Swaddling with the head of a newborn. Proper swaddling of a baby in the hospital How to swaddle a newborn with a head

Diapers are comfortable, soft pieces of fabric widely used in lieu of newborn clothing. It is unlikely that anyone can say for sure when the history of baby diapers began. The need to protect, warm, cherish our descendants is inherent in us by nature itself. This means that diapers appeared not much later than, in fact, the person himself. Only at first they were the skins of animals killed during the hunt, in which primitive people wrapped their children, then they were made of leather, fur, and burlap. Today they have changed, they have become both more comfortable and more attractive. But many alternative options for children's clothing have appeared: rompers and vests, overalls, bodysuits, etc. Some parents no longer swaddle their children at all. And others are of the opinion that it is necessary to swaddle babies, as our mothers and grandmothers, mothers of our grandmothers and many generations of women before us did. Who is right here? Should modern parents swaddle their newborn babies? And if so, how to swaddle a baby correctly? We tell everything according to the instructions, step by step, with photos and videos.

Benefits of swaddling baby

Why is it believed that a newly born baby will feel more comfortable if swaddled, because this limits his freedom of action?

The answer is simple: the diaper to some extent creates the illusion of a closed space and is somewhat reminiscent of a mother's womb, where he was cozy and warm.

It is best if the child's body is in contact with the surface, which for the first time after birth would replace the walls of the fetal bladder, because it was to their protection that he got used to during the nine months of life in his mother's tummy. So the adaptation of the child to a new environment for him is easier and faster.

Is it necessary to swaddle a baby?

But there is another reason why swaddling babies is recommended. Their movements are not yet fully conscious. Newborns do not yet know how to control them. Moreover, the chaotic swings of the arms and legs can even frighten the baby.

Undoubtedly, it is best to be in the arms of your mother, but all the time, after all, it will not work out. In such a situation, a diaper is simply necessary. It retains heat well, guarantees comfort and safety, and yes, it constrains movements that slow down the process of going to bed and, in fact, only distract and frighten the child. A baby swaddled falls asleep faster, and his sleep is much stronger.

A big advantage is the low cost of diapers - you can make them yourself, and buy them no more than once every three months. Rompers, vests and bodysuits will have to be purchased much more often, and they are much more expensive.

Flaws

  • Often, newborns have problems with muscle tone, so they need special clothing.
  • If the room is quite warm, then the child may overheat in the diaper, because it is difficult for him to maintain a certain body temperature. This is especially true for the summer period. In this case, it is necessary to dress the baby lightly, and it is better for him to sleep on his stomach. The diapers don't fit here.
  • Also, diapers, in comparison, for example, with sliders and vests, somewhat limit the child in motor activity. And this prevents the strengthening and development of the muscles of the arms, legs, neck, and abdominals. But after all, you can put the baby on the tummy before each feeding, do gymnastics with him, do not swaddle him during the moments of wakefulness, and thus compensate for this shortcoming.
  • In addition, most dads find it easier to put clothes on a child, rather than swaddle him. Yes, and modern mothers, looking at a huge assortment of children's clothes, simply cannot resist - they buy elegant dresses and comfortable bodysuits, increasingly preferring them, rather than the good old diapers.

When a newborn is calm and happy with everything, eats well, falls asleep easily and sleeps for several hours in a row, then he hardly needs diapers. And restless children, often crying for no apparent reason, having problems with sleep, it is better to wrap them in diapers for the first few months after birth.

Video "for or against diapers" - Dr. Komarovsky

A bit of theory

Changing diapers is pretty easy. To do this, prepare in advance:

  • a clean diaper (for different types of swaddling, the diaper folds differently, and it may not be one);
  • diaper (disposable or reusable);
  • vests, sliders (if you wear them);
  • a basin with warm water or napkins for newborns (you can also wash the child under running water);
  • remedy for skin irritations - powder, baby cream or special oil.

Remember! Everything you need should be at your fingertips. After all, when you put the baby on the changing table and undress, it will not be possible to leave him there unattended and go look for the missing accessories.

  • Before each swaddle, be sure to wash the baby and dry it gently with a soft towel.
  • If the navel has not yet healed, nothing should squeeze it. When you use diapers, you need to fold down the front edge when you change them.
  • Diapers must be used each time washed and ironed, it is impossible to dry the used ones.
  • Overheating is dangerous for newborns. Therefore, you need to choose a warm or thin diaper based on the temperature of the room.
  • Cotton diapers stretch well and do not hinder movement, flannel ones are not so pliable.
  • Don't swaddle tight. Avoid creases, especially coarse ones. Check that nothing gives the little one inconvenience.
  • There is a misconception that a baby should be swaddled with straight legs. Do not under any circumstances do this.
  • A newborn baby is just beginning to explore the world, so he follows your speech and facial expressions. Be as kind as possible. Talk to your baby while swaddling. Then he will not resist, but will perceive swaddling as a natural procedure.

Swaddling a newborn can be done in different ways. The use of this or that method depends on the age characteristics, the need or recommendations of the doctor.

Video: how to swaddle a newborn

Tight swaddling - step by step instructions with photos

With this method, the child is swaddled completely. Often it is used for hyperactive kids.

Action algorithm:


During the day, pediatricians do not advise resorting to this method of swaddling, as well as using undershirts where the sleeves are sewn up. But you can use it before bed at night. A child wrapped in this way will feel calmer and sleep better.

There are two varieties of this method: in the first case, the handles remain on top of the diaper, and in the second, they are swaddled, like the legs.

Free swaddling is considered to be more gentle. The position in which the arms of the newborn are pressed to the chest, and the legs to the tummy, is approximately the same as he took in the womb. This is how the baby will feel comfortable.

Action algorithm:

If you are having trouble with swaddling, you can use an envelope. It is much more comfortable and does not interfere with the movements of the child.

wide swaddling

Wide swaddling is prescribed by a doctor for various disorders in the development of the musculoskeletal system. The pose of the baby should be the most natural - legs bent and slightly laid aside.

Such swaddling contributes to the proper development of the pelvic joints and is the prevention of dislocations and subluxations of the hips, as well as dysplasia in the early stages. The method is applicable to children up to six months.

Usually in the hospital they show what it means to swaddle a child wide. You will need three diapers, as well as two undershirts. Choose clothes according to the season: the main thing is to avoid overheating.

Action algorithm:

  1. Put on a baby's vest made of thin fabric.
  2. Next, a jacket made of baize or flannel is put on the vest.
  3. Lay two warm ones on the table, and then a thin diaper on top.
  4. Put the child on the table.
  5. A warm diaper must be folded with a scarf (the edge is on the tummy), and a thin one is folded in the form of a strip.
  6. Place a thin diaper between the legs, wrap the legs in it.
  7. The bottom of the thick diaper passes between the legs, and then is fixed around the tummy.
  8. Lay the child diagonally across the third diaper, wrap the edges behind the back, and tuck the bottom and secure at one of the upper edges.

Swaddling in a blanket

Often in winter, newborns are taken from the hospital wrapped in a warm blanket. And for walking in the cold season, the blanket is not as common as before, but today they are also used. How to swaddle a baby in a blanket?

"With head"

Head outside


Summer and hot weather

In the warm season, there are rules for swaddling, the observance of which guarantees the comfort and well-being of your baby.

  • In the heat, you can not tightly swaddle a child suffering from increased muscle tone.
  • In children, the temperature often rises when swaddling, so in the summer it is best to use thin diapers without undershirts and sliders.
  • With indigestion, the baby is best to lie on his tummy, in this case, the child does not need to be swaddled.

On a note! The best way in the heat is free swaddling.

Video: how to swaddle a baby in the heat and other swaddling methods

Age features

Swaddling helps the newborn baby get used to the new world. This period can last a week or even a month.

Mom independently determines until what age she will swaddle the baby. By his behavior, she will understand when he is ready to give up diapers. Many resort to swaddling only at night so that the baby sleeps peacefully.

At the age of two months, the child can already be left with free hands, and at three - completely forget about diapers. It is best not to use diapers when the baby is awake, because he must learn to control his movements and explore the world.

If parents are categorically against diapers, however, they notice that their baby feels more confident when his movements are somewhat difficult, you can buy a special envelope. But if there is even a drop of doubt about swaddling or using an envelope, be sure to consult a pediatrician who is observing your child.

For new mothers, the issue of swaddling is very important. How to wrap the baby in diapers so that he does not turn around and does not freeze at night? How many diapers do you need for all occasions? Is it necessary to swaddle at all if there are sliders and bodysuits with diapers? Many modern mothers consider diapers a relic of the past, since you can buy luxurious clothes for your baby in stores, and put diapers on him instead of gauze diapers. However, most women consider swaddling to be the best clothes for the 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 “swivels” to fix the arms of a newborn: so that there would be no fear. When the baby throws up his arms, he may be frightened of his movements.

In the mother's tummy, his arms and legs were pressed to her chest, and this position brought convenience and comfort. Pressed arms / legs for babies - 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 for at least 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 handles: he is no longer afraid of them. From the age of three months, the little one begins to turn on its side and is actively interested in surrounding objects. In this age period, you can refuse to swaddle altogether.

Rules

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

  1. Tight.
  2. Free.
  3. Wide.
  4. Into a blanket.

There should be a separate area for swaddling the 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 mom 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 during diaper changes. Also, minimize the time for unwrapping / wrapping the baby in swaddling clothes so as not to catch a cold.

If you do not have the necessary items available, you will have to leave the deployed baby alone. First, it can get cold. Secondly, it may accidentally fall to the floor. Therefore, you should always check the availability of the necessary items before swaddling.

Tight swaddling technique

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

  • lay the unfolded diaper on the surface;
  • lay the baby in a clean diaper in the center of the cloth 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 actions;
  • Bend the lower free end of the diaper up and tuck it into the “pocket” that has formed.

The scheme can be seen in the pictures:

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

  • wrap the baby in a cotton diaper;
  • we wrap the baby in a flannel (balaykoy) diaper over a calico.

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

Important! So that the folded edges of the diaper do not press on the child's sides, they should be carefully 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:

  1. With open handles.
  2. With hidden handles.

Free swaddling with free handles is not difficult to perform:

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

Loose swaddling with fixed handles:

  • put the crumb on the fabric so that the top edge is under the neck;
  • wrap the left edge of the diaper behind the back of the baby, 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

Methods of wide swaddling are used to prevent hip deformities of the baby. At the same time, the legs of the baby take a natural pose: the knees are slightly bent, the legs are apart. In this position, dislocations and subluxations of the joints are impossible. Handles can remain free or wrapped in a second diaper.

For this technique, three diapers are used 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 one (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 directly in a warm blanket for walking along the street. Consider the following methods:

  • normal swaddling;
  • with "head".

The procedure for swaddling “with the head”:

  1. Lay the blanket down.
  2. Place the baby in the center of the blanket.
  3. Wrap the left edge of the blanket over the back of the crumbs.
  4. On top of the left edge, you need to make a fold: one of its edges is under the chin of the crumbs, and the second is near the navel.
  5. Lift the bottom corner of the comforter and fold it under the fold.
  6. Wrap the right corner of the blanket over the back of the crumbs and fix the resulting envelope with a bow.

In spring / autumn, you can wrap the child in a blanket with an open head (a hat is put on it). The technique looks like this:

  1. We place the blanket on the table, as in the first case.
  2. We make a fold on the outside.
  3. We position the child so that the head is above the crease.
  4. We wrap the left edge of the blanket under the back.
  5. We wrap the legs in a blanket.
  6. 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 below 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 with the help of tight swaddling.
  • To prevent the diaper from being stiff after washing, spray it with water when ironing.

What not to do:

  • Tight swaddling in the heat is unacceptable: the baby can overheat.
  • In the heat, you can not wrap the baby in a diaper if he is wearing a vest.
  • With diarrhea and indigestion, you should not wrap the baby in diapers if he lies on his tummy.

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

Most maternity hospitals now practice the joint stay of the baby with the mother immediately after birth. Therefore, it is advisable to learn how to swaddle a newborn even during pregnancy. Watch, read, learn.

It is best to train on a large soft doll. This is how the ratio of the size of the body of the baby and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bdiapers is correctly perceived.

What mothers need to know about swaddling

Depending on what, in what position and how much to wrap the baby,

  1. Protection against hypothermia (in a warm diaper or in a blanket).
  2. Treatment of some types of congenital torticollis (see "how to swaddle with your head").
  3. Restriction of mobility with increased arousal.
  4. Prevention of the development of diaper rash on the skin.
  5. Treatment of dystonia of the back muscles, dysplasia of the hip joints (wide swaddling and "in a bag").

In children of the first three months of life, the arms and legs at rest are in a bent state. You don’t need to unbend them, otherwise you will cause severe pain to your treasure.. Moreover, the strength of the flexor muscles of the limbs is so great that the baby will soon “curl up into a ball” anyway. Therefore, it is necessary to swaddle tightly, confidently, but without violence.

Technique of conventional swaddling in two diapers

You may ask: "Why two?". . Usually it is sewn from soft, undyed cotton fabric. It is laid so that diaper rash does not form on the skin in the armpits and in the inguinal region. . The younger the child, the more surface area of ​​the body from which heat evaporates. Therefore, newborn babies are prone to hypothermia. The top diaper can be made from flannel or even from a blanket. The technique of swaddling does not change from this.

Spread two diapers on a flat surface (a table, a mattress covered with a sheet). The top one should lie below the outer one by about the height of your palm. Place the doll on them so that the upper edge of the canvas ends at about the middle of the neck. For the convenience of explanation in the photo, the naked will be swaddled in each diaper in turn.

First (inner) diaper

Grasp the upper right corner of the canvas with your left hand and tightly wrap the doll into it at armpit level, bringing the remaining end under the back. With the lower right corner, separate the legs so that they do not meet (that is, cover only the right leg) - photo 1.

Wrap the right end of the baby's diaper under the arms


With your right hand, wrap the upper left end of the canvas through the armpits under the back. Mirror the left leg of the doll, and collect the rest of the canvas from below (“tail”) into a soft lump and fold between the legs. So you separate them even more, preventing the stacks from touching and wearing out the skin - photo 2.

also wrap the left end of the diaper, put the excess from the bottom between the legs

Second (outer) diaper

With your left hand, wrap the naked body into the upper right end of the canvas, passing it through the right shoulder, neck and under the left armpit. Wrap the free corner under the back, straightening the folds - photo 3. Do the same (mirror) with the upper left end of the canvas - photo 4. Spread the lower ends wide and throw them on the child's legs. It will turn out a wide fold in the direction from bottom to top - photo 5. Wrap the body of the child tightly with loose parts of the diaper, laying the corner over the edge of the canvas - photo 6. Done.

wrap the right end over the shoulder - under the back

wrap also over the left shoulder and under the back

straighten the bottom edge of the diaper and wrap it around the baby's tummy

We fixed the free ends of the diaper in a fold - you're done.

Technique - how to swaddle a newborn with a head (in a hat)

wrap the baby in the inner diaper from the crown, making a fold under the chin. Then wind the panel alternately through the armpits from the opposite side under the back. The outer diaper fixes this whole structure, as with simple swaddling. But we don’t even show the photo, since the design turns out to be uncomfortable for both the baby and the mother. So many folds are formed, which strive to get out on the face at the slightest movement.

We offer simple and Very comfortable diaper hat. It is especially useful to wear it with torticollis or with reduced muscle tone, when it seems that the head literally strives to come off without support.

How to make a hat out of a diaper

Fold the diaper in half (along the length) and on the side of the fold, make a fold a little wider than the height of the baby's head. This is approximately the palm of my mother - photo 1. Turn this design over "face" down. In the center of the fold, unfold half of the canvas the way you made an airplane out of paper as a child - photo 2. Fold the other half in the same way - photo 3. Now wrap the bottom edge up a width slightly less than the height of your child's neck until you reach the bottom end that wide fold that was made in the first place - photos 4 and 5. Turn the “face” up - and the hat is ready - photo 6.

fold the diaper and make a palm-wide fold from the side of the fold

We bend in the center, like an airplane

Same on the other side

We fold the free edge, creating a future collar

hat back view

This is what the hat looks like from the front.

How to swaddle a baby with a hat

Spread out the outer diaper and put the resulting hat on it. A child dressed in a bodysuit, a vest or already wrapped in the first diaper, lay as shown in the photo - photo 7. Without raising the baby's head, pull the top of the cap over it. Wrap the right end over the neck - photo 8. Now also wrap the left end under the chin under the neck - photo 9. If the cap turned out to be very deep, you can turn off a beautiful fold. And at the top you get a funny pointed corner. Then swaddle as described for the outer diaper during normal swaddling - photo 10. The upper edge of the cloth will press the resulting collar and will not allow it to quickly turn around. And the baby's head will be securely fixed - photo 11.

Put on a baby's hat

Gently pull the cap over the head and wrap the neck under the chin on the right

We also wrap the free left end of the collar

We fix the collar with an outer diaper, first on the right

Then we swaddle as usual. Ready.


With such swaddling, the resulting cap, if necessary, will replace the bonnet. You can put on a warm hat on it, and you can easily wrap the baby in a blanket, making a beautiful bow. How? - read about it.

Recently, there has been a lot of controversy even among doctors about how to swaddle a newborn in the hospital. Experienced mothers try not to abandon this procedure in the first months, choosing one of the techniques they like.

in the maternity hospital

In a modern maternity hospital, a baby is in the same room with his mother, she will feed him, wash him, change his clothes. If this is not the first baby in the family, then the mother will cope without problems by wrapping her baby like a doll.

Are newborn babies being swaddled in the maternity hospital now? In modern maternity hospitals, they try to adhere to the old traditions, and the baby that has just been born is wrapped up. Proceed in this case from the standpoint of psychological. It is this approach that provides a sense of security that the child felt even in the womb. Therefore, midwives already in the delivery room teach young mothers several methods of wrapping.

Swaddling methods:

  • tight - with straight arms and legs;
  • free - with open arms and able to move legs;
  • wide - with legs apart at 60 °.

How to swaddle a newborn baby in the hospital? Initially, wrapping is carried out at birth, using the method of tight fixation of the limbs. This is a good opportunity to quickly soothe the baby. This procedure is carried out first by a midwife.

In the future, when the baby is transferred to her mother in the ward, she will have to master the procedure, having studied several techniques at once (for the future).

How to swaddle a baby at home, each mother will determine for herself. Perhaps she will use the tight method for the night, and during the day she will carry out free wrapping. If the room is warm, then he will also use the wide method, which the little one will like, as this is a more natural pose.

Stages

Algorithm of action in the hospital:

  1. having carefully laid out a sheet on the table, the baby is placed in its middle so that the neck touches the edge of this sheet;
  2. we apply the straightened left handle to the body, grab the lateral edge and wrap the body tightly (obliquely), bringing the end under the back on the right;
  3. we do the same with the right hand and the side end of the fabric;
  4. the bottom edge is a bit like a fishtail. It is tucked up on the body. In this case, the legs must be connected and straightened;
  5. wrapping the body tightly with the lower ends of the sheet, they are fixed either with a safety pin, or a bow is used.

The “envelope” method with the head is carried out in the same way, only the fabric is laid diagonally so that the upper corner further covers the baby’s face. The lower corner is laid on the legs and stomach, and the body is wrapped around the sides.

What a baby is swaddled in when discharged from the hospital depends on the time of year: a blanket or a light envelope. If mom is an ardent supporter of sliders, you can use them, but you need to master the described technique. Swaddling helps to calm the naughty baby.

Special Ways

In the first month, it is better to use two diapers. First, the baby is wrapped in one, then in the second. Thus, he finds himself hidden in a dense cocoon that holds his movements. Modern swaddling of newborns from 3 months consists in wrapping only the lower part, the handles remain free.

legs

step by step photo

How to swaddle a baby in the hospital:

  • fold the diaper in half;
  • place its edge at the level of the baby's chest;
  • bend the left side to the right, bend behind the back;
  • perform similar manipulations with the second side;
  • lift the bottom edge to the waist, straighten, lay, strengthen.

This method is considered the most comfortable, it contributes to the rapid development of the baby.

Pens

Swaddling of handles is used when the baby is lightly asleep and shudders from every movement of his limbs, while eating, if he waves his arms and prevents himself from eating.

To swaddle the arms of the baby, you need to place it comfortably on the sheet. The head should go over the edge. She will remain unswaddled.

How to properly swaddle a baby in a diaper:

  1. put a thin vest on the baby;
  2. put it on a sheet;
  3. take the left edge, go around the handle, tuck it under the back along the oblique, level it;
  4. do the same with the second edge;
  5. tuck the bottom edge;
  6. put on a hat.

In the process, do not forget to straighten the folds with your palm, the baby should feel comfortable.

How many diapers and undershirts do you need in the hospital? For 5 days of stay in the maternity hospital, 3-4 of each type of clothing, and 2-3 diapers will be enough. In modern maternity hospitals, sets of diapers are issued, if there are not enough of them, then a sufficient amount can be obtained on demand.

Good afternoon, my dear readers! Do you know how to swaddle a newborn in a diaper? Probably, in the era of little men and bodysuits, we are less and less reminiscent of outdated diapers and vests. About what is better - to swaddle in swaddling clothes or to dress a newborn in loose clothes, we will talk today.

Whether it is necessary to swaddle a newborn in diapers, it is up to each mother to decide individually. You still have to wear it anyway. Swaddling refers to swaddling with diapers. Dressing crawlers and little men with a blanket is no longer swaddling. If you use reusable cotton diapers, then dressing them is also called swaddling, but already swaddling purely diapers.

Consider what diapers exist:

  • Tight swaddling;
  • Free swaddling;
  • Wide swaddling;
  • Swaddling in a sleeping bag.

The opinion on whether or not to swaddle a newborn in diapers is shared not only by mothers, but also by pediatricians.

Some consider it necessary, others consider it a relic of the Soviet past. In any case, if we swaddle a newborn, then only in the first 2-3 weeks of life (longer - less often).

This is due to the fact that a newborn, accustomed to the cramped and comfortable mother's tummy, finds himself in a cold and huge world. It makes him feel scared and uncomfortable. To help your baby adjust to a new life, you need to try to provide him with conditions that will resemble his previous cozy nest. Swaddling in warm diapers and blankets makes the newborn feel warm and protected. So he adapts to the world around him faster.

2. Tight swaddling

Tight swaddling was used in maternity hospitals during the Soviet era. It was believed that in this way the baby would not wake himself up with his hands, would not get scratched, and it would be easier for the medical staff to deal with him. This is now considered obsolete. It has already been abandoned in favor of free swaddling.

Still, show algorithm of actions such swaddling in pictures. You might find this useful:

Here you can see that the newborn is swaddled with handles, and the head is left open. The tension of the diaper itself can be different.

Dear mothers, if you decide to swaddle your baby with a column, that is, tight swaddling, try not to do it too “tight”, the blood should circulate freely in the veins of the child, and not stagnate.

In general, I want to say that the meaning of such swaddling itself is that the legs are fixed.

The disadvantage of this method is that it is possible to pinch the baby’s fragile body in such a way that it will subsequently provoke physical injury, displacement or damage to the hip joint. And you can get psychological discomfort.

In addition to the shown method of tight swaddling, there is also swaddling with a head, that is, the corner of the diaper is located above the level of the head, in order to get the baby in an envelope upon completion. With a head swaddled in a blanket or a warm diaper, going outside in the cool season. The ends of the diaper or blanket are fastened with a pin, or simply tucked up and fixed with tape.

3. Free swaddling

Free swaddling does not provide for a clear fixation of the legs, on the contrary, the legs under the diaper are in motion.

At the same time, first they put a vest on the baby, and then swaddle the legs. The diaper is wrapped at chest level, under the handles. This is free swaddling of the legs. The baby can move them, while remaining warm.

Plus such swaddling is that you can save on sliders, from which newborns grow so quickly.

Minus the fact that in a month the child will already be kicking his legs so much that he will take off these diapers and freeze if his mother is not around. On how to swaddle a baby correctly and safely, you can find a video from the Internet.

4. Sleeping bag

Free swaddling can be with handles. Fortunately, progress does not stand still and the masses have launched the production of special diapers - sleeping bags. Such bags completely cover the child, giving him a feeling of comfort and warmth in a limited space, like that of a mother in her stomach.

Meanwhile, the child has the ability to move, he does not pinch anything, and he will not be able to open up. Such diaper bags are elastic, the baby can toss and turn and not feel stiffness:


With a sleeping bag, a mother, especially an inexperienced one, will not have to think about how to properly swaddle a newborn, and even more, so as not to disturb anything.

5. Wide swaddling

Dear moms, once again I want to remind you that it is up to you how to swaddle your baby, but it must be a safe way.

With improper swaddling, the baby may get dislocated, or joints with bones will not grow correctly. Then there will be a high probability of getting hip dysplasia.

If the doctor has already diagnosed dysplasia in a newborn, special medical fixators and wide swaddling will help. That is, in addition to swaddling in a free style, you need to lay a diaper folded several times or a special pillow between the baby's legs. In this method, the legs are fixed in a divorced position.

6. Refusal to swaddle

Many young mothers who live in the modern world and do not tolerate any outdated methods in caring for a child are abandoning swaddling in favor of baby clothes for newborns.

Why, they think, hamper the movements of the baby and bother with winding these diapers? Without a doubt, rompers, bodysuits and little men for newborns are more convenient for moms to use.

But we should not forget about the natural need of a newborn for shelter, for the comfort that he feels wrapped in a blanket, curled up in warmth. This helps him to painlessly move from the small world of his mother's tummy to the big world.

The baby in the first weeks of his life should sleep in a limited space. That is, it is better to sleep in a small bed, a cradle, and not on a large bed if there is no mother nearby. Even dressed in a comfortable man, the baby will also be more comfortable wrapping himself in a blanket in winter or a diaper in summer. Let and just take cover, and not drag on. So he's more comfortable.

The well-known doctor Komarovsky also does not agitate modern mothers strictly for swaddling, but he does not dissuade from this either. It is also necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the development of a particular child, and this will already help to establish a pediatrician, he believes:

I want to summarize. Dear mothers and grandmothers! If you want to swaddle your baby, then do so following the instructions of the nursing staff and my recommendations. Then the child will not be threatened with dislocation or stress.

If you do not want to swaddle him, then please create a comfortable transition for the baby in the big world. Then you may need sleeping bags or diapers that cover the baby's body and are fastened with clasps.

In any case, diapers should not only be clean and soft, but also ironed before swaddling, so that the baby feels their warmth. I hope my tips are helpful to you. If you liked the article, share the material on social networks and do not forget to subscribe to updates. See you soon!