The Easiest Way to Swaddle a Baby
Let's be honest, swaddling is about as complicated as advanced origami, unless you buy the no-fail Velcro version. But don't let those DIY blankets intimidate you.All you need is a thin, cotton or muslin blanket — not a thick, bulky one — and some patience.
"Swaddling helps reduce crying and increases the length of time babies sleep," Harvey Karp, MD, a pediatrician and creator of "The Happiest Baby on the Block" series, tells Yahoo Parenting. "The key to swaddling is keeping the baby’s arms down and wrapping the blanket snug around them. You also want the swaddle to be loose enough around the hips so they can flex.” And this is important: While you should always place babies to sleep on their backs, it's especially important to do so when they're swaddled — if the infant rolls over, his arms won't be free to re-position himself which could lead to suffocation.
"Swaddling is a technique, like learning to tie your shoelaces," says Karp. "Once you get the hang of it, it's very easy." Here's how to swaddle correctly.
