If someone was to ask me for a mom tip or trick, the #1 thing I would say to them would be to SWADDLE YOUR BABY! I seriously can’t say enough good things about swaddling. I credit it with Cooper’s great sleeping habits – habits that didn’t start until I started swaddling him regularly.
If you’re a regular reader, you know that I was a walking zombie for the first 10 weeks of Cooper’s life. He woke every 2-3 hours during the night for the first 2.5 months of his life. He would nap during the day, but only in short bursts. In desperation, I asked friends for advice, and they directed me to The Happiest Baby on the Block. In my opinion, this is required reading/viewing for new moms and dads. Here’s a secret though: rent the DVD and skip the book. The DVD is 30 minutes long and covers everything in the book – and Netflix has it!
In The Happiest Baby on the Block, Dr. Karp talks about the 5 S’s: side/stomach position, shushing sounds, swinging, sucking, and swaddling. Used together, these methods will supposedly calm your baby. While I had results with all the S’s, nothing worked as well as swaddling. Cooper would calm immediately once swaddled. He went from taking 20 minutes naps to taking 2 hour naps. When I swaddle him and put him in the crib, he’s out within 10 minutes with no crying. We’re still using swaddling, and Cooper is 4 months old. I plan on using it until he gives me cues he’s ready to give it up.
Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe
Swaddle Designs
We’ve tried a lot of different swaddling blankets. We used Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe for awhile, but I prefer blankets. When he was itty bitty, I liked thermal receiving blankets, but he soon outgrew those. We also tried Swaddle Designs blankets, and I liked those, but they weren’t my favorite blankets.
I love, love, love the aden + anais swaddle blankets. LOVE. They are made of muslin and are very lightweight, which make them perfect for summer months and warmer climates. They also have a lot of give, unlike some blankets which are very stiff. They’re huge as well – 47’ X 47’, which make them perfect for larger babies. They are a little expensive ($40+ for four blankets) but I use them for everything: blanket, swaddle, burp cloth, cover, etc.
*I wasn’t paid or given free stuff to promote any of these products – I just like to recommend products I love and that work for me to others.
Dr. Karp goes into detail about how to swaddle your child in The Happiest Baby on the Block book/DVD. Also, Swaddle Designs and aden + anais give you detailed instructions in their packaging. However, I have my own method that works for me that I am going to share with you. The hospital showed me to swaddle this way, and I’ve just kept using it.
Step 1: Start off with a halfway naked baby on a blanket.
I swear he has clothes.
Step 2: Bring one side of the blanket up over the baby’s shoulder, holding his arm down. Tuck under his side. Bring the reminder of the right side of the blanket over.
Realize how impossible it is to swaddle and stop to take pictures. Wonder why you tried to do this, as it is not working out the way you intended.
Step 3: Bring the left side of the blanket up over the baby’s shoulder. Tuck behind his right side, holding his arm down.
Realize you have man hands and need to vacuum your carpet.
Step 4: Bring up the middle of the blanket. Tuck the right side underneath the baby’s body, bringing it back up around to his stomach.
Seriously, man hands.
Step 5: Tuck the left side underneath the baby’s body, and bring up the reminder of the blanket to his right shoulder to make a tail. Tuck the tail into the blanket.
Step 6: Enjoy your baby burrito!
I hope that made sense. It is very difficult to swaddle a wriggling baby, stopping to take pictures. Swaddling must be done quickly and with precision, or your little Houdini will bust up out of that swaddle in second.
Got questions? Leave a comment or email me and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
***The winner of the Judy Bag Company giveaway is Michelle from Wifey in Training! Michelle, please email me.***
20 comments:
I love swaddling, but unfortunately, my kiddos were big from the start and would wriggle out of it by 3-4 weeks! Glad Mr. C is still enjoying it!!
~Becca
Swaddling was a lifesaver for me! Until Jackson learned how to get out of it of course.
OMG Andrea this was a lifesaver for us too when Evan was a baby!! and oh yeah, the five S's!!
Good post! One of our local boutiques is selling those blankets... i haven't checked them out yet though. I might have to try swaddling Miss T to help her sleep better.
Oh, and Cooper looks so cute in these pictures!
Swaddling is the best thing EVER! Jackson is 5 months old and is still swaddled. At this rate he'll be packing his Summer Infant Swaddler in his college duffel bag :) I credit swaddling for Jackson's 8pm-9am sleeping schedule!
That baby is just so sweet Andrea!! Wish I lived closer so I could get a little snuggle! I love babies!!!
I think Jarrett outgrew all of his swaddling blankets & then started kicking his way out. He sleeps well unswaddled now, but it really helped us in the first weeks after he was born!
He is so precious!
I wish I would have tried swaddling when Haakon was little. Maybe it would have solved some issues... Pretty sure he would not appreciate being introduced to it now at 9 months ;-) Guess we'll just keep looking for a sleep solution. Getting up 3-4 times a night is getting OLD!
I LOVED swaddling Ethan! He only liked it the first couple of weeks, though. =(
Im totally gonna be a swaddler!
That is a great idea and all new mom's should know about it!
Stopping by from SITS!
I'm so excited!!! Thank you so very much! I'll email you right away! Thanks!!
While I would find being swaddled as an adult to be very confining, it's interesting to know that it's so comforting for a baby.
I know where to go when I need advice after I get preggers! Cooper looks so cute all swaddled up like that. I love what you said after step 6 ;)
We had to watch the happiest baby on the block before we left the hospital with Ansley. I am so thankful we did. It truely was a life saver.
He's such a cute little nugget :)
I wish someone had taped the first few times the hubs and I tried to do that. HA!
The baby I nanny for loved to be swaddled too. It really does work wonders. We stopped though because he is starting to roll over and likes to sleep on his side. Once that starts to happen swaddling isn't safe anymore :(
Yes! Swaddling is the best, I have swaddled all of my boys. I didn't stop swaddling our youngest until 6 1/2 months - he loved it and slept best that way. We heart the Miracle Blanket - even a young Houdini could not escape it;)
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