How to Swaddle a Baby

Swaddle Up Tight For Fewer Restless Nights

For mums and dads all across Australia, most are quite familiar with over-tired baby moments. You finally get your little one calm and cosy on the sofa, but a car horn honks outside, the cat jumps up on the other side of the cushion, or you need to move, and the next thing you know – baby is awake and crying once again. This can lead to overtired babies and overtired mums, but a great swaddle might be the solution you’ve been searching for!

Swaddling helps infants to trigger their “calming reflex”, which is a feeling of calm they’re used to experiencing in the womb. This stops an upset or over-tired baby from flailing, and helps them to relax and prepare for restful sleep. Not only does this calming reflex help babies to fall asleep, but it helps to put them into the deep state of relaxation needed to get better quality sleep and sleep for longer periods of time.

When it comes to swaddling materials, premium bamboo fabrics are really the perfect option. Bamboo swaddles are highly breathable, and they’re temperature regulating, so baby is able to fall asleep without mum worrying if they’ll grow too hot or too cold as they sleep. Bamboo fabric swaddles can be used in all seasons as they breathe during the warmer months, and remain cosy and soft during those cooler months.

A quality swaddle can be done in a few simple steps:

1. First lay the bamboo swaddle wrap or blanket on a flat surface in a diamond shape. Fold this top corner down around 6 inches, and lay baby face up on the blanket with their head resting above the folded edge.

2. Take baby’s left arm and straighten it out, then take the left side of the swaddle and wrap it over that left arm bringing it across the chest, to be tucked snugly underneath the right arm and back. The left arm should be covered, while the right arm remains free.

3. Taking the bottom corner of the swaddle, fold up and over baby’s body to be tucked under the first fold just under the chin. Straighten baby’s right arm, and pull the right side of the swaddle over the body to be tucked under the left side. To secure the swaddle, lightly twist the bottom of the fabric and tuck underneath baby. The swaddle should be snuggly and cosy, but never too tight.