Why Should I Swaddle My Baby?
There are so many reasons to swaddle a baby, but let me share my top three:
Top 3 Reasons to Swaddle a Baby
Swaddling helps baby feel safe and secure. Your baby was snuggled up in your womb for 9 months and all of a sudden feels totally exposed in wide open spaces! I imagine it’s like skinny dipping in a hot tub and then jumping out into the snow. It’s a shock to their little bodies and bundling them up brings that feeling of warmth and security they had in your belly.
Swaddling helps baby stay asleep while the startle reflex is strong. The startle reflex, or “falling reflex” is when baby’s arms and legs flail as if they are having a dream about falling. If they aren’t swaddled, this can cause frequent wakings. This reflex goes away between 4-6 months.
Swaddling is a sleep trigger — meaning it signals to baby that it’s time to sleep. The second I start to wrap my babies up, they know it’s time to relax and go to sleep.
If you have never heard of swaddling or are unsure how to swaddle a baby, check out this video or my “Swaddle” highlight on Instagram for a step-by-step video on how I swaddle my babies.
And if your baby has started rolling, read this post if you are looking to transition your baby out of a swaddle and into a sleep sack!