Swaddling your baby: a sleep expert answers common questions
A swaddle helps your baby feel safe and secure once earthside. However, if baby’s legs are wrapped too tightly, it can cause hip issues down the track.
On our latest TMB TV series, sponsored by Tommee Tippee the Original Grobag, Carmel Morabito from Calm Babies answered common questions about baby and toddler sleep. As a qualified mothercraft nurse with over 20 years of experience, Carmel had some great advice for all parents struggling with their children’s sleep habits.
Watch Carmel below:
Why is wrapping your newborn important?
Newborns are actually born with a startle reflex, also known as the moro reflex. Although this reflex is entirely normal, it causes their arms to lift and stretch, which is enough to wake them up.
“If they’re not wrapped, it actually scares them and wakes them up,” says Carmel. “So by wrapping them, you’re mimicking a cuddle.”
When wrapping your baby, Carmel says, “It’s always good to use a breathable material because you don’t want to overheat your newborn.”
Additionally, your baby’s face should never be covered; the wrap must be firm but still allow your baby’s chest to rise, and the wrap shouldn’t be too tight around your baby’s hips and legs. Watch a video of how to swaddle your baby here.
What are the signs your baby is ready to be transitioned out of a swaddle?
Carmel says babies can start to transition from a swaddle once that startle reflex begins to settle (usually around three months), or once they start rolling.
“When they’re not as jerky anymore, you can start to transition,” says Carmel. “It’s really important that once they start rolling back to front that they have their arms out. They need their arms out to be able to push themselves up if they’re on their tummy.”
Tommee Tippees’ Grobag Snuggle allows you to choose whether your child sleeps arms in or arms out, making it perfect for transitioning your baby from sleeping in a newborn swaddle to a sleep bag.
Read Tommee Tippee reviews.
What is ‘healthy hip accreditation’?
Carmel says hip dysplasia is quite common for babies these days. One thing that parents can do to decrease the risk of their baby having developmental dysplasia is to make sure they are swaddling their baby correctly – and by looking for products that are hip-healthy.
Healthy Hips Australia says: “Don’t wrap legs tight and straight down / pressed together. At this stage in life, the hip joint can be loosened in the straight-legged position.”
Parents should also avoid sleep sacks and pouches that tighten around the thigh.
To help make buying a swaddle or sleep bag easier, parents can look out for brands, like Tommee Tippee the Original Grobag Easy Swaddle, that are accredited as hip-healthy.
What are the steps to ensure a baby is in a safe sleep position?
When putting your baby to sleep, Carmel says to place them on their back at the end of the cot, “so their feet touch the bottom, making sure the blankets just come up to their chest.”
That way, “they’re not going to slip under the blanket, and the blanket won’t go over their face.”
Avoid cot bumpers, pillows, doonas, soft toys, and sheepskin or lamb’s wool. And make sure the mattress is firm fitting, and there aren’t any gaps between the mattress edge and the cot.
You can also read our article on how to set up a safe sleep space for your newborn.
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