For most parents, having children is not only a great joy, but also the fear of doing something wrong, not understanding in time what the child needs, causing him discomfort. Even such a seemingly simple thing as swaddling drives some into a stupor.
The wrapped child should be as comfortable as possible
The first swaddling usually takes place in the hospital. There, nurses or midwives can help, who are faced with this several times a day; upon arrival home, this responsibility falls on mom and dad. Blankets and rugs come in different shapes, so swaddling a baby in a square or rectangular blanket will have some characteristic differences. Below are some tips on how to swaddle your newborn in a variety of blankets and blankets at different times of the year.
Rules for swaddling a newborn in a blanket
There is a lot of controversy about how to swaddle a newborn in a blanket, and whether it is worth it at all. Most pediatricians agree that it is still worth wrapping a child in a blanket or sheet. The point is not only in the excellent heat exchange processes in adults and newborns, but also in the fact that, having recently been born, a small person finds himself in an unfamiliar environment for him. To make the surroundings as comfortable as possible, so that the baby quickly adapts to new living conditions, it is recommended to swaddle him. Also, swaddling will slightly restrain the chaotic movements of the newborn with his hands and feet, respectively, they will not wake him up or frighten him.
In order for the swaddling not to harm the child and not cause great trouble to the parents, certain rules must be followed in this procedure:
- A blanket, blanket, diaper or any other material that is intended for contact with the baby must be washed and ironed thoroughly. This will help to avoid unwanted irritation on the delicate skin of the baby.
- The material must be natural, free of synthetic fibers.
- There should be no seams on the blanket.
- You should not keep your baby in a blanket all the time, even if he is not crying. He needs air baths as his skin needs to breathe.
- It is not recommended to swaddle the baby very tightly, as this not only will not calm him down, but may have the opposite effect.
How to swaddle your baby in a blanket for a walk
Swaddling a baby is recommended for a better sleep. Most often, when going for a walk, the baby falls asleep under the measured rocking of the stroller. But you can't swaddle him for sleeping, so young parents carry out this procedure at home before going out. Regardless of the time of year, the child needs some space limitation, and a blanket or light sheet will provide it. So how to wrap a newborn in a blanket for a walk?
Summer
Even if it's hot outside, swaddling of a newborn takes place, since the processes of heat transfer and sweating in babies are imperfect. For swaddling a baby in the hot season, it is recommended to choose a light blanket or sheet.
Note! For children under the age of 2 months, denser materials are used even in summer, due to the very thin subcutaneous fat.
For a summer walk, it is recommended to swaddle your baby in one of two ways:
- Wide swaddling method;
- Free swaddling method.
Wide swaddling is used to wrap only the baby's legs, while they remain in a natural position.
Wide swaddling method
Important! This swaddling method is often used to prevent hip dysplasia.
The legs of the newborn remain free, the skin breathes, and the diaper does not restrict movement. With free swaddling, the baby's lower limbs are limited in motion, and the arms remain in a natural position. In order to prevent overheating of the baby, it is recommended to swaddle without clothes.
In winter
Swaddling a child for a walk in winter differs from summer swaddling in that, in addition to a blanket or a blanket, the child must wear warm, comfortable clothes. Nowadays, in children's stores you can buy special envelopes for walking in the cold season. They are usually on snakes or buttons, with fur on the inside, without seams on the inside lining.
For winter walks, a closed swaddling method is suitable. Its main principle is layering. For closed swaddling, you must have several undershirts, 2 hats, sliders, several cotton swaddling clothes, one flannel blanket. The kid is dressed in undershirts, one of which is with a back wrap, the second - with a wrap forward, then a hat is put on, which is fixed under the chin with ties. The first diaper is not fixed, the second - it is recommended to swaddle a little tighter than the first. The fixation of the second film should be on the side, so as not to bring discomfort to the child during the walk. For the last layer, a blanket is used, which is also fixed on the side.
How to swaddle a baby in a blanket with an open head
When the baby has grown up a little and is actively exploring the world, turning his head, a swaddling method involving an open head is suitable for him. In order to swaddle it in this way, you must follow the algorithm of actions:
- The blanket is laid out on a flat surface, a corner lapel is made diagonally.
- The child is placed on the blanket so that his neck is on the lapel.
- The baby hides with the left corner of the blanket, the corner itself is tucked under the back.
- The bottom edge of the blanket covers the child's legs.
- The right corner of the blanket is folded last.
- The blanket may not be fixed if it makes the child uncomfortable, or he will soon fall asleep.
Swaddling with an open head
Note! With such a swaddling, the body is slightly above the level of the head, therefore it is recommended to put a diaper folded several times or a special orthopedic pillow under the head.
How to swaddle a baby in a blanket with a closed head
To swaddle a baby in a blanket with a closed head, the same procedure is used as in the previous method. Only, unlike swaddling with an open head, the upper edge of the blanket does not bend, and the baby is laid on the blanket so that the upper edge is enough to cover the face. This method is suitable for newborns. It prevents dust from entering, protects against annoying flies and mosquitoes, prevents sunlight from entering the eyes, etc.
Swaddling in a rectangular blanket
For swaddling, not only square-shaped blankets are produced, but also rectangular. In order for the child to feel comfortable in a cocoon made of a rectangular diaper, he must be laid on it so that the shoulder line is above the middle of the blanket:
- Cover the baby's body with the left edge of the blanket so that the top goes to the chin line. The edge folds inward under the back.
- Cover the baby with the right edge according to the same principle as with the left.
- Align the lower ends, bend them under the child's legs and fix the corners on the side using a knot of special fasteners or use a soft belt.
Swaddling in a rectangular blanket
Swaddling a baby in an envelope for discharge
To swaddle a newborn for discharge from the hospital, the mother should remember that the baby needs to be wrapped so that, taking it in her hands, the baby's spine and neck are comfortably located in the mother's arms. As a rule, the baby's face is covered with the upper corner of the blanket, not only in order to avoid prying eyes, but also so that the sun's rays or insects do not interfere with the baby.
In order to understand how to wrap a newborn in an envelope for such a solemn event as discharge from the hospital, it is recommended to use the help of a nurse, she will tell you what and how to do so that the envelope does not open.
On discharge, the blanket in which the child is wrapped is fixed with a soft tape. First, the ribbon is laid out on the changing table, the diaper and blanket are on top. The blanket must be positioned correctly so that the baby has corners in the head and legs:
- The top corner of the envelope is folded over to create an impromptu pillow or bolster that should be placed under the cervical spine.
- The baby's left handle is pressed against the torso and wrapped around the appropriate corner of the blanket. The angle is fixed under the child's back, it does not cover the right handle.
- The bottom corner of the blanket rolls up and goes over the baby's shoulder. In this case, it is important to pay attention to the fact that the legs of the newborn are straightened.
- Next, the child is covered with the free edge of the blanket and tied with a ribbon.
How to wrap a baby in a blanket without a belt
You can wrap your baby in a blanket without a belt in any of the above ways. The belt is most often used only when leaving the hospital. For walks, it is quite possible to do without it.
A child in a blanket without a belt
Tips & Tricks
In order to know how to wrap a baby in a blanket, young mothers should follow the advice and recommendations of experienced nurses while still in the hospital. Here are some of them:
- It is easiest to wrap your baby in a square-shaped blanket.
- The blanket must be of the correct size.
- Before swaddling, you should make sure that the baby has a dry diaper, that he is full, and that nothing disturbs him.
- Do not use the tight swaddling method if the newborn's navel has not yet healed.
- The comfort of the baby depends on the quality of the fabric.
- Care should be taken not to crease the blanket during the swaddling process.
- It is not recommended to swaddle a child with a soldier so that he has straight legs. The swaddling should keep the natural position of the arms and legs.
There are a lot of ways to swaddle a baby. Mom herself chooses the right one for her and the baby. All methods of swaddling are reduced to one principle: to ensure maximum comfort for the newborn in a new environment for him.
