Swaddling 101
>> Friday, July 29, 2011
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I remember so clearly my mom teaching me how to swaddle my baby dolls when I was little. Turns out swaddling real babies isn't always as easy, but, all that practice when I was little definitely paid off!!
Swaddling has turned out to be extra useful with my newest little one. She is just over 7 months old and I still swaddle her. She was the move-iest baby in the womb (Remember how she was still going from breach position to head down position up until a week before her birth?) And now she is the move-iest baby out of the womb. Her legs move around like they have a mind of their own, and unless I swaddle her, she has a hard time with feedings and with relaxing to go to sleep.
Why swaddle:
-Research shows that babies that are swaddled sleep for longer stretches of time.
-Research also shows that babies that are swaddled correctly are less likely to be affected by SIDS.
-When our babies were in the womb, they were feeling warm, tight, and secure. When they are born, they still crave that feeling, and swaddling is a great way for them to achieve that feeling.
-Swaddled babies have been shown to better soothe themselves back to sleep.
-Swaddling is a great way to try to soothe a fussy baby. It can help keep them in a state of calm.
How to swaddle:
This is a wonderful video on how to swaddle your newborn.
What to swaddle with:
The first is the hospital blanket. They aren't pretty or cute, but they are perfect for swaddling. I immensely regret not stocking up on more of them when the nurse told us to take all the blankets they had in our hospital room. Next time around I will definitely be picking out all of the big ones they have.
-Research shows that babies that are swaddled sleep for longer stretches of time.
-Research also shows that babies that are swaddled correctly are less likely to be affected by SIDS.
-When our babies were in the womb, they were feeling warm, tight, and secure. When they are born, they still crave that feeling, and swaddling is a great way for them to achieve that feeling.
-Swaddled babies have been shown to better soothe themselves back to sleep.
-Swaddling is a great way to try to soothe a fussy baby. It can help keep them in a state of calm.
How to swaddle:
This is a wonderful video on how to swaddle your newborn.
Because my little one likes to sleep with her arms stretched above her head, I've just adjusted this method by leaving her arms out.
What to swaddle with:
I have two favorite swaddling blankets.
The first is the hospital blanket. They aren't pretty or cute, but they are perfect for swaddling. I immensely regret not stocking up on more of them when the nurse told us to take all the blankets they had in our hospital room. Next time around I will definitely be picking out all of the big ones they have.
My second favorite is something I recently heard about (I'm probably behind on this one) but I LOVE the aden + anais swaddling blankets. Unlike the hospital blankets, these are super cute and come in lots of different designs. They are big (perfect for swaddling an 18 lb seven month old like mine) and lightweight (perfect for swaddling a seven month old like mine in the hot, hot heat of summer).
You can visit the aden + anais site here and if you look around online, you can find some good deals on them.
That's where the ITZBEEN Pocket Nanny comes in. I so wish I had known about this with my first two! ITZBEEN™ Pocket Nanny was developed by a new mom and dad who found themselves sleep-deprived and needing help to remember baby care details, such as when their baby last ate or napped. So, they created the ITZBEEN™: a multi-purpose nursery tool that helps new parents remember the basic details of baby care.
It has four timers that help you keep track of diaper changes, feedings, sleep or wake time, and anything else you may need to keep track of-all with the touch of a button. You can set any or all of the four timers on an alarm, which is one of my favorite parts! So for example, if you have a newborn and plan to feed him every 2-3 hours, you can set the feeding timer to go off after 2.5 hours. It also has a soft glow night light and a backlight display, which helps out during all of those late nights. One of my other favorite features is the nursing reminder to help you remember which side you nursed from last. The ITZBEEN Pocket Nanny is also great for sharing responsibilities with Daddy, baby-sitters, or Grandma. It quickly gives them a run-down of what happened when, and you can customize alarms to let them know when things need to be done. I absolutely love the Pocket Nanny; it makes life as a new mom so much easier! It would be a perfect baby shower gift as well! You can purchase it at 
And the polka dot lover in me loves 
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