It is no secret that babies are born with a natural reflex that causes them to spend most of their time sleeping. A good night’s rest helps ensure healthy development and promotes your baby’s overall sense of well-being. With this in mind, it is important to make sure they are properly swaddled when sleeping at night or napping during the day.
However, there are some mistakes many parents make when trying to do so, which can lead to frustration for everyone involved! We will cover 7 common mistakes parents should avoid when swaddling a baby. Let’s get to the points.
Swaddling Too Tightly
The proper way to swaddle a baby is with their arms positioned at their sides and not over the chest. As explained in this article, this process allows the baby to move around while staying snuggly wrapped up! However, many parents get too excited about getting this done that they end up wrapping their babies far too tight, which can be uncomfortable for your child and cause other issues as well.
The best thing to do is remember that you should be able to feel your baby’s fingers and toes at all times while they are wrapped up! If their hands or feet start turning purple from lack of blood circulation, it is time to loosen the swaddle slightly.
Wrapping the Blanket Around your Baby’s Legs and Feet
Another common issue is when parents swaddle their babies by wrapping the blanket around their legs and feet. This can disrupt sleep patterns because it restricts blood flow, which makes for a restless night or nap, resulting in them waking up more often than usual.
The best way to avoid this mistake is to use a special type of swaddling cloth made to be used with babies. These blankets are specifically designed for this purpose and have velcro straps or other design elements to create a snug fit without going overboard.
Using a Loose Blanket Instead of a Swaddle Blanket
There is a big difference between using a loose blanket to swaddle your baby and buying specialized swaddling blankets. The first option allows for the issue we mentioned above with wrapping them too tightly. In contrast, the second method gives parents control over how snugly their child is wrapped up without coming undone or easily loosened accidentally during sleep.
To avoid this, you can try swaddling your baby while they are wearing a onesie. This keeps their legs and feet covered, which prevents them from kicking the blanket off during sleep.
Making Sure that the Fabric is not Touching your Baby’s Face
Another mistake we will mention is when parents try to swaddle a baby by using regular fabric that they are not familiar with. Regular blankets and clothes can sometimes contain harsh chemicals that irritate babies’ skin, especially those who have sensitive skin or suffer from allergies.
Avoid this entirely by making sure you only use 100% cotton for swaddling your child and by checking the label to ensure there will be no issue. You should also avoid any scratchy or rough fabrics, as this can make for a very uncomfortable experience.
Using an Old, Worn-out Swaddle Blanket or Towel
Swaddling your baby with an old, worn-out towel or swaddling blanket can be a huge mistake. When you use materials that are not in good condition, they could easily fail on you and leave your child exposed to the cold, leading to serious issues such as SIDS.
This is why it’s always important to make sure you are buying new swaddling blankets and not using old ones that could be falling apart or have been washed too many times. Wrapping your baby like this can make them feel suffocated, which is obviously a huge issue and something you need to avoid!
Covering your Baby with Clothes Before Swaddling Them
We’re sure you’ve heard this many times before, but it’s essential to make sure your baby is completely naked and free of any extra clothes or blankets when they are swaddled. If their body heat escapes through the layers that enclose them during sleep, they will not have enough warmth for a long time and could wake up due to the cold.
To avoid this from happening, make sure your baby is completely naked before you begin swaddling them and that you only use a thin blanket for covering their body while they are wrapped up tight in cloth!
Using Too Many Blankets
It may seem like a good idea to pile up many blankets on your baby when they are swaddled, but this is not the case. This can cause your child’s body temperature to rise and fall sharply during sleep, disrupting their patterns and making them restless.
The best way you can avoid making this mistake with an infant is by using a thin blanket to cover them and then placing another one on top of the first. You can also avoid this by using just two swaddling blankets instead of three or more, whatever works best for you!
So, if you want to swaddle your baby safely and securely, avoid these common mistakes. Of course, every child is different, so there may be other considerations specific to your little one. If in doubt about how best to wrap up their wee bundle of joy, it’s always better safe than sorry!
