How to wean your baby off swaddling

Child psychologists tend to call the first three months of a child’s life the conditional “fourth trimester”: during this period, the baby really needs maternal warmth, a feeling of hugs and an enclosed space, like in his mother’s belly. It's cramped and warm, and food is always available, bowel movements and a wet diaper are not bothered, and your own body parts are perceived as a natural extension of the world around you.

When, after birth, a child must immediately do so many things on his own - breathe, eat, digest food, call for his mother, squint from bright light, learn to maintain body heat - he needs a ritual of transition from the small maternal world to the large, interesting, sometimes frightening and noisy world . And a diaper is nothing more than a way to gradually introduce a little person to his environment.

For some children, swaddling is enough only in the first days of life, then they quickly get used to their arms and legs and behave calmly. But for some it is difficult to cope with this, and swaddling helps for up to six months.

Newborn babies make many chaotic unconscious movements, throwing up their arms and legs. This happens not only in the waking state, but also in sleep. Therefore, experienced mothers advise swaddling their children. How to do this and how to wean your baby from swaddling afterwards?

There are two types of swaddling, the differences between them are only in the tension of the diaper and whether the child can move his arms and legs.

Free swaddling

When your baby sleeps alone in the crib, he can easily wake himself up or scratch himself by raising his hand or foot. A small child does not yet feel the boundaries of his body and does not realize that this arm or leg belongs to him. Therefore, even touching or jerking your own hand can wake up the baby or cause anxiety.

That's why a diaper comes to the rescue. The fabric is straightened out on a flat surface, the baby is laid down and wrapped first with one side of the diaper, then with the other, practically without pulling the diaper. At the same time, the head remains outside, the baby can turn it. Free swaddling means that the baby can move his arms and legs, can bring his hand to his face, and tuck his legs towards his stomach. But thanks to the presence of a diaper, it will no longer be possible to do this chaotically. The older he gets, the better he controls his body movements.

Usually, by the second or third month of life, swaddling is no longer required, but sometimes up to six months there remains a need for loose swaddling during sleep.

Tight swaddling

Even forty to fifty years ago it was customary to wrap a baby tightly in diapers. In general, the process is similar to loose swaddling, but tight swaddling usually uses thicker fabric and is pulled tighter when wrapping the baby. It was believed that it would help fight hip dysplasia, that legs would be straight, that posture would be better, and that babies swaddled this way would sleep better. However, studies have shown that tight swaddling not only does not help fight dysplasia, but can also provoke hip dislocation and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Children, even tightly tied, may roll over on their side or stomach, and will not be able to support their face with their hand. In addition, you can accidentally tighten the chest, and the baby will have difficulty breathing.

In addition, it is very important for a child to develop tactilely, so that his hands and feet bump into safe objects - a diaper can perform this function. If the baby spends a lot of time in a tight position, he does not have the opportunity to explore his own body and the space around him. Regular tight swaddling can provoke a very violent reaction when the baby is left free.

Why do you need to swaddle your baby?

If you are wondering how to wean your baby from swaddling, then your baby is probably already grown up. Why did your child need the fabric anyway?

So, they wrap the little one in a swaddle, first of all, so that he can go through the adaptation period from the mother’s womb to the big life with dignity. There he felt cramped, cozy, surrounded by comfort and a calm atmosphere.

Since ancient times, people have found the benefits of tight swaddling. It was believed that if you swaddle a baby in the first years of his life, wrapping him up with his arms and legs while he sleeps, the baby will sleep more soundly and will not wake himself up.

Pediatricians also agree with this, although they offer more humane methods in the form of a sleeping bag. Pediatricians believe that you can swaddle a baby until the fourth month of life, and then give free rein to movement.

The baby's vestibular processes are still disturbed, he jerks his legs and arms at random, and in his sleep he may well scare himself or wake him up. Often this is exactly what happens: the baby wakes up, cries, and can no longer sleep. This condition also sometimes negatively affects the nervous system. Swaddling is useful in the first month and a half of life and will allow the baby to prolong the feeling of comfort and warmth.

Also, the baby has a certain Moro reflex, which is inherent in him from birth. This information may be shocking to you, but don't be nervous. During the first few months of life, your beloved baby may suddenly throw up its arms and legs, moreover, unconsciously. And these movements, which are beyond the child’s control, can greatly frighten him.

Children wake up crying and generally begin to be afraid of sleep. In the first days of life, the baby has no control over his body at all, and therefore, while in diapers, he can easily scratch himself with his nails.

There are a few more nuances that relate to heat.

Swaddling is necessary in order to maintain normal body temperature of the newborn. The fact is that very young children have disrupted thermoregulation processes. Therefore, if a little one is left simply without shelter and a diaper, he can easily freeze. But this can be easily avoided by taking a cloth and making a loose swaddling.
It’s rare that a baby in a diaper can prohibit.
Also, if the baby suffers from diaper rash, then you can use cotton fabrics. They help get rid of negative skin manifestations.
Finally, after bathing the little one, it is necessary to wrap him in a cloth so that he feels comfortable after an incomprehensible procedure.

Also, there are some disadvantages of swaddling that young mothers have not yet learned.

If the diaper is tight and dense, it can overheat the baby's body, thereby causing diaper rash and other diseases.
Tight swaddling can hinder the baby's movement and also affect his physical and psychological development.
If you do not change the fabric in time, skin diseases and diaper rash will appear.
By swaddling your baby for too long, you force him to stay in one position without moving.

Changing materials

The diaper should be:

• made of natural material: for example, muslin fabric absorbs water well and allows air to pass through, it is not too thin due to a special fleece, so the baby is not cold in it (this does not create a greenhouse effect, reducing the likelihood of diaper rash in the child);

• soft to the touch and without rough seams, appliques and decorations, so as not to rub sensitive baby skin;

• saves heat and corresponds to the air temperature indoors or outdoors, so that the child does not overheat or become hypothermic;

• high-quality and durable to withstand a large number of washes at high temperatures.

In addition to the usual quadrangular diapers, changing envelopes and bags are now produced.

It is convenient to use special tables for changing. There are models that are combined with a baby bath, which simplifies evening routines. It is very convenient when there is a shelf or tray for children's cosmetics and wipes - this way everything is at hand, and the child cannot accidentally brush the tubes off the table. If you choose a chest of drawers combined with a changing table, you need to place a mattress so that the baby is not too soft or hard. Some cribs allow you to place a changing table directly on the frame.

Pros and cons of swaddling

pros

• swaddling soothes and makes it easier for the baby to fall asleep, since the mother’s womb is cramped and the baby gets used to the limited space that it is deprived of at birth;

• swaddling allows you to warm the baby, essentially replacing one layer of clothing, and helps out low-birth-weight and premature babies whose thermoregulation does not work well;

• you can save on baby clothes, which have to be washed very often in the first months of life;

• diapers are easier to wash and often dry faster than baby clothes;

• in the hot season, you can give your baby air baths without a diaper, covering him loosely with a cotton diaper.

Minuses

• can provoke SIDS, so a swaddled baby should be monitored;

• when wrapped loosely, the child may free himself from the diaper, accidentally throw it over his face and get scared;

• tight swaddling can lead to hip dislocation or asphyxia;

• Some babies object to restrictions on their movements and may find swaddling annoying.

Doctor Komarovsky: On the issue of the dangers of swaddling

The diaper has been the main item of infant clothing for several thousand years. A diaper is an elementary phenomenon; the simplicity of its design does not give designers and stylists any chance to distinguish themselves. A diaper is accessible, convenient, familiar. But is everything so clear?

Historically, the use of diapers appears to have been based on economic reasons. Classic human clothing - with sleeves and legs - is strictly adapted to body sizes. Obviously, since the size of this very body changes significantly over the course of two weeks, you won’t be able to stock up on normal clothes. And a diaper - provided that no one skimps on sizes from the beginning - allows you to not think about new clothes for at least six months.

The attitude of society and medical science towards swaddling has remained more or less stable for many decades. - Do I need to swaddle? - Necessary! - How to swaddle? - Align the arms, align the legs, and twist everything else, wrap it tightly and fix it so that it does not twitch. - Why tighten it? - So that the legs are straight, so that he knows who is boss in the house...

Gradually, views changed. Numerous studies have revealed an absolutely amazing fact - it turns out that a crooked leg does not become straight, no matter how tightly you wrap it. It turns out that the evenness of the legs has nothing to do with the swaddling technique at all. It turns out that a tightly swaddled baby has a harder time breathing. Moreover, wise doctors came to the conclusion that there is no need to rape a baby! For if all children, without exception, strive to take a certain position - tuck their legs, bend their arms - then, apparently, this particular position is the most physiological for the child, that is, comfortable and natural.

And on the basis of such a simple and logical conclusion, tight swaddling was subjected to merciless criticism and sank into oblivion under pressure from the progressive medical and parental community. Tight swaddling was replaced by loose swaddling - as a symbol of democracy and respect for human rights.

A child, swaddled freely, has the opportunity to move his limbs and take a position that is convenient for him. It would seem that a consensus has been reached. Free swaddling is optimal, convenient, traditional, and satisfies the needs of both children and parents. Yes, some grandmothers are not satisfied with such swaddling, mainly for aesthetic reasons. Well, is it possible to compare the amazingly beautiful, elegant, regular and even cushion that is obtained by tight swaddling, and the sloppy, jerking, bag-like formation created by loose swaddling?

But you can come to an agreement with grandmothers. There is, after all, no man who cannot be convinced by reasoning about freedom and rights. And everything would be fine, when suddenly... Suddenly, in dozens of countries, in hundreds of media outlets, numerous reports appeared that swaddling turns out to be, in principle, very harmful. And even free swaddling is not freedom at all, but only freedom to move in a confined space (analogy with freedom to move around the prison). Moreover, thousands of special specialists have appeared - child psychologists, who have argued that by swaddling children, we, it turns out, limit the perception of the world from birth, disrupt the formation of the tactile function, interfere with the harmonious development of the human personality, inhibit individuality and, in general, the education of a personality worthy of living in the 21st century, and the use of diapers are incompatible concepts.

Millions of parent couples are depressed and confused. Our poor children... Due to our criminal parental ignorance, they, having gone through the hellish torment of diapers, will now be backward, inharmonious, underdeveloped, lacking initiative. And these cunning ones, who have been wearing rompers and undershirts since birth, will now command ours and push them around in every possible way.

But what to do? How to fix? It is clear that giving birth to the next one and forgetting about diapers is the wisest decision, but it’s a pity for this backward and inharmonious one.

To tell the truth, those who really feel sorry for are the poor parents. It seems that parental instinct can have an overwhelming influence on basic common sense. Note:

There have been opponents of swaddling before. A typical and perhaps most famous apologist for anti-diaper propaganda is the great writer Leo Tolstoy. Paradoxically, Lev Nikolayevich himself was swaddled as a child, which, on the one hand, did not prevent him from demonstrating his own genius, but on the other hand, it prevented him from convincingly proving the connection between the infantilism and lethargy of Pierre Bezukhov with tight infant swaddling;
the flourishing of human civilization and new technologies - from disposable diapers to space flights - were ensured by people who were swaddled as children;
everyone who is reading these lines now was swaddled in childhood;
the most paradoxical thing: the great child psychologists, who threaten everyone swaddled with inevitable troubles, were also swaddled in childhood. Perhaps a little tighter than required...

The formation of a full-fledged and harmoniously developed human personality is indeed determined by many factors: individual, genetically determined characteristics of temperament, general health in general and treatment of specific diseases in particular, the system of pedagogical and religious education, and country of residence. A special and, perhaps, the most important role is played by the psychological climate in the family, the formed system of values, taking into account the number of children, the presence of both parents and their contacts with each other, with children, with their own parents. All the factors mentioned are very important and their influence on the formation of a child has been proven unconditionally. At the same time, there is not a single full-fledged, truly scientific study proving the connection between swaddling and personality development problems.

Thus, there is no scientific and logical motivation for refusing to swaddle, and on this basis the main rule can be formulated: whether or not to swaddle a child is a personal matter for his parents, determined by their desires, capabilities, and lifestyle.

Economic motives are clearly visible in anti-diaper propaganda. Any domestic factory, any workshop, any housewife can start producing diapers within 24 hours. But beautiful pants, vests, rompers, suits, overalls - multi-colored, with pictures, lace, ribbon ties, buttons and pockets - this is more complicated. This is an expensive and, as a rule, overseas product. And such a vest costs as much as five diapers. Isn’t this the essence of “diaper hazards”?

Parents, however, should be aware that going diaper-free is convenient in many ways. Let's note some of them:

when using baby vests and onesies, men can be involved in dressing the baby, because a father who has mastered the art of swaddling is a unique phenomenon;
diapers are very uncomfortable in the hot season - it is not at all difficult to overheat a baby;
when washing, baby vests and rompers, in comparison with diapers, require less water and detergents, and when drying, they not only take up less space, but also dry faster;
No matter how loosely you swaddle your baby, he may still feel uncomfortable. Again, regardless of the quality of the swaddling, an active child may well be swaddled (and it’s good if the room is warm). It is clear that getting rid of rompers on your own is much more difficult;
vests and rompers really do not limit physical activity in any way...

But!! All of the above is unprincipled. And if there are two dozen diapers left in the house from the eldest child, then it is not at all necessary to spend money on baby undershirts just because in the interval between pregnancies you became acquainted with the achievements of advanced psychological thought.

I repeat: it is your personal choice whether to swaddle or not to swaddle. No one - not a girl consultant in a children's clothing store, not a doctor, not a psychologist - will make decisions for you. Just don’t think that this decision can really seriously affect your child’s health. If you want, swaddle, if you don’t want, don’t swaddle. Just don't be nervous.

author Komarovsky E.O.

Source

When is it time to stop swaddling?

When the baby stops involuntarily throwing up his arms and legs, you can wean the baby off swaddling. Often, parents need to use a diaper to calm the baby - in this case, they are advised not to set clear time limits for themselves, but to focus on the child’s needs and behavior. Pay attention to how quickly and soundly the baby falls asleep in a diaper and without it, groans or worries. It is not at all necessary to suddenly give up the diaper - you can begin the process of gradually weaning your baby from swaddling.

But if a child spends too much time in a swaddled state, he misses many opportunities to get acquainted with the things around him, and also takes longer to learn to control his own body.

Advantages and disadvantages of swaddling

Like any other method of treating babies, swaddling has both undoubted advantages and some disadvantages.

Why a child does not speak at one year old - studying the problem

The advantages of using diapers at night include the following:

protecting the child from fright;
preventing the child from causing physical harm to himself;
more restful sleep;
ensuring a comfortable temperature;
lower cost of diapers compared to diapers and vests.

Important! Any experienced specialist will advise swaddling a baby from the first days if he was born premature.

Some mothers note that a one-month or two-week-old baby practically does not lie still, and swaddling him is easier than dressing him in the simplest vest.

Speaking about the disadvantages of restricting a child’s movements, it is worth considering a number of facts:

A number of child psychologists are of the opinion that the restriction of a child’s movements, which is provided by a diaper, may in the future provoke developmental delays due to the reduction of freedom;
If the baby is swaddled in a swaddle that is too warm, he may overheat;
The child gets used to being limited in movement, then he will sleep poorly when the parents decide to start weaning him off diapers;
Diapers, coupled with limited movement, can cause irritation on delicate baby skin.

Interesting. In Soviet times, there was a myth that using diapers straightens the baby's legs and prevents the development of rickets. In fact, these are old wives' tales. To date, no convincing evidence has been provided to support this theory.

The question of “wrap the baby up or not” still remains open for most

The famous doctor Komarovsky is sure that the diaper is largely a tribute to the Soviet past, when parents did not have the opportunity or means to buy children's things and had to use diapers, which were often even passed down by inheritance.

Considering the absence of a shortage of children's things on the modern market and the lack of evidence of the benefits or harm of refusing to swaddle, this issue should be resolved individually in each individual family.

Ways to wean your baby off swaddling

• Over time, stop swaddling your baby while he's awake. Give him the freedom to explore toys, the sides of the bed, your face, and touch your legs with your hands. Leave swaddling only for sleep, and eventually - exclusively at night. Take your time to wean your children off quickly, otherwise they may become fussy and restless. Once you are able to get rid of swaddling during the day, focus on weaning your baby off swaddling before bedtime.

• Loosen the swaddling gradually. Try to wrap the baby looser each time, and then completely replace the diaper with a light blanket. Wrap your baby in a blanket without tucking in the free edges. The child will move his arms and legs, freeing up more and more space for himself, and he will not be irritated by stiffness of movements.

• Put your baby to sleep in a diaper, and when he falls asleep, remove it. Let him gradually learn to sleep without a diaper. If the baby gets worried and wakes up, you can wrap him up again.

• Use special anti-scratch mittens if you are worried that your child might hurt himself by flapping his hands.

• Dress your baby warmly enough at night. Doctors agree that the air in the bedroom should be cool. If your child is dressed in comfortable pajamas, this will make his sleep longer and more restful.

• Don't neglect rocking in your arms. This gives a feeling of peace and security.

• If you are up for it and are a light sleeper, you can practice co-sleeping. The child will feel calmer next to you and will fall asleep faster. You can use cocoons for sleeping. In addition to the fact that they provide the baby with a feeling of enclosed space, their shape is designed to prevent curvature of the baby’s skull and repeats the baby’s position in the womb.

• Replace the diaper with a baby sleeping bag. You can unfasten it from night to night and gradually teach your baby to sleep under the blanket.

• Try incorporating rituals by observing what calms your baby: a bath, a specific lullaby, white noise, or rocking in the crib.

What should you do if your baby has a very difficult time weaning himself or refuses to sleep without a diaper? You can contact your pediatrician or child sleep specialist for recommendations, ask moms you know to share their experiences and support you.

Behave gently but persistently, because if you stop trying to wean your baby from sleeping wrapped, it will be impossible to do without swaddling for some time.

How to wean your baby from swaddling at night?

If a child does not like diapers, refusing them will not cause any difficulties. However, some babies cannot calm down without swaddling. After 3 months of age, pediatricians recommend gradually moving away from it so as not to harm the baby’s health.

The following are useful tips for gradually eliminating swaddling:

do not use diapers during the day: they can be replaced with slips, vests, and rompers. Parents should try to put their baby to bed during the day with clothes on;
wrap the baby in a blanket without fixing him: during sleep, babies actively spin, so after a couple of hours the child’s body will be in a free position;
wrap the baby before bed: after the baby has fallen asleep, he should be unswaddled and allowed to sleep freely under the blanket;
wrap only the lower part of the body in a diaper: in this case, the arms must be left free (it is recommended to use scratches).

Moving away from the use of diapers, you can also use special sleeping bags or cocoons. Babies feel wrapped up in them. At the same time, the necessary freedom is provided to the arms and legs. Parents can also rock the baby in their arms in a blanket.

After the baby has fallen asleep, it is recommended to transfer him to the crib. As they grow, many children demand to always go to sleep with their parents. Then it is very difficult to get rid of this habit.

Sleeping bag for newborn

The process of weaning off daytime swaddling is simple. If the baby cannot sleep peacefully, this is not a problem. In this case, it is recommended to practice loose wrapping. Soon the child will get used to his legs and arms and will be able to calmly fall asleep under the blanket.