Techniques for free swaddling for babies: step-by-step instructions in pictures. The benefits of free swaddling. Tight swaddling baby

28.07.2019

Having a baby adds joy to life and increases the number of questions. One of them is swaddling a baby. There are many things in the children's wardrobe that allow you to do without diapers. But swaddling serves more than just the function of clothing.

Do I need to swaddle my baby?

A dozen years ago, newborns were necessarily swaddled. Rompers were worn when the children began to crawl. The modern mother decides for herself whether or not to use swaddling. This method has positive and negative sides, which must be taken into account and rely on your own experience.

The advantages include the similarity of sensations for the baby. Being in the womb of the mother, the child felt some tightness, always in contact with the surface of the walls of the uterus. After the birth of the baby, it is the sensations of contact that will soothe. He likes to be in his arms, in the crib you need to put pillows over the baby to calm him down. Here, when swaddling, the skin of a newborn gets a sensation of contact.

Also, in diapers, children are protected from their own awkward movements, because they still do not know how to control themselves. In diapers, the skin breathes freely and there is no risk of a rash. Swaddling is good for developing the sense of touch, which encourages the development of other sensory experiences.

Of the "minuses" of swaddling, you can note:

the monotony of the baby's posture, it is not very natural for him to be always elongated;
squeezing the body (with tight swaddling);
violation of heat transfer, which leads to overheating;
lag in the development of the child (noted with prolonged swaddling, over 3 months).

But you should not categorically refuse to swaddle. After all, this method in ancient times was applied even to a woman who gave birth. Special postpartum swaddling helped the young mother to recover faster after childbirth and avoid many complications. This procedure was performed by midwives using massage and warming up. As a result, the woman who gave birth was pulled together with wide canvases of matter in eight zones of the body.

This postpartum swaddling recovery has been gaining popularity in recent years. So wrapping the body in cloth (newborns or their mothers) has deeper goals. Moreover, there are several types of baby swaddling.

Varieties of swaddling

The option is selected in accordance with the goals and age of the baby. Swaddling can be:

Classic. The child is wrapped in a diaper up to the neck, the head is open, the hands are tightly pressed to the body.
Full tight swaddling. The baby's head and whole body are wrapped in cloth. This wrapping option prevents you from moving and turning your head. It is more often used for newborn babies. The legs can be straight or slightly bent. Well suited for hyperactive kids.
Wide swaddling. In this case, the lower limbs are fixed in the extended position. This method is often used in violation of muscle tone or dysplasia of the hip joints.
Free. The diapers form a kind of "nest" that covers the baby, but does not restrict his movements. The child has the ability to turn.
Swaddling the bottom. This is a kind of free swaddling. The upper part of the body is dressed in a vest, the legs are wrapped in a diaper. For the baby, freedom of movement is not limited. This option is not very suitable for swaddling at night, as the child may take too long to calm down and fall asleep. Also, in a dream, he can suddenly move the handle and wake up from this.
Australian swaddling. It looks like free, the baby's arms remain free, but wrapped in a diaper and are near the head. At the same time, babies can sleep on their backs, on their sides, suck their fist.

You can choose the swaddling option in the first days by observing the behavior of the newborn. Free swaddling is often used. A young mother can learn the swaddling technique even before giving birth. Wrapping a newborn in cloth can be much faster than putting on a vest and romper.

The benefits of free swaddling

It is this variant of the arrangement of the diaper that allows the child to take a more comfortable position during sleep. During the waking period, the baby can move, for example, sweetly stretch or move his legs. The diaper does not tighten the baby's body, but also does not allow him to open up. The child will be comfortable on the side and on the tummy.

Tactile sensations are very important for the development of the baby, namely, he receives them, in contact with soft tissue. Depending on the ambient temperature, you can swaddle the baby in one or two diapers, but the free circulation of air inside will not allow the greenhouse effect to be created. Arguments that tightly wrapping the child will form the correct posture and straight legs are not true. A newborn's body will develop better if it is able to move freely.

Free swaddling is of several types:

with closed handles;
two hands are free;
she has a free hand;

How to choose diapers

For free swaddling of a small child, nappies of different sizes can be used.

Diaper size, application possibilities:

70 x 70, 80 x 95 - suitable for small children, as diapers or as napkins;
95 x 100, 100 x 100 - the most convenient sizes for free swaddling;
110 x 110, 125 x 125 - suitable for a large child and for a toddler who is already several months old;
120 x 70, 135 x 95 - such rectangular diapers can be used to wrap a baby with his head or use only for legs;
Velcro nappies or a special envelope for a newborn are very practical to use. They come in sizes 54 x 62 x 70. The photograph clearly demonstrates the convenience of the product. It is good to use such envelopes for a walk or when visiting a pediatrician.

Free swaddling technique

It may not be possible to swaddle the child neatly the first time, especially since children rarely lie quietly. But having mastered the techniques, you will get better every time.

Loose swaddling with closed hands

Swaddling a newborn in pictures step by step will give a complete picture of this method.

It is necessary to put the baby on the center of the diaper in such a way that he lies in the middle, and the top edge of the cloth is at the level of his neck. We put the baby's left hand on the tummy, hold it slightly and cover it with the corner of the diaper on this side. Moreover, the edge of the canvas should close the neck, the handle, you can also thread it between the legs. The upper edge must be pulled, but not too much, so that the wrapped hand could move for the baby, but he could not pull it out. The corner of the diaper is placed under the child's bottom.

On the other hand, they do the same. We already put our right hand on the tummy, hold it and fix it with a cloth. The sequence of the hands is irrelevant, you can start with the right hand, as it will be convenient for the swaddler.

Then the lower corners are straightened, lifted up, closing the baby's legs, as shown in the figure. The legs should also have free space, do not tighten them too tightly. The kid can bend the legs or place them. Next, tuck the bottom corners under the legs and secure them in the folds of the diaper. If you need to carry out free swaddling of a newborn with one straightened hand, then the fabric is not placed on it, but under it.

Swaddling with two hands free

This method is especially popular with children, because it gives a certain freedom of movement. Adults are very happy with the fact that the baby is doing his own hands, not being capricious.

The technique of free swaddling with straightened arms is quite simple. Often it is the hands that are difficult to wrap in the cloth, because the baby moves them. With this swaddling, your hands will not interfere. It is necessary to put on a baby's undershirt, put it in the middle of the diaper so that its upper edge passes under his arms.

Take the edge of the diaper on either side, wrap it around the tummy, tuck it under the back. Also do it on the other hand, making sure that the canvas does not squeeze the baby's tummy too much. Then straighten the legs, twist the fabric under them once. This is done so that the child's legs have a place to straighten.

Then you need to straighten the lower part of the canvas, it looks like a rectangle. It must be lifted up in order to cover the baby's legs with another layer. Wrap the ends of the triangle back and secure in the folds. Do not wrap your legs tightly, children love to move them, which is very useful for development.

Australian way

Unfold the diaper and tuck it about 20 cm on top.
We put the baby so that the shoulders are at the level of the upper edge. Slip the left handle under the fold of the fabric.
We transfer this edge of the diaper to the right side of the baby, tuck it under the back. At the same time, the left handle rests on the tummy, it should have enough space and not be pulled together.
We put the child's right handle under the fold of the fabric.
We wrap the canvas from the side of the right hand under the baby's left barrel. In this case, it is necessary to control the tension of the fabric, the handles should not be squeezed.
We straighten the bottom edge of the diaper and tuck it under the child's legs.

Diaper time

Newborn babies are often swaddled with their head and arms. Already from the third week of age, the baby will want to pull out his hand or start fiddling under the diaper. It will be possible to begin to release him first one hand, then two at once. When the baby is unable to turn on the other side, then the parents should do this, so the child will sleep longer.

Free swaddling of a small child can be used during sleep, to go out for a walk. Also, when carrying out some medical or hygienic procedures, it will be safer to swaddle the baby, for example, when instilling medicine or when cleaning the nose. But during the day, you can give your child the opportunity to move around in a shirt and sliders, besides, this way he will sleep better and develop faster.

Babies get used to their body, arms and legs by 6 months, but flinch in a dream, they can be afraid of this even up to 7 - 8 months. This is an excuse to wrap them in swaddling clothes, because fear is much more difficult to treat. But at this age, it is necessary to wrap up children only during sleep. When the baby wants to roll over, let alone crawl, the swaddling will disappear by itself. We must carefully observe the baby, take into account his needs, so it will be calmer for him and his family.

A little conclusion

It is not wise to discard the experience of previous generations, no matter how strange it may seem. It is necessary to process information and extract positive qualities. It is no coincidence that free swaddling of a baby is gaining popularity all over the world. Young parents can be taught that this way of wrapping up a child is violence against a person, that the child will grow up passive. But the parental love that the baby feels under the layer of any clothes will be a support and support for him for his whole life.

There are many conflicting opinions about the need to swaddle newborn babies. In modern maternity hospitals, neonatologists and pediatricians increasingly recommend that parents teach children to do without diapers from the first days of life, and strict grandparents, on the contrary, insist on obligatory diaper changing. In any case, the question of whether it is necessary to swaddle a newborn child should be decided exclusively by his parents, taking into account the individual characteristics of a small family member.

Two basic techniques for swaddling small babies

Full swaddling. This type of swaddling is also called swaddling with handles. With him, the baby is completely swaddled, only the head remains free.
Incomplete or loose swaddling. In this case, only the legs of the newborn are wrapped, and the handles remain free.

The changing process is carried out before each feeding on a special changing table. If there is no such house, then you can use a regular table or parent's bed. The main thing is that the surface is flat and moderately hard.

Both the baby's clothes and the diapers used must be clean and ironed on both sides. Since baby's skin is extremely sensitive, undershirts and romper pants in the first months of a baby's life should be exclusively made of cotton. Thin baby nappies can be made of chintz or calico, and warm ones are made of flannel or bikes.

Before we move on to the direct description of the methods of swaddling, let's see how to carry out this process without causing discomfort to the baby.

The most common swaddling mistakes

Swaddling too tight or too loose. In the first case, circulatory disorders and muscle underdevelopment of the child are possible. In the second, the baby will simply turn around quickly and will have to be re-swaddled.

Many people think that with the help of swaddling, you can straighten your baby's legs. Alas, this is not the case. The shape of the legs (as well as of the whole human body) is genetically inherent and changing the flaws cannot be corrected. But, when the child grows up, physical education will help strengthen the muscular system and eliminate some figure flaws.

Putting on several undershirts and sliders before swaddling to keep the baby warmer. Such a "set" of things will only contribute to the overheating of the child, and.

Thus, young parents should decide on their own when and why to swaddle a newborn baby in order to create comfortable living conditions for him, conducive to the active growth and proper development of the little person.

And now we directly suggest that you familiarize yourself with several methods of swaddling, and the photos will clearly demonstrate this process.

Full swaddling

Full swaddling significantly limits the baby's physical activity. It is recommended to use it in the first months of a child's life, when involuntary movements of the arms and legs prevail, and the baby cannot coordinate their work. Very often, the chaotic movement of the handles does not give a crumb. This type of swaddling can be done in two ways.

Method I:

1) Before swaddling a newborn, a light diaper is placed on top of a warm one.

2) The baby is dressed and put on a diaper.

3) The child is placed on prepared diapers.

4) The left edge of the diapers is wrapped around the baby, passing it under the right handle, and tucked behind the back.

5) Then the child is wrapped with the right edge of the diaper.

6) The lower edge of the diapers is straightened and raised to the level of children's elbows.

7) The baby is wrapped with a raised diaper edge and fixed.

ІІ method.

The essence of this method of swaddling is to form a kind of kerchief for the baby from the diaper.

1) Before swaddling, the upper thin diaper is applied to the warm one, not strictly along the edge, but a little higher.

2) The baby is placed on the prepared diapers in such a way that the upper edge of the light diaper is above the level of the baby's head.

3) A kerchief is formed from a light diaper by twisting it on both sides at the level of the child's temple.

4) Envelop the baby with the left edge of a light diaper, passing it under the right handle, and tuck it behind the back.

5) Then the baby is wrapped with the right edge of the diaper.

6) After that, the newborn is wrapped alternately with the left and right edges of a warm diaper.

7) The lower edge of the warm diaper is straightened, lifted and fixed in the same way as in the first method.

Free swaddling

If a baby with fixed handles feels uncomfortable, then in such a situation it is worth trying to swaddle him in a free way, leaving the handles open.

1) Before swaddling a baby, you should prepare a thin and warm diaper, lay them one on one. In this case, the flannel should be on the bottom, and the calico on top.

2) The baby is dressed in a undershirt with closed sleeves, a diaper is put on and placed on prepared diapers.

3) The left edge of the diapers, starting from the armpit, envelop the baby's breast, and tuck it behind the back under the right handle.

4) Then, the right edge of the diapers is wrapped around the baby from the right armpit and is wound behind the back under the left handle.

5) Straighten the bottom edge of the diapers, raise it, wrap the baby at the waist level and fix it in the usual way.

How to make a cloth diaper?

Nowadays, almost all young mothers use diapers of the "diaper" type, but not many people know that a baby diaper can be made with your own hands from cotton or gauze, just like our mothers and grandmothers did. Of course, with this method, we cannot avoid wet diapers, but we will avoid diaper rash, which often occurs after diapers.

Do-it-yourself fabric diaper making technique:

1) Fold the diaper or gauze with a "kerchief".

2) Put the baby on the prepared diaper so that the top of the “kerchief” (right angle) is between the legs, and its longest side is at the waist level.

3) The right angle of the diaper is lifted up, covering the crotch of the newborn.

4) With sharp edges, alternately on the left and right, wrap the tummy at the waist level and fix it.

And more articles on the topic:

Comments (13) -

At first I tried to swaddle, but after unsuccessful attempts, I spat on the whole thing. The only thing, only covered the hands of the child for sleep. I am against swaddling, especially since now there are wonderful and comfortable clothes for babies - little men. But each mother decides for herself what to do with the child.

I haven’t mastered the art of swaddling, but I’m forgiven. Although I tried it and worked a little. Swaddling, it seems to me, is possible at a very early age, and then it is more convenient for everyone, especially dads, with ordinary undershirts and sliders that everyone can handle.

Our ancestors swaddled children because there were no other options for clothes for newborns. Diapers - cheap and cheerful, and, most importantly, universal, to which they tried to reduce everything in the USSR.
Forced swaddling in the hospital gave me nothing but discomfort and inconvenience. The baby was just born, so much new, unknown, a lot of things to learn - the head is spinning ... and then uncomfortable, incomprehensible diapers - to tears -cover-get wet.

in Israel it is strictly forbidden to swaddle, there are a lot of children in our family (and I recently gave birth), but no one swaddled, I believe that this constrains the baby's movements and this is superfluous! Indeed - in the USSR it was a problem to find clothes for a child and there were no disposable diapers, now diapers are not relevant!

I swaddled my eldest son, but not for long. In the hospital I tried to swaddle like a soldier, and already in the house there was a free swaddling. The youngest daughter did not swaddle at all.

I swaddled the baby only for the first month of his life, because, moving his arms and legs, he could not sleep for a long time.
Then, when the time of wakefulness increased, there was no need to put the coming sleep in this way: after ringing rattles, the little man fell asleep sweetly himself.

And I always swaddled my baby, fell asleep faster and slept more calmly. And I did it as in the first method. Yes, and dad picked up his son more boldly when he did not wave his arms and legs).

Nobody uses the second method of swaddling with the head. Some mothers use wide swaddling, and more often do without it.

I have two children. Both were swaddled in due time, otherwise they slept restlessly and constantly woke up. And the naughty hands, which now and then woke up the kids, are to blame for everything. At first I used full swaddling (the first method), and when I grew up a little, I simply fixed the handles with a diaper, and left the legs free. But over time, my little ones learned to release their hands during sleep, and so gradually we completely calmly weaned ourselves from the diapers. Therefore, I see no harm from swaddling.

Thank you very much for the forgotten science.
no matter how many little people there are at hand, and sometimes, yes, there will be a need to swaddle the baby. but there is no one to ask.

And I now live in the states and swaddling, oddly enough, is encouraged here. At first I also thought that since my little one is protesting like that, it means that I don’t like it and don’t need it. But he simply refused the breast, if his hands were free, and he beat himself, scratching himself, and simply tore my chest apart. Already a very restless kid: at 2 weeks he could jump from his back to his stomach and turn over. So I'm swaddling tight for now, we'll see further.

In the maternity hospital, they swaddled in full. But at home it turned out that we really need our hands. We groaned, snot, did not sleep and all tried to take them out. After that, they began to use free swaddling. We put the handles under the chin or lift up and it is very convenient for us)))

And who knows what sizes do-it-yourself diapers are?

For young mothers, the issue of swaddling is very important. How to properly wrap a baby in diapers so that he does not turn around and freeze at night? How many diapers do you need for all occasions? Do I need to swaddle at all if there are sliders and bodysuits with diapers? Many modern mothers consider diapers a relic of the past, since in stores you can buy luxurious clothes for a baby, and instead of gauze diapers, put on a diaper. However, most women consider swaddling to be the best clothing for a baby, completely abandoning diapers and bodysuits in the first months of life. Consider the question: how to swaddle a baby?

Swaddling is recommended in the first month of life, while the baby is getting used to the new world. Our great-grandmothers always used "swirls" to fix the arms of the newborn so that there was no fear. When a baby throws up his arms, he may be intimidated by his movements.

In his mother’s tummy, his arms and legs were pressed to his chest, and this position brought convenience and comfort. Pressed arms / legs for babies are a symbol of safety and protection. Therefore, it is very important to help the baby get used to the new conditions of existence and swaddle him at least for the first month.

Mom will intuitively feel when to give up diapers: the baby will let you know about it.

From about the second month of life, the baby can already release both hands: he is no longer afraid of them. From three months, the little one begins to turn on the barrel and is actively interested in the surrounding objects. In this age period, you can refuse to swaddle altogether.

rules

How to swaddle a newborn correctly? There are several techniques for this, the algorithm of which may differ:

Tight.
Free.
Wide.
Into the blanket.

There should be a separate place for swaddling a baby. If the space of the room allows, a special table with a bedside table and drawers is placed to wrap the baby in diapers. If this is not possible, the baby is swaddled on a flat surface.

It is also important that the mother has everything at hand for swaddling:

clean diapers;
disposable / reusable diapers;
sliders and undershirts;
wet wipes for wiping body parts;
baby cream / oil / powder.

In winter, the temperature in the room is not always warm, so the heater must be turned on when changing diapers. Also, minimize the time for unfolding / wrapping the baby in diapers so as not to chill the baby.

If you do not have the necessary items in stock, you will have to leave the unfolded baby alone. First, it can be overcooled. Secondly, he can accidentally fall to the floor. Therefore, you should always check that you have the necessary items before changing.

Tight swaddling technique

How to swaddle a newborn correctly? Consider the technique of swaddling a baby tightly. In fact, the algorithm of actions is very simple:

lay the unfolded diaper on the surface;
place the baby in a clean diaper in the center of the canvas so that the head is outside the diaper;
press the right handle of the crumbs to the tummy and bend the right edge of the diaper obliquely, wrapping it under the back;
then on the left side, copy the same steps;
Fold the lower free end of the diaper up and tuck it into the formed "pocket".

The diagram can be seen in the pictures:

How to swaddle a newborn baby in winter? To do this, swaddle him with two or three diapers. For warmth, flip-flops and knitted fabric cuts are used. The swaddling scheme looks like this:

wrap the baby in a cotton swaddle;
we wrap the baby in a flannel (flannel) diaper over a cotton one.

There is another tight swaddling technique, when the diaper is placed on the table in a diamond shape:

Important! To prevent the folded edges of the diaper from crushing the baby's sides, they should be gently straightened.

Free swaddling technique

In the summer, you can use free-style swaddling methods so that the baby is not hot. How to swaddle a baby freely? This technique can be done in two ways:

With open handles.
With hidden handles.

Free swaddling with free handles is not difficult to perform:

put the crumb on a diaper, the upper edge of which is under the handles;
wrap one free end of the diaper to the right and fold it behind the back;
wrap the second free end on the left and bend it behind the back;
fold the remaining end at the legs with a pocket and fix.

Free Swaddling with Fixed Handles:

put the crumb on the fabric so that the upper edge is under the neck;
wrap the left edge of the diaper behind the baby's back, but do not fix the handle along the body;
fold the right edge of the diaper behind the back;
Lift the lower free edge of the material up to the baby's chest and fix it from the sides.

Wide swaddling technique

Wide swaddling methods are used to prevent the baby's hip deformities. In this case, the legs of the baby take a natural position: the knees are slightly bent, the legs are apart. In this position, dislocations and subluxations of the joints are impossible. The handles can be left loose or wrapped in a second diaper.

For this technique, three diapers are applied at once. One piece of fabric is placed between the legs to fix their wide position. The second cut is used to fix the first (swaddling with a scarf). And the third diaper is on top.

Blanket

How to swaddle a baby in a warm blanket? In winter, babies are wrapped right in a warm blanket for walking along the street. Consider the following methods:

usual swaddling;
with a "head".

The procedure for swaddling "with the head":

Lay the blanket at an angle.
Place the baby in the center of the blanket.
Fold the left edge of the blanket over the back of the crumbs.
On top of the left edge, you need to make a fold: one edge of it is under the chin of the baby, and the other is near the navel.
Lift the bottom corner of the duvet and fold it under the fold.
Fold the right corner of the blanket over the back of the crumbs and secure the resulting envelope with a bow.

In spring / autumn, you can wrap your baby in an open-headed blanket (with a cap on). The technique looks like this:

We place the blanket on the table, as in the first case.
We make a fold on the outside.
We position the child so that the head is above the fold.
We wrap the left edge of the blanket under the back.
We wrap the legs in a blanket.
We wrap the right edge and fix it with a bow.

This envelope is good because at any time you can straighten the fold and cover the child's head with a blanket.

The baby should be swaddled in diapers ironed on both sides.
The temperature in the baby's room should not be lower than 20-22C.
For the prevention of congenital dislocation of the hip, it is better to use wide swaddling.
It is impossible to straighten the curvature of the legs using tight swaddling.
To prevent the diaper from becoming stiff after washing, spray it with water when ironing.

What not to do:

Swaddling tightly in the heat is unacceptable: the baby may overheat.
In the heat, you cannot wrap a baby in a diaper if he is wearing a vest.
With diarrhea and indigestion, you should not wrap your baby in diapers if he is lying on his tummy.

For sleeping, you can use a self-sewn envelope with straps: the legs and back will always be warm, and the handles are free.

How to get rid of stretch marks after childbirth?

When the baby was born, many inexperienced parents are worried about many questions, first of all - how to care for, and how to swaddle a baby in a diaper? After all, this is undoubtedly important for the health and well-being of the baby.

Ways to swaddle a newborn in a diaper

The methods of swaddling a baby are quite varied and convenient. There are a lot of varieties of swaddling, thanks to generations of grandmothers who knew firsthand how to swaddle a baby in a swaddle. Knowledge has been collected over the years, now it has been improved and made public.

Varieties of swaddling:

Therapeutic.
Free, no handles.
Tight - a soldier.
Wide therapeutic, as well as swaddling only the legs.
In a blanket with a head.
Swaddling without a head.
Swaddling pens only.

The list does not end there, you can practice several types at the same time. Now any mother can easily find a suitable swaddling option and learn how to wrap her baby without any particular difficulties.

Swaddling a newborn action algorithm

The algorithm for swaddling a newborn baby is very simple, but, like any other field of activity, it has nuances from a theoretical point of view:

the diaper needs only washed and ironed. There can be 2 diapers in the process of changing at the same time, and for each type of changing the product folds in different ways;
you should definitely wear a diaper or diaper at the discretion of the mother;
you can wear sliders, bodysuits or undershirts. The main condition for their use: production of high quality cotton;
before wrapping in a diaper or blanket, it is important to wash the genitals well under running or just warm water. It is allowed to use baby wipes;
after washing, it is necessary to treat the folds with powder, ointments, oils.

Mom's procedure before swaddling:

unfold, remove the old diaper;
wash the child well - all the folds and organs of the reproductive system. Wash off old hygiene products;
wipe dry or blot with a towel;
treat folds and genitals with creams, ointments for diaper rash, powder (1 care product of your choice);
put on a diaper or diaper;
spread the washed, ironed diaper.

special instructions

Washing and thoroughly wiping the genitals is a mandatory procedure before swaddling. With an unhealed umbilical cord wound, the front part of the diaper should be folded back so as not to press.
Swaddle only in ironed and washed diapers. Repeated swaddling in dirty or washed clothes will irritate the skin.
Pay attention to room temperature. After that, wrap the baby in a warm or thin diaper. It is better to use cotton diaper material.
Swaddling tight in extremely rare cases. Pay attention in time to the folds of the fabric under the back, in the sides and immediately get rid of them.

The baby should be swaddled so that the legs and arms are in a natural position. Do not bend them forcibly. The benevolent voice and smile of a loved one will help to calm the baby during the swaddling procedure.

How to swaddle a newborn in a maternity hospital?

On the last days of pregnancy, expectant mothers are worried about the question:

Are children being swaddled in the hospital now?

In the maternity hospital, they not only swaddle, but also teach such a simple matter. For some it is difficult, someone has no idea how to swaddle a baby in a diaper. After giving birth, the body of a woman in labor gets very tired and it is more difficult for an inexperienced mother to invent swaddling.

In the maternity hospital, they practice tight and free swaddling.

Tight swaddling

At first, a dense, and a thin diaper is spread on the table. A baby in a diaper should be placed in the center. The head should be above the diaper. Hands should not be aligned, but swaddled in the most natural position.

Nowadays, some young parents refuse to swaddle simply because they do not know how to swaddle a newborn baby. Others refer to the point of view of some Western doctors, who believe that there is no need for this procedure. According to this opinion, a baby develops faster when she is wearing only diapers and rompers. He has a better developed tactile function of the fingers, in addition, a freely moving baby perceives the world around him more harmoniously, and swaddling is almost associated with a restriction of the child's freedom. A parallel is drawn between swaddling and incarceration. Such conclusions are controversial, because babies have been swaddled since ancient times, and at the same time, very outstanding personalities have grown out of many in the future.

Research shows that swaddling can help babies feel more comfortable

Several reasons for swaddling

Most pediatricians and psychologists are of the opinion that it is necessary to swaddle a baby, at least in the initial period of life. And there are many reasons for this.

Firstly, the baby falls asleep faster and sleeps longer, which is important in case of increased excitability of the baby. Chaotic movements of arms and legs are a manifestation of the fall reflex, can lead to anxiety in the newborn and often cause crying. Indeed, during the period of intrauterine existence, he rests his limbs on the walls of the uterus, and now he is deprived of this usual method of protection.
Secondly, it is difficult for a newborn to adapt to the changed living conditions after a long stay in the mother's tummy, where it was warm and comfortable. After birth, he finds himself in a new, unfamiliar world. Swaddling allows you to create a comfortable feeling, helps your baby to get through this difficult period easier.
Thirdly, the thermoregulation of the newborn is insufficiently formed, and the diapers will not let him freeze. On the other hand, it is also not worth wrapping the baby too much, so as not to cause overheating of the body.
Fourthly, the swaddling process is accompanied by light touches of mother's hands, and this is an additional way to show the child your love and tenderness.

Ways to swaddle a baby

There are several known ways to swaddle a baby.

Tight swaddling was widely used in the old days. The arms and legs of the baby are tightly pressed to the body and straightened "in a column". Swaddling tightly limits the baby's movement.
- when the diaper fixes only the legs of the newborn, and the arms and shoulders remain free.
is a way to prevent hip dysplasia - a disease that has recently been often found in newborns. It is used for medical reasons.

The classic method of swaddling a baby involves a fairly tight fixation of both the upper and lower extremities

Baby swaddling technique

Have you just brought a baby from a maternity hospital and do not know how to swaddle a baby? Young parents often do not have this skill. But there is nothing difficult in this, after several attempts to swaddle the baby, any of the parents is capable.

The classic way

Spread a large flannel diaper on a flat surface, on top place a thin chintz and pre-prepared or washed cotton cloth. A baby is placed on this structure, who is preliminarily dressed in a vest. To help parents understand how to properly swaddle a baby, pediatricians have identified several steps in this process.

The left edge of the diaper is wrapped over the baby's shoulders, pulled tight. The left handle is placed on the tummy, the corner of the canvas is wrapped under the right thigh. Make sure the fabric does not wrinkle or wrinkle.
The child's right hand is placed obliquely on the tummy, the right corner of the diaper is placed on top of it, and it is folded under the bottom.
Straighten the bottom of the film (it looks like the tail of a fish). Cover with the free lower part of the baby's leg up to the level of the armpits.
Bend one corner behind the back, straighten the formed folds, then bring the second corner forward and securely fix it.

With this method of swaddling, the arms of the newborn are pressed against the body, and the legs can move without any obstacles.

There is an express swaddling method, when the baby's legs are placed in a pre-sewn envelope, and the handles are fixed with Velcro. The express method allows inexperienced parents to swaddle the baby without any problems, even the child's dad can handle this procedure. The disadvantage is the high cost of such a diaper, however, craftswomen can sew such a product on their own. Express diapers securely fix the baby's arms, while not restricting the freedom of movement of the legs.

Free swaddling leaves the baby with a certain freedom of movement

With this method, the arms of the baby remain free, and the lower body is wrapped in a diaper. To prevent the baby from scratching his face, it is better to put on a shirt with sewn-on sleeves. How to swaddle a baby in this way? All you need to do is follow simple instructions.

Below the baby's armpits, wrap the left side of the diaper, straighten all the irregularities.
Do the same with the right side of the diaper.
The free bottom edge is raised to the level of the armpits and the left and right corners are tucked behind the upper part of the diaper.

Wide swaddling is usually prescribed by an orthopedist to prevent hip dysplasia

Many doctors agree that this type of swaddling is most beneficial in the first months of a baby's life. Its purpose is to prevent hip dysplasia. Podiatrists especially recommend this method for congenital hip dislocation.

The baby is swaddled in such a way that his legs cannot close.

The baby swaddling technique is similar to the loose swaddling technique. The difference lies in the fact that a diaper folded several times is additionally placed between the baby's legs on top of the diaper. This should create a strip of fabric about 20 cm wide.

The baby is wrapped in the right and left side of the upper diaper, its lower end is wrapped below the armpits, and the lateral ends are fixed behind the baby's back. With this method of changing the handles remain free.

Today in the pharmacy you can buy Frejka's feather beds (or pillows) - orthopedic products used for the correct position of the baby's hip joints.

As the baby grows up, it becomes calmer, adapts to the outside world, and no longer needs swaddling.

How many times a day to swaddle your baby?

This procedure should be carried out frequently, up to 18-20 times a day. That is how many times a newborn baby urinates in diapers, in addition, 3-4 times a day he has stools. Thus, swaddling becomes an element of childcare. In addition, this method helps not to spend money on expensive diapers, which disrupt the flow of air to the skin.

Up to what age should a baby be swaddled? This issue is decided by the parents on their own. If the baby is calm, you can refuse this procedure 1-1.5 months after birth. Other babies should be swaddled for up to 4 months.