeling of limited space and is not fully prepared for “ big world”, after spending 9 months in a narrow mother’s womb;
  4. If you do not swaddle the baby, then the legs may grow crooked;
  5. The child cannot move his arms in his sleep, so he will not wake himself up.

Disadvantages of tight swaddling

However, all these points turn out to be conjectures; Dr. Komarovsky refuted most of these myths, proving that tight swaddling has a mostly negative effect on the child.

He also systematized its harmful effects point by point:

  1. Constantly being constrained in movements, the baby cannot develop motor skills normally, motor functions are inhibited and in the future the reaction of his limbs will never become excellent;
  2. Dysplasia (dislocation) of the hip joint is provoked;
  3. After spending more than 3-4 hours like this, the child begins to experience overheating and immunity, which is so necessary in the first months of life, decreases;
  4. He becomes more nervous and excitable, sleeps less;
  5. The compression interferes with blood circulation, which also affects the lungs. In the future, a small part of them may atrophy. You are at risk for lung and heart diseases;
  6. Psychologists say that this has a detrimental effect on the baby’s psyche, placing a program of obedience and submission in his head.

The benefits of free swaddling

These are the main points. Although this applies only to tight swaddling, in the case of loose swaddling, on the contrary, Dr. Komarovsky noted a couple of positive factors:

  • A little pressure psychologically reminds the little one of the mother's womb, allowing him to feel at ease. In the first months it can be very difficult for him to get used to an open space full of sounds, colors and smells. The absence of fear allows him to quickly adapt and begin to explore the world. According to Dr. Komarovsky, a similar effect can be achieved only by pressing it tightly to your body;
  • There is a natural development of the sense of touch. If the child’s arms and legs are not restrained by anything, then they will be in a chaotic search and the brain will not have time to cope with the flow of information that will flow into it. However, this function begins to manifest itself no earlier than the third month of life. By fourth, a baby who is coping with development correctly should already be able to find his mouth with his hands.

The importance of touch in the first year of life

We will dwell on the last point in more detail, since it is fundamental.

As deep research shows, it is the skin infant is the conductor of more than 80% of the information they receive about the world around them.

That is why it is so important to facilitate this process. Even the night is no exception; the baby often searches with his hands in his sleep for something to grab onto, thus preventing himself from sleeping if his hands are completely free. In addition, when transitioning from slow sleep to fast sleep, the body shudders, which again can disturb and wake up the baby. During sleep, you need to leave as little clothing as possible under the diaper, and it is better to do without it at all, so that he feels his body.

Thus, Dr. Komarovsky convinced us that not all swaddling is equally useful, but we should not give it up. Nothing better people haven't figured it out yet. However, the question arises: when and how to swaddle a baby so that it is beneficial?

When to start swaddling your baby

Experienced pediatricians advise mothers to devote more time to their children; while he is in your hands, he does not need diapers. If you have the opportunity to spend the night in the same bed with him, take advantage of it, this way the desired effect will be created without another swaddling. In addition, you can sleep with your mother completely without clothes, which contributes to a faster development of the sense of touch. But in any case, the mother and her baby will not be able to hug all day, which means that he will still have to be swaddled.

You need to start swaddling him from the very first moments of his life and do this until the moment when he himself begins to untangle himself from the swaddles. This will signal that the baby is really ready to discover a new, wonderful world. From this moment on, you can stop restricting her movements. This usually occurs by 6-9 months of life.

How to swaddle

Dr. Komarovsky believes that it is imperative to swaddle a child not only at night. During nap this process is no less necessary, but here it is important to recognize the moment when you need to start swaddling “under the arms”. But if the baby starts to wake himself up again, return to the original method. The fact is that birth is the greatest stress in a person’s life. It is associated with great fear and severe pain. Here everything depends on the strength of the nerves and the level of labor. It happens that even before 9 months the baby shudders in his sleep and wakes himself up. This is purely individual and is not a cause for concern. You can also swaddle him during walks to make him calmer.

Last time public opinion The question of whether it is necessary to swaddle a newborn baby at night and during the day is divided in two. Some believe that this is simply necessary for peace of mind and proper development baby. Others assure that this is harmful to the child and can spoil the psyche and slow down its development.

But you only need to focus on one opinion - yours, and you will accept it after learning all the pros and cons of swaddling, and after listening to the opinion of a pediatric specialist.

Just 20-30 years ago, almost all parents swaddled their babies because it was considered right. These children have grown into full-fledged adults that you can see around you. That's why older generation so confidently states that swaddling is necessary.

But recently, a study was conducted that found that without swaddling, children develop faster and adapt to life outside their mother. Such children are more active, more curious and do not have any problems. So swaddling is not necessary. Now it remains to find out what is better - to swaddle a newborn or is it not worth it?

The most important argument for swaddling:

After birth, babies cannot get used to arms and legs for some time, which move chaotically and can frighten the baby. This can startle them during sleep and wake them up, so it is recommended to swaddle your baby while sleeping. This way he will feel familiar, like in the womb, and will calm down and fall asleep faster.

Although it is worth noting that some babies love freedom and cannot fall asleep until they get out of the swaddle. Therefore, first of all, pay attention to your baby’s behavior: is he sleeping normally? Does he feel comfortable in diapers or is he actively trying to get out?

It was previously believed that swaddling helped straighten the legs. But now this misconception has been completely debunked. On the contrary, tight swaddling can cause hip dysplasia, because the legs are in an unnatural position.

There are many arguments against swaddling:

  • In the summer, the house can be very hot or stuffy, and a baby in diapers is more likely to get overheated or get diaper rash. It is better to use a light bodysuit, vests and rompers.
  • Diapers limit the baby's movements, so he develops more slowly and his muscles do not strengthen. When he is wearing clothes, he has the opportunity to actively move his arms and legs, toss and turn and generally be active. This means it will develop faster.
  • You don't have to learn how to swaddle your baby, because not everyone succeeds the first time. And you can deal with clothes pretty quickly.
  • It’s easier to wash and dry clothes than to deal with huge diapers.

You can also read Dr. Komarovsky’s brief conclusion on this issue: why it was customary in Russia to swaddle children and why this is not necessary now.

As you can see, swaddling is much more hassle than it's worth. But you shouldn’t categorically say no to this - many children cannot sleep until they are swaddled.

There are babies who are very restless and cannot calm down until they are wrapped in diapers. Therefore, it is worth taking a closer look at the baby and, if necessary, swaddling a newborn baby at night and during daytime sleep. But not tight swaddling, but loose or wide.

Usually, children stop being afraid of their hands by the age of one month, so at this time you can finish swaddling. If the child still has a problem, you can increase the time to 3 months.

When the baby rolls over onto his back and tummy on his own, then it is better to stop swaddling.

Swaddling rules:

  • Look in stores for comfortable diapers with ribbons or Velcro, with pockets for the legs. The choice is huge, so you can easily choose the right option.
  • Use only natural fabrics: calico, chintz, flannel.
  • Diapers should be clean and ironed on both sides during the baby’s first month.
  • For changing, it is not necessary to use a changing table; a bed, sofa or any other suitable horizontal surface will do.
  • Before swaddling, be sure to wash your baby and treat the skin with baby oil and powder.

Sounds quite complicated, doesn't it? So I recommend that you think again about whether you need to swaddle your newborn baby at night and during the day, or try to teach him to sleep without swaddling.

Is it necessary to swaddle a newborn? Our grandmothers and mothers say it’s definitely necessary, because they simply don’t know any alternative to swaddling. But modern scientific research confirms that swaddling may not be so harmless for a newborn.

First, let's figure it out why do you need swaddling?. The movements of newborns are still very uncoordinated and spontaneous. A child can scare himself with sudden movements of his arms or legs - throwing up. Therefore, it is important that the child constantly feels the surface near his body, ideally his mother. When mom is not around, for example, during sleep, a diaper can replace her.

At the beginning of pregnancy, the fetus is so small that it “floats” in amniotic fluid without touching the walls of the uterus. As the fetus grows, it gradually occupies the entire space of the uterus and is in complete contact with it. But for him this does not mean restriction of freedom, but knowledge of the shape of his body. Therefore, in a diaper, being in the “curl” position, pressing the legs to the chin and crossing the arms on the chest, the baby feels comfortable, just like in the mother’s tummy. In this case, the diaper does not “squeeze” the child, but only “envelops” it without restricting his movements. This is called swaddling "free".

A small bundle stretched out arms and legs at attention. This is how babies were usually swaddled in maternity hospitals in Soviet times. This method is usually called "tight" swaddling Newborns in the maternity hospital were not left with their mother, as is customary now, but were placed in a separate ward, where medical staff looked after them. And tight swaddling was used mainly to quickly change many babies, because disposable diapers were not yet common. In addition, it is much easier to sterilize diapers than baby clothes.

So, Tight swaddling is harmful to the baby. Although supporters of this method claim that such swaddling promotes the normal development of the child, in fact, everything happens exactly the opposite. Grandmothers, persuading a young mother to swaddle her child, like to say: “So that the legs are straight.” But swaddling with rigid fixation of the baby’s legs contradicts their physiological position. For a baby, on the contrary, you need the legs to be slightly turned out.

When swaddling tightly, the baby's breathing becomes difficult and blood circulation slows down. In addition, tight swaddling interferes with the normal development of the baby's sense of touch. Deprived of the opportunity to move his arms or legs, the child gets used to his arms only by six months. With loose swaddling, the baby gets used to his arms gradually and much faster than with tight swaddling.

At the age of two or three weeks, the child himself may express a desire to free himself from the diaper, because he is already interested in looking at the surrounding objects and reaches out to them with his hands. For the mother, this is a signal that the baby can be swaddled so that the arms remain free.

Is it possible to do without swaddling completely? If the child sleeps with his mother, if the mother often hugs him, then there is no special need for a diaper. Besides, modern clothes For newborns, it is much easier for the mother to dress the baby than to properly swaddle him. In any case, tight swaddling should be abandoned altogether, and loose swaddling should be used for no longer than three months. In this case, the baby’s hands can be left free after the first month of life.

Time flies quickly, and your baby is growing by leaps and bounds. It seemed like he was born just yesterday, but three whole months have passed, and he has already grown up, you think that it’s time to teach the baby to fall asleep without diapers. How can this be? How to teach a child to sleep “like an adult”?

All the impressions that a child absorbs while awake accumulate and are involuntarily “reproduced” in a dream. The nervous system of a newborn is not yet fully formed and reflexes are not controlled while he sleeps, and therefore the baby involuntarily moves. A baby's sleep depends on his genetic and individual qualities and character. The more active the baby is, the more often he wakes up due to the fact that he can move freely in his sleep. The child often shudders, moves his arms sharply and therefore wakes himself up.

Calmer babies, accordingly, sleep more soundly, and therefore the need for swaddling such children is much less. It also happens that kids like it and find it more convenient. These babies sleep better than those who are used to sleeping on their sides or backs. They do not wake themselves up with the movement of their arms and legs and do not require swaddling from birth.

Sleep as an important component of a newborn's life

Contrary to the opinion of child psychologists that newborns simply need warmth, affection and the participation of their parents, some mothers believe that it is possible to teach a baby to sleep on his own without holding him in his arms. Let him scream for a couple of nights, and then he’ll get used to falling asleep on his own; there’s no point in getting him used to holding hands.

Unfortunately, it is not so rare to hear from parents: “I will not rock or swaddle him. Let him cry for a couple of nights, then he’ll fall asleep on his own.” Or: “I let him cry - he’ll stop anyway. It’s him who shows character!”

But what can such an attitude lead to? Definitely – to poor sleep and erosion of trust in parents. The child understands only one thing: that he is completely alone, that no one sympathizes with him. Remember: the most likely result of using the “let someone yell” method is a child’s shattered psyche.

A baby who has just stepped into this world needs the protection and love of his parents, and he can only receive this when he is picked up and warmed up.

The information that the baby receives in the first months of life at the time of activity is processed by him in his sleep, and therefore the moment of falling asleep is very important for a child at this age. Impressions received while awake can become a “brake” and affect the process of falling asleep. Mom needs to help the baby fall asleep. Sleep in the first months of life little man is an important component of the psychological and physical development child.

While the baby is resting, he has:

  • is being formed nervous system in general and brain neurons in particular;
  • hormonal growth is activated;
  • the clear and correct functioning of the nervous system is “tuned”;
  • the speech and motor apparatus is formed;
  • there is balanced mental development.

Even adults cannot feel alert and healthy if they do not sleep well. What then can we say about the baby? In order for a child to grow and develop properly, it is necessary to provide him with complete and proper sleep. It is unacceptable to disrupt the baby’s rest and thereby deprive him of normal psychophysiological development.

We also read:

5 ways to teach your baby to fall asleep without swaddling

Now that it is clear what role sleep plays in a baby’s life, it is necessary to answer the question of when and how to teach a baby to sleep without swaddling and is it necessary to rock him to sleep when he is put to sleep? Of course, there are many more ways to teach a baby to “adult” sleep. Everything will depend on the character of the baby and the patience of the mother. Experienced moms advise:

  • You can start with loose swaddling, lightly tightening the baby’s arms so that he can free himself during sleep. Next, do not swaddle him during daytime sleep, and subsequently refuse to swaddle him at night;
  • At night, you can carefully turn the baby around and lay him next to you on your bed, covering the baby with a blanket;
  • You can immediately put your baby with you without wrapping him in diapers. After a while he will get used to sleeping unswaddled.

We also read:

To swaddle or not to swaddle your baby?

Note to moms!


Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...

By three months, the baby has already grown so much that the mother has difficulty wrapping him completely. The activity of the baby does not allow him to fall asleep quickly, so it is simply necessary to begin the process of weaning from diapers. But how to do this? Quickly, cutting off all escape routes and resolving this issue in one fell swoop, or gradually?

There is no clear answer to this question. Everything is decided individually. You need to decide this issue yourself by trying several methods and choosing the one that suits you best. But the main thing in this difficult task is still the mother’s patience. Patience and, of course, love.

Here are 5 basic techniques for weaning your baby from swaddling:

  1. We fall asleep in mom's arms. There is an opinion that a baby should not be taught to fall asleep in his mother’s arms; this will become a “bad habit” and an unnecessary waste of energy for the mother. Nothing of the kind. The mother's hands are protection, and falling asleep on them, the newborn feels safe. But if you are afraid that the child will never be able to become “independent” and fall asleep without your presence, then you can, without waiting for the stage of deep sleep, put him in the crib, but do not go far. And if the child wakes up, then calm him down, letting him know that you are nearby.
  2. I sleep with my mother. Moms get tired too and want to rest . So why not put your baby next to you? Mom’s warmth, her smell, the beating of her heart and mother’s hands will quickly calm the baby, and he will peacefully fall asleep. Later, you can put him in his crib and cover him with a blanket, the same way he was covered when he slept next to his mother. This method will teach him.
  3. Gradually gaining freedom. This method of gradually weaning off the “shackles” of diapers is quite effective and suitable for patient mothers. It is necessary to loosen the swaddling each time, watching the baby sleep. Mom's patience will be rewarded. Soon the baby will get used to sleeping in an unfolded diaper not only during the day, but also at night.
  4. We are tourists. For a child during sleep, the main thing is warmth and comfort. It is quite possible to replace the diaper with a blanket, folding it into an envelope. You can also use a real children's sleeping bag or. It is clear that being in a blanket that is too warm all the time is harmful for the baby, and therefore the mother can unzip the bag and give freedom to the little “tourist”. This method of “unswaddling” has helped more than one mother.
  5. We hold hands. This method of weaning from diapers is also for diligent and patient mothers. Perseverance will help you be close to your baby and hold his hands while he falls asleep. And since the time it takes for all babies to fall asleep is different, mothers should have plenty of patience. You can remove your hands only when you are sure that the baby is fast asleep. But even then you shouldn’t go far from him. After all, he may accidentally wake himself up, and then you will need to calm him down in a quiet whisper and again put your hands on his arms.

Well, every mother chooses for herself how to wean her baby from swaddling and decides for herself what is better and more comfortable for her and her child - fast or slow weaning. Some babies, for example, quickly fall asleep while rocking. But not all mothers are for this method of sleep training. What to do, is motion sickness necessary or can you do without it?

It is believed that by three months cognitive activity The baby grows, the diaper restricts his movements - as a result, development slows down. In fact, we need to again turn to the individual characteristics of the child. If he sleeps much more soundly in a diaper, it means it’s comfortable for him. And this is much better than constantly waking up all night and then being cranky during the day (just because the parents suddenly decided to stop using a diaper).

To rock or not to rock: looking for a compromise

Let's start with the fact that while still pregnant, my mother involuntarily rocked her baby while walking. And therefore, when the baby is already born, he psychologically perceives rocking as a calming rhythm. From ancient times to the present day, traditions have come down to rocking babies in cradles, cradles or carrying them on oneself. Indeed, while walking, the child, being on the mother’s chest or back, feels calm not only because of the warmth emanating from the mother, but also from the rhythmic rocking.

In general, rhythm, as such, plays an important role in the psychological formation of a child. It not only gives the baby confidence and security, but also balances the work of all organs, including the work of the brain. But constant, erratic and intense rocking will not benefit the baby. You should always remember that you are not preparing your child to be an astronaut, and be moderate in your aspirations to put the baby to sleep by any means. Moreover, not all children like to be rocked.

Every mother has her own way of rocking and lulling her baby to sleep. Some carry the baby in their arms, while others carry it in cradles. Older children can be put to sleep by rocking them in special swings. When the child falls asleep, the mother moves him either to the crib or to her bed, or you can transfer him in other ways. After all, not all children immediately fall asleep soundly and therefore they can:

  • Transfer in 2 stages. Put him first in his own bed, and then, after making sure that the baby is sleeping, in the child’s crib;
  • Go to bed half asleep. As soon as the child begins to doze, he can immediately be put to bed. It would be nice if there was a cradle instead of a crib and you could rock it. If not, you can quietly sing a lullaby.
  • Always be nearby. You can put the child on the sofa or in his crib, and just sit next to him, holding the baby’s hand;
  • Help relieve tension. Light strokes on the back will help the little man relax and fall asleep.

True, there are often cases when children who have been put into a crib suddenly wake up and, not seeing their mother nearby, cry. What to do? The main thing is not to ignore this crying, believing that the child will be able to calm down on his own; You shouldn’t traumatize the baby’s psyche and make him think that he was abandoned. Approach the baby and calm him down, let him know that you are nearby. Over time, he will get used to this idea and learn to fall asleep on his own.

If the child is easily excitable or hyperactive, wakes up immediately after motion sickness and cannot fall asleep for a long time, then do not be upset, this will pass with time. The main thing for such children is to be close to them and teach them to remain calm after motion sickness. Your personal example and development of a specific bedtime ritual will help with this. A bedtime story or lullaby will calm and relax your baby, and soft toy on the side will instill in him confidence and a sense of security.

Tip: Introduce a bedtime ritual. Up to 1.5 years this means bathing, feeding, rocking to a lullaby. From 1.5 years - “put down” your favorite toy, swim in a warm bath with herbs, listen to a short good fairy tale or a quiet song, take with you a soft “guardian” toy (without motion sickness). The longest and most consistent ritual should be for excitable children so as not to disturb their sleep.

High excitability of a child can become a problem for the whole family. For example, after some time after rocking in his arms and a seemingly calm transition to sleep, the baby suddenly wakes up, gets on all fours, sits up, or crawls quickly. Such phenomena do not need to be treated; they disappear during natural development. But if the baby has been sleeping restlessly for a long time and this is accompanied by other disturbing phenomena in behavior (not only at night, but also during the day), it is better to consult a specialist.

Well, when weaning a child from swaddling and rocking, you should be patient and understanding. Your baby is still very difficult to perceive any changes, and therefore for him these changes will be one of the first steps in his long life. And it is necessary to help take the first step as tactfully and carefully as possible. Otherwise, you can traumatize the still fragile child’s psyche.

An interesting thing is swaddling, because until recently, all sorts of pieces of fabric, called diapers, were almost the baby’s only wardrobe in the first months of life. And for hundreds, and maybe thousands of years, humanity has not come up with anything better than tightly wrapping a newborn in a piece of textile. Remember yourself (although this is unlikely), ask your mother, look at children's photos - it is unlikely that your parents did not swaddle you; in Soviet times this was a mandatory measure.

Now the situation is better and simpler, fortunately for our contemporaries, and swaddling has honorably faded into the background. Some even consider it a relic of the past and flatly refuse to buy diapers, preferring tiny baby suits. But is swaddling a newborn baby today just a tribute to tradition that does not carry any meaning? But what about our predecessors, did they really swaddle their children out of despair, did no one think of sewing pants and a blouse? No, it's not that simple and let's find out why.

Baby in a cocoon - everyone is happy!

Honestly, such a ritual as swaddling has deep meaning. If we think logically, it is not difficult to guess that for many years children have been wrapped in cloth to retain heat, ensure immobility and ease of manipulation, for example, when feeding.

Newborn babies are still imperfect and are, one might say, in an intermediate state between the warm mother’s tummy and the big open world; they are still adapting, and their body is “tuning” to a new stage. Accordingly, the vastness of the world in which the little one found himself is somewhat frightening, because it was much cozier and more comfortable in the warm, albeit cramped, mother’s tummy. The thermoregulation of a newborn baby can also “fail,” so by wrapping the baby in a diaper, the mother not only creates some “intimacy” for him, simulating the womb, but also helps the body retain heat.

Swaddling in some way solves the problem with involuntary movements of the baby’s limbs due to physiological muscle hypertonicity. This condition usually goes away by 8-10 weeks of life and sudden uncontrolled swings of the arms and legs are gradually replaced by measured movements. So, it often happens that a young mother loses all peace and gets exhausted, remaining exhausted in the morning due to bad sleep her children. And the child slept poorly because his little naughty hands twitched and frightened him. The experience of our mothers and grandmothers clearly proves that babies sleep better in a diaper, without distracting themselves with their own uncontrolled twitching.

Well, it is much easier for inexperienced young parents to handle the fruit of their love if it is carefully wrapped in a diaper, without waving its legs and arms. You can put a solid point by saying that swaddling is simple, cheap and cheerful. A piece of chintz or flannel costs an order of magnitude cheaper than clothes for newborns, it is easier to take off/put on and there are no problems with washing.

Swaddling at night

It is unlikely that anyone swaddles their baby all the time, completely abandoning these delightful clothes. This tendency only persists in the maternity hospital, when there may be no other options, and the medical staff will be able to deal with a horde of children faster if they look like little caterpillars. By the way, in modern maternity hospitals, the use of clothes brought by a young mother for the baby is not at all prohibited. A woman can either swaddle her baby “the old fashioned way” or dress him up in clothes that are more comfortable for both him and her. If desired, nurses teach first-time women the skill of skillful swaddling, so much so that no Google can teach you better.

But this is a small digression. Most of all, mothers are interested in whether it is necessary to swaddle their baby at night, because, as already mentioned, children sleep better at night in a swaddle. But not everything and not always. Indeed, most modern parents prefer not to use swaddling constantly, giving the baby complete freedom of movement during the day, and swaddling him only at night for the common good. It would seem that everyone here immediately feels good: new parents get more or less sleep, just like the little one.

But here you need to look at the situation, focus on the baby. It happens that some children do not really like the restriction of movements from birth and amazingly free themselves from the calico shackles, fiddling with their hands. In this case, swaddling is unlikely to be advisable. Selecting the most best option, you can try, in addition to the classic diaper, modern “cocoons” with Velcro and zippers.

Some people will like a sleeping bag, while others will feel comfortable in the so-called sleepsuits with closed legs and sometimes even mitten handles. As a last resort, the baby can be placed on his tummy to sleep. There is nothing wrong with this, unless you put 10 soft feather beds in your child’s bed, as in that fairy tale. Lying on his stomach, the child will not suffocate if he sleeps on a hard, flat surface without pillows, and will not scratch or disturb himself with his handle. And colic, they say, is less of a concern.

But in most cases, night swaddling makes life much easier for parents, giving a restful and sometimes even very long sleep, and giving the newborn comfort, peace and emotional stability. By the way, many newborn babies stop crying and calm down if they are swaddled and held close. It's true useful advice from life.

But if a young mother is still waiting for discharge from the postpartum department with a happy envelope in her hands, she may doubt the need for night swaddling in the maternity hospital. It happens that neighbors in the ward dress up their babies in pretty suits, carelessly pushing the official diapers to the far corner. And the children seem to sleep normally. Or maybe you don’t need to wrap it in a diaper, like in Soviet times... I’ll say one thing: whether it’s necessary to swaddle a child at night in the maternity hospital is a rather rhetorical question. As a last resort, if you doubt the advisability of this procedure, consult with your medical staff.

Harmful diapers

Surely you have heard that swaddling is harmful and even traumatic physically and psychologically. Unfortunately, such rumors are not unfounded. Improper swaddling can really harm the baby, namely:

  • interferes with blood circulation;
  • makes breathing difficult;
  • completely paralyzes movement, making it impossible to move;
  • may cause dislocation;
  • leads to diaper rash;
  • possibility of overheating;
  • leads to stress and deprives the opportunity to explore the world.

But it is worth correcting that the above phenomena are true for the so-called tight swaddling, widely used in Soviet times. Remember those photographs or news clippings where the little ones, like little soldiers, lay lined up with their legs and arms tightly wrapped in fabric? What was left for them? Just cry. Previously it was considered effective prevention rickets and a happy path to slender model legs. As it turned out, all this is nonsense, and modern neonatologists and pediatricians unanimously recognize tight swaddling as inappropriate and traumatic. From a personal example: I know of one case 50 years ago, when one Soviet woman regularly swaddled her child up to 9 months! Absurd, but it used to seem like the norm.

And the modern range of clothing and accessories for babies allows you to purchase an excellent alternative to diapers. Just look at the diapers, which make mom’s life so much easier, eliminating the need for endless washing. Why then all these endless and ever-drying pieces of rags? For many parents, with such a wide selection of products for newborns, the question of “whether or not to swaddle a newborn” disappears by itself.

How can this be?

And yet, what to do in such a situation? If swaddling saves so much in some moments, but is so harmful, is it possible to find a successful alternative? Secretly, the light did not converge on one tight method of swaddling with a wedge. Nowadays, including in modern maternity hospitals, variations of the so-called free swaddling are practiced. At first, the baby is swaddled entirely, leaving only the head uncovered, so that the arms are pressed tightly to the body and the legs flounder freely in a small fabric bag.

A slightly older baby will feel comfortable with free arms, while the legs are swaddled in a similar way, forming a pouch. This method does not cause deformation of the limbs or any discomfort in the baby and is used modern parents along with regular children's clothes.

Be that as it may, whether or not to swaddle a newborn baby is your decision and that’s all. Or more precisely, your baby. If he feels calm and comfortable in a diaper, then why not. If he vehemently resists, then why ruin the lives of both. But if you still decide to do it “the old fashioned way,” then you shouldn’t get carried away; swaddling only makes sense until 2-3 months of the baby’s life.