Do it like a pro; Swaddling tips from Tiny Chipmunk
I'm really lucky to be surrounded by some pretty fierce & fabulous women. They juggle homes, children & their own businesses, with grace & humility, and are genuinely pretty good motivators for action & attitude. One of them is the lovely Vicki from Tiny Chipmunk. She's very kindly shared her swaddling experience with us in this guest blog. Over to you, Vicki;
For thousands of years, mothers all over the world have swaddled their babies. Swaddling helps your baby to feel safe and secure and is a great way to soothe them. It can even help your baby sleep longer!
Three reasons why swaddling helps aid sleep:
Swaddling your baby prevents unnecessary wakes ups due to the startle (moro) reflex. This is where your baby feels as if they’re falling and reacts by lifting and stretching their arms. If this happens when your baby is in a light sleep phase this can startle them awake. Swaddling makes your baby feel as if they are being safely held.
Swaddling helps to recreate the secure and cosy feeling of the womb. After 9 months of being in Mum’s tummy, the outside world can be a scary and confusing place for a baby. They need constant comfort and reassurance during this time. While being wrapped up tightly in a blanket might not sound appealing to parents, it can help babies sleep better and cry less.
Blankets and quilts can easily be kicked or thrown off in the night, leaving your baby waking up cold and uncovered. A swaddled baby should remain safely wrapped up, which hopefully means less wake up calls for you! If however you do have a little escape artist on your hands, be sure to check out the swaddling guide, linked from the end of this article!
Of course, another huge benefit is if baby sleeps more, then Mum and Dad sleep more!
Remember to always swaddle safely:
Never cover your baby's head.
Always use a thin fabric and make sure your baby doesn’t overheat. (Our muslins are perfect as bamboo’s natural properties will keep your baby cool.)
Always place your baby on their back when swaddled and use a different swaddling method when they are able to roll over.
We’re convinced that swaddling helps babies sleep better - but we know it’s not always easy. Whether they hate being wrapped up, are little escape artists, or are ready to stop swaddling altogether - we have six methods to solve your swaddling dilemmas!
You can download your FREE guide here.
This is a guest post from Tiny Chipmunk. Vicki, a mum of two, started creating her own, premium baby products, after getting fed up of buying products for her own children that were poor quality and didn’t last. All products are made from bamboo (a perfect fabric for baby and children’s skin), look great, feel great and are made to last - so they can be passed down from child-to-child.
