Do I need to swaddle a newborn? Best age for swaddling baby

A newborn or not is up to the parents, but first you need to consider all the pros and cons.

Why you need to swaddle your baby

First of all, in a diaper, the child feels in a familiar environment, similar to the womb. So he is warm and cramped, he gradually gets used to the new world. Swaddling is especially necessary for weak babies - in this way, the intrauterine period is extended for them, they can gradually get stronger.

Newborns do not know how to control their movements, they can only jerk their arms and legs sharply. During such “throw-ups”, the child may be frightened of his own limbs, therefore, in order to calm him down, they need to be pressed against the baby’s body. Moreover, it is obvious that diapers protect the newborn from injury. He will not be able to roll over in his sleep facing the pillow and suffocate. Also, a swaddled baby will not fall out of the crib in any way, and it will be easier to wear it.

A modern take on how to swaddle a newborn baby

In our time, there is a change of all stereotypes and a rejection of traditions. However, there are also conservatives who, although in a new way, swaddle children. In any case, to make a decision, you need to know all the advantages and disadvantages of swaddling, myths about it.

Positive aspects, advantages and pluses of swaddling

Despite the new trends, there are many arguments for swaddling children. Let's consider the main ones:

A newborn child often feels a drop in the body, and a sheet will protect him from hypothermia.
A swaddled baby will not wake himself up at night due to careless movements.
Swaddling a baby may be prescribed by a doctor for dysplasia or underdevelopment of the hip joints.
Weak and premature babies need a diaper as an imitation of the intrauterine environment.
From a practical point of view, a wrapped baby is much more comfortable to hold and carry.
Swaddling in the first weeks of life helps keep body temperature normal.
The tightness reminds the baby of the position in the last days before birth, which helps him feel more comfortable.
There are also material benefits in using diapers. Clothes for newborns are very expensive, and the baby will grow out of it in a matter of days.

Negative sides, disadvantages and cons of swaddling

Opponents of swaddling explain their position by the fact that:

If you limit the baby in movements for a long time, he will begin to lag behind in development - both physically and psycho-emotionally.
Swaddling in very hot weather can overheat the baby, because in the first days of life, thermoregulation in his body is impaired.
It is dangerous to swaddle a baby tightly because it can slow down blood circulation and disrupt the functioning of the neurovascular system.

In addition, they offer to monitor the behavior of the baby. If he breaks out in every possible way and does not want to lie in a diaper, you should think about refusing to swaddle.

Misconceptions about swaddling

Ancient tradition. No need to think that everything old is bad. The old is, first of all, proven over the years. You do not refuse just because the first people did it.
The baby is deprived of the opportunity to recognize the world and move. There is some truth in this, but then you can leave the diaper only at bedtime. Still, it is easier to calm a crying baby by swaddling it.
It is not comfortable for children to be in the “soldier” position. On the contrary, the newborn may be frightened or wake himself up with his own movements. Therefore, this type of swaddling in the first weeks of life is quite suitable.
The baby needs to be swaddled so that the legs are not crooked. An obvious myth, because people have been swaddled for a long time, but there are no less bow-legged ones from this. Tight swaddling will slow down your circulation and will only make things worse. Is it worth the risk, decide for yourself.
Swaddling will put all the organs in place. You can’t hope for a miraculous method, because it’s not true. The effect of restoring the position of internal organs is achieved only when performing a special one.

Did you know? Scientists have proven that while cryingthe child copies the intonations and accent of the mother, overheard by him in the womb.

Let's look at the main types of diapers to find out how to choose them correctly and what to look for when buying.

Varieties of diapers

Today, dozens of different types are presented on the shelves of children's stores, which differ in size, material, and price. All of them have their own characteristics, so that different types can be useful to the baby at different ages and under different conditions. Consider the most popular:

Fur

This is a winter version that replaces outerwear for a newborn. She needs to swaddle a child whose birth time fell on the winter. It depends on whether you can walk with the baby on the street. Also, fur diapers are wrapped instead of a blanket or blanket. They easily roll up into an envelope for safe walks in the first months of life.

Calico

Chintz is a natural, rather thin material from which reusable diapers are obtained. They can be used as a bed sheet or baby's first towel.

flannel

The flannel diaper is also made from absolutely natural cotton material. It is very soft and pleasant for the delicate skin of the baby.

Knitted

Relatively recently, knitted diapers appeared. Now this type is almost the most popular, due to its practicality in use. They are convenient to swaddle a baby, especially if you need to do it.

Disposable

There are also disposable diapers that help to greatly facilitate the care of the baby. They can be put inside knitted or flannel diapers, cover the crib, used for visiting a doctor, walking. However, they serve only as an addition to reusable ones.

These are the most comfortable diapers that simplify the process of swaddling and do not bring discomfort to the child.

Important!The assortment of stores also offers disposable diapers with Velcro.

This novelty will help parents avoid bowel leaks during doctor visits, long walks and on the road. The diapers are made of pleasant velvety fabric.

Features of swaddling and diaper selection

Make sure that all edges of the product are well stitched. Rigid seams can rub the baby, so it is better that the firmware is an overlock. Moreover, spilled threads can get into the baby's mouth or nose.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with the composition of the fabric. It must certainly be natural cotton material.
Feel the fabric: it should be pleasant when touching the body, and knitwear should be plastic.
It is not recommended to purchase diapers that are too colorful and bright, this can quickly bother the baby and annoy with repeated use. In addition, doctors believe that the flashy color of clothing can harm vision, and dyes can cause when the fabric gets wet.
Do not buy children's things in spontaneous markets from non-certified sellers. Only in specialized stores can you buy a thing for the quality of which sellers are responsible.
Choose larger products, so it will be much more convenient to care for the child. Small ones can be useful only in the first days of a baby's life.

How many diapers to take

In the modern world, the appearance of diapers made life easier for parents, so you should not buy packs of diapers. We present an approximate list of the minimum number of diapers that a newborn will need:

Flannel - 5 pieces.
Calico - 5 pieces.
Knitted - 5 pieces.
Velcro - 2-3 pieces (fleece and flannelette).
Disposable diapers for the discharge of the baby from the maternity hospital are enough 10 pieces. In the future, it will become clear whether they are still needed.

Is it possible to swaddle in the heat

The debate about whether to swaddle a baby on hot days lasted for a long time. Finally, experts came to the conclusion that it is possible to swaddle, observing certain rules.
First of all, it is important to protect the baby from overheating. Choose only light natural fabrics like chintz, it will protect delicate skin from irritation and diaper rash in the heat.

It is enough to wrap the child in a knitted sheet. It is not recommended to use gauze fabrics, because in addition to lightness, they will bring irritation to the child due to the hard texture.

Do I need to swaddle a newborn baby at night

Swaddling a baby at night is not only possible, but necessary. During sleep, newborns are especially vulnerable, their own movements can either scare them or wake them up.

Did you know?For the first six months of life, a baby can breathe and swallow at the same time.

Also, an unwrapped baby can roll over face into the pillow or simply fall out of the crib.

modern swaddling

Nowadays, there are four main ways of swaddling:

Until what age do we wrap babies

Starting from, and during the first month of a baby's life, caring for him is necessarily accompanied by swaddling. After a few weeks, parents can decide whether or not to swaddle the newborn in the future.

Observe the behavior and character of the baby, which manifests itself from the first days. Everything is individual here - if your child is active, then swaddling will prevent him from developing fully. At night, his playfulness can harm, so swaddle him at bedtime, and dress him in overalls and vests during the day.
Calm babies feel comfortable being wrapped up, so you can swaddle them until they themselves want more space. Three months after birth, it is even harmful to swaddle babies, because the arms and legs have already grown stronger and must actively move. The diaper in this case will lead to a slowdown in the development of the limbs.

What not to do when swaddling

Regardless of the method of swaddling, the main task of parents is not to harm the baby. That is why you need to follow some rules:

Before swaddling a newborn baby tightly for sleep, check with your doctor about whether it is worth it. Doctors say that you need to choose a free way.
Don't cover your child's nose and chin, as you risk making it difficult for them to breathe.
There should be no wrinkles on the diaper, these scars can damage the baby's skin.
Watch the temperature in the room - if it's cool, then first put on the child's sliders and baby's undershirt, and only then wrap it in a diaper.
On hot days, it is better to use thin cotton sheets for reinsurance.
Never pierce the diaper with pins or needles.
It is forbidden to swaddle the baby in woolen scarves or fur. Delicate skin should breathe through natural cotton fabrics.
The diaper must be cleaned, ironed and steamed.

Important! Remember that the temperature of the baby can easily drop, so at night wrap him on top with flannelette.

Is it necessary to swaddle a newborn - the opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

The most famous children's doctor Komarovsky expressed his opinion on whether it is necessary to swaddle a newborn baby. He stated that the decision should be made by the parents themselves, observing the character of their baby. Moreover, noted that in any case it will not have a serious impact on your child. It is natural that progress does not stand still, and today people are moving away from outdated technologies. However, it is important to remember that everything new does not always mean the best, so it is better not to experiment when it comes to caring for a child. It is up to the parents themselves to decide whether to swaddle the baby or not, based on the behavior and health of the child. No need to blindly follow fashion, choose the "golden mean".

Let's figure out until what age to swaddle a child? There is no single answer. Older women call for tight swaddling, but on the street you can often see how babies easily use their arms and legs.

At first, parents swaddle so that the baby is comfortable, he sleeps soundly. Each mother decides for herself whether swaddling is necessary for a newborn and for how many months it should be continued.

First, let's dispel the myths that for a very long time were considered arguments for long tight swaddling.

It is necessary to wrap the newborn for a long time so that there are even legs. In fact, the evenness of the legs depends on heredity, proper nutrition, and physical development. The child has crooked legs - the reason, rather, is a lack of vitamin D.
A wrapped baby is warmer. On the one hand, yes, on the other hand, tight wrapping does not allow a small body to learn to adapt to temperature changes, and the skin to breathe freely.
If the baby is wrapped for a long time, he will not have the tone of the limbs. In fact, tight wrapping significantly violates the natural position of the body.
A wrapped baby sleeps better. One can partly agree with this, the newborn does not wake himself up with his hands. It is also known that the cause of sudden movements during sleep is overexcitation or the presence of neurological problems. It is recommended to eliminate them not with the help of diapers, but with medicines, medical procedures.

Entire generations have grown up on such myths, which in reality have no explanation or medical justification.

Modern views

Staying in the mother's tummy, the baby was in a comfortable, warm and cozy space for 9 months. After birth, the baby cannot quickly adapt to external conditions, and when wrapped up, he calms down, falling into a dream.

For full adaptation, a certain period is needed, it can last from 4 weeks to six months. Its duration depends on several factors.

One of them is temperament. Some babies are quite active, others are calm. In an energetic baby, wrapping up will be an obstacle to play and development. If a newborn wakes himself up with his hands, it is recommended to wrap him up at night, put on blouses and overalls when awake.

Calm babies feel comfortable after wrapping, swaddle them until they want more freedom.

Until how many months

After birth, the adaptation period ranges from 7 days to six months. Based on the recommendations of doctors, you need to swaddle:

newborns under 1 month old;
active babies who do not let themselves sleep with their hands;
nervous babies.

Later, you can swaddle the newborn, leaving the arms free. When the baby is awake, it is advisable not to wrap him up, put on sliders, a blouse. To prevent the child from scratching himself with handles, you can use a vest with special sleeves or scratch mittens. In any case, the first 2-3 months the newborn is calmer after swaddling, because now the main occupation is only sleep and food.

At 3 months, the baby begins to actively move the legs and arms, the restriction of freedom can provoke inhibition of the proper development of the limbs. From this moment, it is advisable to wrap the baby only for the period of night sleep, during the day it is recommended to carry out free swaddling. However, everything is individual here. Activity, well-being, temperament of the baby should be taken into account. Sometimes a 4-month-old baby can easily undress, another will be able to do this by reaching six months.

Upon reaching 5 months, children begin to try to sit down and if further wrapping is continued, the baby will master this skill later.

Swaddling at night

How many babies to wrap up at night? Each individual has an individual period, it depends on whether the child continues to raise his arms. The awareness of the newborn of their limbs occurs approximately in one month. Throwing up by this time is weakening, the baby is waking up less and less from its own movements.

Observe how and how much a newborn baby sleeps: he twitches his limbs or sleeps only with his hands free. If the baby constantly twirls his legs or arms, wakes up from this, is nervous, he still needs to be wrapped up at night.

When to finish

By 3 months, the baby begins to move more during sleep. The diaper restricting movement can cause awakening. If the baby shows anxiety after wrapping, his hands should be left free.

Pediatricians unanimously argue: after 3 months, diapers should be gradually abandoned. If the baby does not fall asleep without them, you need to wrap him freely.

In any case, the mother herself must decide until what age to continue wrapping. The baby, which has received freedom of movement, requires special attention, safe conditions, with excessive activity, it can fall and be injured.

Is your child comfortable sleeping wrapped up? You can swaddle him for up to six months, given one important factor: restriction of freedom of movement in children older than 6 months may cause slow development, impaired coordination. For babies of this age, free swaddling or its imitation is allowed.

In Russian maternity hospitals, babies are often taken away from their mother after birth and swaddled tightly, and only then they are given in their arms. Is it correct?

To the question "Is it possible NOT to swaddle a newborn?" answers Daria Utkina - psychologist, doula Très bébé class.

Yes, of course you can. There are many children who have grown up without ever being swaddled.

If we talk about swaddling in general, now the general trend in the world is to swaddle again. However, not the way they still swaddle in Russian maternity hospitals - in four layers of a "soldier", when only the face is visible - but simply wrapped in a soft diaper or blanket so that the baby simply does not harm himself when waving his arms in different directions. Moreover, swaddling gives him a greater sense of security, because the sensations are similar to those that he experienced in the womb, when he was surrounded by amniotic fluid, and there was a fairly safe space around, like a cocoon. According to this principle, a device called Cocoonababy was created not so long ago - such a “nest”, “cocoon”, in which the baby is placed, and he physiologically assumes a position similar to the position in the stomach. Also on the market, in addition to various designer diapers and classic rectangular ones, now there are many diapers for inexperienced parents - for example, with zippers or Velcro. They greatly simplify the process of swaddling for mom.

On the one hand, there is a trend to bring swaddling back. On the other hand, the very tendency to NOT swaddle babies appeared because, for example, in Russian maternity hospitals, babies were usually taken away from their mother immediately after birth and swaddled tightly, and only then they were given in their arms and applied to the chest. However, a newborn baby needs to keep warm, because his thermoregulation system is still imperfect. In turn, the World Health Organization has long released guidelines on what to do with the baby after childbirth. It is quite clearly stated in them that it is necessary to save heat, but the mother warms it perfectly, so it is enough to put the child on her chest and cover it with a warm blanket on top. A very important point is skin-to-skin contact, during which the correct bacterial flora is transmitted. More and more scientific research is coming out about how important this is. So immediately after childbirth it is better not to swaddle, and after a few hours or the next day it is better to swaddle, but not with a “soldier”, but freely.

It has long been proven that too hard and tight swaddling, when they try to “stretch” the baby, just harms the process of forming his skeleton and causes problems with the hip joints. This is familiar to the generation of the 70s and 80s, when the kids were in struts, and their legs were in about the same position as if the baby was put in a sling - set apart with their knees up.

The material was prepared jointly in the service of questions and answers

Time is running fast, and your baby is growing by leaps and bounds. It seemed that he was born only yesterday, but three whole months have already passed, and he has already grown up, you think that it's time to teach the baby to fall asleep without diapers. How to be? How to teach a child to sleep "like an adult"?

All the impressions that the child absorbs during wakefulness are accumulated and involuntarily "reproduced" in a dream. The nervous system of a newborn is not yet completely formed and reflexes are not controlled while he is sleeping, and therefore the baby moves involuntarily. The sleep of the crumbs depends on its genetic and individual qualities and character. The more active the baby, the more often he wakes up due to the fact that he can move freely in his sleep. The child often shudders, moves his arms sharply and therefore wakes himself up.

Calmer babies, respectively, sleep more soundly, and therefore the need for swaddling such children is much less. It also happens that kids like and feel more comfortable. These babies sleep better than those who are used to sleeping on their side or back. They do not wake themselves up with the movement of arms and legs and do not require swaddling from birth.

Sleep as an important part of the life of a newborn

Contrary to the opinion of child psychologists that newborns simply need warmth, affection and the participation of their parents, some mothers believe that it is possible to teach a baby to sleep on his own without taking him in his arms. Let him, they say, scream for a couple of nights, and then he will get used to falling asleep on his own, there is nothing, they say, to accustom him to hands.

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to hear from parents: “I will not rock and swaddle him. Let him cry for a couple of nights, then he himself will fall asleep. Or: “I let him cry - he will stop anyway. He shows character!

But what can such an attitude lead to? Definitely - to a bad dream and undermining trust in parents. The child understands only one thing: that he is all alone, that no one sympathizes with him. Remember: the most likely outcome of the yelling method is a shattered psyche of the child.

The baby, who has just stepped into this world, needs the protection and love of his parents, and he can get this only when he is picked up and warmed.

The information that the baby receives in the first months of life at the moment of activity is processed by him in a dream, and therefore the moment of falling asleep is very important for a child at this age. Impressions received at the moment of wakefulness can become a “brake” and affect the process of falling asleep. Mom needs to help the baby fall asleep. Sleep in the first months of the life of a small person is an important component of the psychological and physical development of the child.

While the baby is resting, he has:

the nervous system as a whole and brain neurons in particular are formed;
hormonal growth is activated;
there is a "setting" of a clear and correct operation of the nervous system;
the speech and motor apparatus is formed;
there is a balanced mental development.

Even adults cannot feel alert and healthy if they do not sleep well. What then to say about the baby. In order for the child to grow and develop properly, it is necessary to provide him with a full and proper sleep. It is unacceptable to disturb the rest of the baby and thereby deprive him of normal psychophysiological development.

We also read:

5 ways to teach your baby to fall asleep without swaddling

Now that it is clear what role sleep plays in the life of a baby, it is necessary to answer the question of when and how to teach a baby to sleep without swaddling and should he be rocked when laying down? Of course, there are many more ways to accustom a baby to “adult” sleep. Everything will depend on the nature of the baby and the patience of the mother. Experienced mothers advise:

You can start with free swaddling, slightly tightening the child's arms so that in a dream he can free himself. Further, do not swaddle him during daytime sleep, and subsequently refuse to swaddle at night;
At night, you can carefully unfold the baby and put him next to you on your bed, covering the baby with a blanket;
You can immediately put the baby with you without wrapping it in diapers. After a while, he will get used to sleeping undressed.

We also read:

To swaddle or not to swaddle your baby?

Moms take note!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me, but I’ll write about it))) But I have nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too ...

By the age of three months, the baby is already growing so much that the mother hardly wraps it completely. The activity of the baby does not allow him to fall asleep quickly, so you just need to start the process of weaning from diapers. But how to do that? Quickly, cutting off all escape routes and resolving this issue in one fell swoop, or gradually?

There is no single answer to this question. Everything is decided individually. You need to decide this issue yourself by trying several methods and choosing the one that suits you best. But the main thing in this difficult matter is still the patience of the mother. Patience and, of course, love.

Here are 5 basic tricks to wean your baby from swaddling:

We fall asleep in my mother's arms. There is an opinion that a baby should not be taught to fall asleep in his mother’s arms, this will become a “bad habit” and an extra waste of energy for the mother. Nothing like this. Mom's hands are protection, and falling asleep on them, the newborn feels safe. But if you are afraid that the child will never be able to become “independent” and fall asleep without your presence, then you can put him to bed without waiting for the stage of deep sleep, but do not go far. And if the child wakes up, then calm him down, making it clear that you are nearby.
We sleep with mom. Mothers also get tired and want to rest . So why not put the baby next to you? Mom's warmth, her smell, the beating of the heart and mother's hands will quickly calm the baby, and he will fall asleep peacefully. Later, you can transfer him to the crib and cover him with a blanket, just as he was covered when he slept next to his mother. This method will teach him.
The gradual attainment of freedom. This method of gradual weaning from the "fetters" of diapers is quite effective and suitable for patient mothers. It is necessary to loosen the swaddling every time, watching the sleep of the crumbs. Mom's patience will be rewarded. Soon the child will get used to sleeping in an unfolded diaper, not only during the day, but also at night.
We are tourists. For a child during sleep, the main thing is warmth and comfort. It is quite possible to replace the diaper with a blanket, folding it with an envelope. You can use a real children's sleeping bag or. It is clear that being in a blanket that is too warm all the time is harmful for the baby, and therefore the mother can unzip the bag and give freedom to the little “tourist”. This way of "not swaddling" rescued more than one mother.
We hold pens. This method of weaning from diapers is also for diligent and patient mothers. Perseverance will help to be close to the baby and hold his hands while he falls asleep. And since the time for falling asleep for all babies is different, then mothers should have plenty of patience. You can remove your hands only when you are convinced that the baby is sound asleep. But even then you should not go far from him. After all, he may inadvertently wake himself up, and then you will need to calm him down with a quiet whisper and again put your hands on his arms.

Well, each mother chooses for herself how to wean her baby from swaddling and decides for herself what is better and more comfortable for her and her child - fast or slow weaning. Some babies, for example, fall asleep quickly during motion sickness. But not all mothers are for this way of accustoming to sleep. What to do, do you need motion sickness or can you do without it?

It is believed that by the age of three months, the cognitive activity of the crumbs is growing, the diaper hinders his movements - as a result, development slows down. In fact, it is necessary to turn again to the individual characteristics of the child. If he sleeps much more soundly in a diaper, it means that it is convenient for him. And it's so much better than constantly waking up all night and then freaking out during the day (just because the parents suddenly decided to stop using the diaper).

To rock or not to rock: looking for a compromise

Let's start with the fact that while still pregnant, my mother involuntarily rocked her baby while walking. And so the baby, when already born, psychologically perceives pitching as a rhythm of calm. From ancient times to the present day, the tradition of rocking babies in cradles, cradles or carrying them on oneself has come down. Indeed, while walking, the child, being on the chest or on the back of the mother, feels calm not only because of the warmth emanating from the mother, but also from the rhythmic swaying.

In general, rhythm, as such, plays an important role in the psychological formation of the child. It not only gives the baby confidence and security, but also balances the work of all organs, including the work of the brain. But constant, erratic and intense pitching will not benefit the baby. You should always remember that you are not preparing a child to become an astronaut, and be moderate in your aspirations to put the baby to sleep by any means. Moreover, not all children love to be rocked.

Each mother has her own way of rocking and lulling the baby. Someone wears a baby in her arms, and someone -, someone in cradles Older children can be put to sleep by swaying in special swings. When the child falls asleep, the mother shifts him either to the crib or to her bed, or you can shift it in other ways. After all, not all children immediately fall asleep soundly and therefore they can:

Transfer in 2 steps. Lay first in your bed, and then, making sure that the baby is sleeping - in the baby's crib;
Lay at half sleep. As soon as the child begins to doze, he can immediately be put to bed. Well, if instead of a crib there is a cradle, and it can be shaken. If not, you can quietly sing a lullaby.
Always be nearby. You can put the child on the sofa or in his crib, and just sit next to him, holding the baby by the hand;
Help relieve stress. Light strokes on the back will help the little man relax and fall asleep.

True, there are cases when children who have been transferred to a crib suddenly wake up and, not seeing their mother nearby, cry. What to do? Most importantly, do not ignore this crying, believing that the child himself will be able to calm down; you should not injure the psyche of the crumbs and make him think that he was abandoned. Approach the baby and calm him down, let him know that you are there. Over time, he will get used to this thought and learn to fall asleep on his own.

If the child is excitable or hyperactive, wakes up immediately after motion sickness and cannot fall asleep for a long time, then do not be discouraged, this will pass with time. The main thing for such children is to be near them and teach them to remain calm after motion sickness. This will help your personal example and the development of a certain ritual of going to bed. A bedtime story or a lullaby will soothe and relax the baby, and a soft toy under the flank will instill confidence and a sense of security in him.

Tip: Enter a bedtime ritual. Up to 1.5 years, this is bathing, feeding, motion sickness to a lullaby. From 1.5 years old - “lay down” your favorite toy, take a dip in a warm bath with herbs, listen to a short good fairy tale or a quiet song, take a soft toy “guardian” with you (already without motion sickness). The longest and most consistent ritual should be for excitable children - so as not to disturb sleep.

The high excitability of a child can be a problem for the whole family. For example, after some time after rocking on his hands and a seemingly calm transition to sleep, the baby suddenly wakes up, gets on all fours, sits down or crawls quickly. Such phenomena do not need to be treated, they disappear in the course of natural development. But if the baby has been sleeping restlessly for a long time and this is accompanied by other disturbing behavioral phenomena (not only at night, but also during the day), it is better to consult a specialist.

Well, weaning the child from swaddling and motion sickness, you should be patient and understanding. Your baby is still very hard to perceive any changes, and therefore for him these changes will be one of the first steps in his long life. And it is necessary to help take the first step as tactfully and accurately as possible. Otherwise, you can injure the still fragile child's psyche.

Nipples, diapers, undershirts are indispensable attributes for the mother of a newborn baby, right?

Unfortunately, it's not always true. A modern mother increasingly refuses to swaddle her newborn baby, considering this a relic of the past.

Personally for such mothers, I am writing this article. Diapers, at least in the first weeks, the child definitely needs. Why? Until what age to swaddle a baby? Let's consider in more detail.

What are diapers for?

Of course, a newborn in tiny blouses and panties looks very touching. But this is not a determining indicator for refusing to swaddle.

It is much more important to create the right, comfortable conditions for the baby: physiological and psychological. Swaddling here is a great helper:

In the first weeks, a newborn learns to live in new conditions: he needs to understand, feel and get used to the fact that now everything around him is not the same as it was in his mother's tummy;

But this transition is not easy for a small organism. Therefore, it is important to ensure gradualness. Swaddling helps to recreate the cramped conditions in which the baby used to be before birth.

The newborn has practically no heat exchange, so swaddling will help to keep the natural warmth of his body (by the way, see the article Temperature in the room for the newborn >>>);
Due to the immaturity of the nervous system, almost all newborns often throw up their hands in a dream, get scared of this and wake up;

Diapers will help eliminate this cause of frequent awakenings, allowing the baby to calmly restore strength, which is now depleted very quickly.

Many mothers will object:

Swaddling a newborn prevents the development of coordination of arms and legs, the normalization of muscle hypertonicity (read an important article on the topic: Hypertonicity in a newborn >>>);
Interferes with restful sleep - the child fidgets until at least one handle is released;
It is addictive - then it is difficult to wean a child (far from a newborn) ...

In fact, many of these are myths that have not been confirmed by research.

Often we are talking about tight, "Soviet" swaddling - here, indeed, there is more harm than good.

And now let's figure out until what age you need to swaddle a child.

Immediately after birth

At least 3 weeks after birth, the newborn needs to recreate conditions resembling those in utero.

Therefore, to the question - up to what age newborns are swaddled - I answer: full swaddling must be carried out up to 20 days after the baby is born.

You will see for yourself that it becomes uncomfortable for the baby to stay awake swaddled and the time has come for release.

The kid will really begin to fidget, act up to pull out the handles. After all, he needs to develop their coordination, mobility, tactile sensations. Nature tells him when the time has come;

Therefore, after 3 weeks, you can leave unswaddled hands between dreams: let him get used to feeling them, moving, feeling touches to the objects around him;
If the baby suffers from colic, then swaddling can be left for a longer period. It helps many babies and they quickly calm down and relax;

How else can you help your baby with colic, see Soft Tummy >>>

As for the legs, they are still left in diapers all the time: it is quite difficult for a newborn to feel and track the movements of the arms and legs at the same time. He will only get scared and cry.

By about 40 days after birth, while awake, you can already put on pants - remove diapers.

By one and a half months, newborns usually get used to their hands, so they are able to “accept” the new sensations of the legs. Soon you will stop swaddling your baby for daytime sleep.

Know! With this approach, the baby adapts to a new environment for himself gently, painlessly. Wake time is gradually increasing, waving limbs or sucking fists is now a productive pastime.

And what to do with the night?

Indeed, night sleep is different from daytime sleep. First of all - the absence of any kind of lighting. The child cannot see what he hit himself with if he throws up his hands in a dream.

He won't even realize he did it himself. So he gets scared and cries. So until what age should a baby be swaddled at night?

Until he ceases to actively move his limbs in his sleep, to be afraid of this, and also to need a sense of limited space.

And here, dear mothers, everything is individual. Some babies do not need to be swaddled at 2 - 3 months, others need it at 5 or even 6 months - it gives them a feeling of peace and security.

Especially if the child was born prematurely (and his biological systems mature late) or has neurological problems (and therefore, by definition, sleeps restlessly).