Why should you swaddle your baby? And our favorite swaddle for babies!

What is swaddling?

If you have a newborn or are expecting a newborn, you’ve probably heard people talking about swaddles and might be wondering what swaddling is and why you should swaddle a baby. Swaddling, or tightly wrapping your baby is a great way to help them make the transition from the womb to the world! Swaddling has been used for hundreds of years (it’s even mentioned in the Bible!) but benefits of swaddling have come back into prominence within the past 20 years as we’ve learned that laying your baby on their back to sleep is the safest place for them to be. If you’re expecting a baby right now (in 2022), chances are that your parents have told you “we never did that when you were a baby.” Just like lots of things your parents did or didn’t do, we’d encourage you to look at swaddling with a fresh perspective because, as baby sleep experts, we think swaddling makes a big difference in your newborn’s sleep!

Why should you swaddle a baby?

Swaddling suppresses the startle, or Moro, reflex that newborns have. When you lay a newborn down flat on their back their arms and legs will fling up into the air and it often wakes them up too. Laying your baby on their back to sleep is important for safety and a swaddle helps make that easier. Keeping their arms wrapped snuggly by their side stops the startle reflex and allows you to lay them safely on their back to sleep.

Another benefit of swaddling is that it mimics the snug feel that your baby had in the womb. In there it was dark, warm, and cozy. Your baby wasn’t able to move around as freely as they can in the world and all that freedom can be a little overwhelming. While an adult might not like sleeping with their arms down, it does feel comfortable to your baby!

How do you swaddle a baby?

There are lots of ways to swaddle a baby but it is most important to make sure there are no loose blankets in the crib that can get over your baby’s face! It’s also important that you keep your swaddle tight. You should just be able to insert two fingers into the top of the swaddle between the blanket and your baby’s chest. You want it snug! Otherwise your baby can wriggle out of that swaddle like a baby Houdini. The great news is, there are some amazing swaddles out there that make all of this easy for you!

A baby sleep coach’s favorite swaddle

I’ve used many swaddles and think there are some things that make one better than another. First you want velcro. This makes fastening the swaddle and getting that tight fit easy. Second, you want a material with some stretch but not too much. Too stretchy and they can get out easily. Not enough stretch and it’s hard to get a good fit. Third, you want it to work for transitioning out of the swaddle. Once your baby is rolling, it’s time to ditch the swaddle as it isn’t safe for your baby to not have their arms free. But, the transition takes a little work.

The swaddle our team of baby sleep consultants thinks is the best one out there is The Ollie Swaddle. The design is incredible, the material regulates their temperature, and it’s great for transitioning.

What makes The Ollie Swaddle Different?

The Ollie swaddle was designed to be different. The large velcro sections make it very easy to get a snug fit which can be tricky if there are too many pieces to wrap around! We recommend dressing your infant in footed pajamas and wrapping them up in the Ollie. Remember that they don’t have any blankets or covers, think of the swaddle like their blanket. The material that the Ollie Swaddle is made of is moisture wicking and helps regulate their temperature so they won’t get too hot!

I’ve personally used the Ollie Swaddle with transitioning my babies out of the swaddle and it made such a difference. Because of the material (I always describe it like your favorite leggings) you are able to get a snug fit even with one or both arms out of the swaddle. Once your baby is comfortable with one arm out, you can switch to both arms out, keeping the swaddle snug around their chest, until you’re ready to drop it completely.

Looking for more help preparing for your newborn’s arrival? Check out our Virtual New Baby Bootcamp! It’s an incredible, all virtual, sleep school for newborns. We focus on sleep shaping strategies to make life easier as you welcome your new little one into your family.

At Sleep Baby Sleep Consulting we also specialize in custom 1-on-1 consultations with babies 12 weeks and older to teach them incredible independent sleep habits! If you’re looking for a baby sleep coach to help you build good sleep habits for your baby, we’d love to be there for you! Send us an email today to learn how we can get started!