When you see a picture of a newborn baby in a bassinet they're often all swaddled up, sleeping soundly and warm as toast... but wait, is that a good thing?
As always Iโm here to present facts not tell you what to do. Youโre the expert of how your family functions, not me.
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๐๐๐ฎ ๐ข๐ค๐จ๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ก๐
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โก๏ธ Can suppress or contain a young infantโs startle reflex (moro reflex) which sometimes wakes babies up
โก๏ธ Babies may sleep longer stretches
โก๏ธ Can help calm a baby born physiologically addicted to drugs
โก๏ธ Some babies cry less when swaddled
โก๏ธ Tradition: itโs what we think you should do with lil babes and what we were taught in prenatal class.
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๐๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฉ - and ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ฉ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐๐ก๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ก๐จ
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โก๏ธ The startle reflex may have a protective functionโsome babies require this startle function to keep them alert to the point of reminding them to breathe in the night
โก๏ธ Can cause baby to overheat (increasing risk of SIDS) if baby is already dressed in a fuzzy warm outfit, or if room is hot
โจ Blanket can come loose and obstruct airways
โจ Can cause hip problems if baby is swaddled in a way where hips canโt bend up and out
โจSwaddled newborn infants gain less weight in the first couple weeks vs. those infants that arenโt swaddled!!
โจ New little babies waking frequently in the night can amp up our supplyโmore removal and stimulation at the chest in the first couple weeks can = more hormone receptors in the breast / increased capacity for milk making
โจ babies love their hands and can use them to soothe, and made friends with them in utero
โจ Unsafe to bedshare when infant is swaddled
โจ Some infants can start rolling super early, like 8 weeks. They may need their hands to ensure that their airway isnโt compromised
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For the record, I would come into my room and find my kid swaddled all the time ๐ค because even my partner couldnโt wrap her head around not swaddling a newborn. We compromised on a cozy onesie and sometimes Iโd agree to an arms out, loose yet secure swaddle for supervised naps. ๐คท๐ปโโ๏ธ
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