A sleeping baby is the cutest and calmest sight for any parent. But sometimes, putting a child to sleep can be a big challenge. Parents try every trick in the book to calm the baby, soothe them when they are in pain, and help them sleep peacefully. One of the oldest tricks in the book is to use swaddles. Wrapping the baby in good quality swaddles and giving the comfort that matches warm hugs and cuddles is a blessing for them. This article will discuss how you can select the best swaddles and what things to keep in mind while choosing swaddles for your baby! Let us start by understanding what swaddles are.
What Are Swaddles & Swaddling
An age-old, traditional practice of wrapping a newborn baby in a comfortable cloth that is breathable and made of superior quality material is called swaddling. In the olden days, grandmothers used to keep old cotton or mulmul sarees aside whenever the daughter and daughter-in-law would be expecting a baby and cut squares out of the saree to make swaddles for the baby. Swaddling keeps the baby calm and helps them sleep better, thus is a very popular practice even today. But today, readymade swaddles are available in the market instead of using an old saree. There are different ways in which you can swaddle your baby. The most popular method is where the baby’s whole body, except the head, from shoulder to feet, is wrapped like a burrito, and the baby peacefully sleeps in it!
Why Use Swaddles For Newborn Baby
There are multiple benefits of swaddling a baby. Here are a few listed to understand why one should use swaddles for a newborn baby.
- Babies are born with a startle reflex. Sometimes, they get startled in their sleep without any external stimuli, their sleep gets interrupted, and they start crying. It is known that swaddling protects babies against this natural reflex and helps them sleep better.
- Until babies are inside a mother’s womb, they are in a warm cosy environment. Swaddling helps replicate that comfortable environment and thus makes them feel the same sense of security they had inside their mother’s womb.
- Newborns and infants feel secure with the sense of touch. A snug swaddle feels like a light hug, or someone has placed a hand on you. This helps babies self-soothe.
- Swaddling is also known to help babies who suffer from colic pains. The baby feels calmer and sleeps better through the pain while swaddled.
- Babies tend to scratch themselves with their sharp nails. Swaddling protects them from their nails and getting scratched.
- It is advised that babies sleep on their back. Swaddling helps to keep the baby on their back while they are sleeping.
- Swaddles are unisex products and thus can be used by all kids equally. This also makes it an excellent product to take from older kids in the family and pass it down to the next baby. This makes it an even more sustainable choice.
- Research shows that swaddling also reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
How To Select The Best Swaddles
Just like we do our proper research before buying anything for the baby, even swaddles must be researched well. But, of course, you want everything best for your baby, so why settle for any regular cloth as a swaddle? Here are things you would need to consider before you decide which swaddles to buy for your baby:
- Material – The swaddle material is the most important thing you need to consider while deciding which ones to buy. You will get various materials, from cheaper quality to premium ones, from natural fabrics to synthetic ones. You must remember that any cloth touching your baby’s skin must be soft, breathable and preferably made of natural fibre. Cotton and Mulmul are the most common and preferred materials for swaddles. With every wash, cotton and Mulmul gets softer, and it is safest to touch a baby’s delicate skin. Fabrics like polyester or synthetic can cause overheating, chafing, and rashes on the baby’s skin.
- Size – If the swaddles are small and your baby is tall, it will not solve the purpose of swaddling. Go for a generously sized swaddles brand like SuperBottoms that can easily be used until six months of age.
- Design & Prints – Comfort is the most important parameter when choosing a swaddle. But design and prints also are essential. The baby looks so cute, wrapped up like a little ball of fur in a swaddle. Traditional and pretty, and adorable patterns add to that charm. For example, SuperBottoms swaddles come in various print choices that resemble the traditional cotton saree prints from which our grandmothers used to make swaddles! Imagine the adorable pictures you can capture while your baby is wrapped with love in the swaddle.
- Use – Swaddles with zipper, snaps or drawstrings, or triangular cannot be used as anything apart from a swaddle. A versatile square swaddle can be used as a burp cloth, a light blanket, stroller cover, bath towel, crib sheet or even summer cover while sleeping. Keep the versatility of the swaddle in mind while choosing which one to buy.
- Ease Of Washing – Some fabrics are easier to spot-clean, wash and dry than others. Fabrics are cotton, and Mulmul can be cleaned quickly and dry faster. Thus keep the ease of washing in mind before choosing the swaddles.
To wrap the baby, what method of swaddling to go for entirely depends on you and your baby. Sometimes your baby might not be comfortable being swaddled with their hands inside. In such a case, you might want to wrap from chest to feet. Also, swaddling is not safe once the baby starts to roll over. Keeping these small safety tips in mind would make the swaddling experience safe and happy for you and your baby. So, keep the five parameters in mind, and shop for your favourite swaddles! Happy swaddling, happy parenting!
