2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21
Swaddling a newborn is a tradition developed over the years. However, more and more modern parents prefer to "liberate" babies from the first days of life. Those who decide to swaddle a baby should know how to do it right.
A bit of history
Since ancient times, there has been a tradition of "twisting" babies. This method continued to be used well into the 20th century. Often this was a forced measure. In the post-war years, women had to go to work almost immediately after giving birth. The kids were admitted to a special nursery. With the help of diapers, medical staff were able to quickly wrap babies. This way the kids stay warm. Yes, and washing cuts of matter was easier than sliders and blouses. Then a special technique was used for swaddling a newborn, allowing you to wrap both the body of the baby and the head.
The need for swaddling remained in the first days after childbirth. After all, diapers did not exist, and it was not always possible to quickly change clothes. And again diapers came to the rescue. The debate about the need for swaddling began in recent decades, whendisposable diapers available.
Despite this, and today many prefer to stick to the tradition developed over the years. "Scheme of swaddling a newborn" is a mandatory topic in almost any school of maternity at the antenatal clinic. Young mothers strive to study the issue already in the first months of pregnancy.
Benefits of swaddling
Why do many people decide to limit the baby's movements? Many experts believe that in this way the child will feel more comfortable from a psychological point of view. A baby who has just been born is used to the limitation of space in the mother's womb. Proper swaddling of a newborn will ensure peaceful nights in the first days after childbirth. However, it should be understood that the diaper will not be able to protect against the discomfort associated with hunger or a dirty diaper.
Many grandmothers advocate tight swaddling. They are sure that a free baby is much more likely to have an incorrect body formation. It is not uncommon to hear the saying “if you don’t swaddle, the legs will be crooked.” There is absolutely no basis for this assertion. The curvature of the legs develops at the stage when the baby begins to stand and walk. Curvature may be associated with rickets, but not with the lack of swaddling. However, tight swaddling has its benefits. If you fix the legs and arms of the baby, he will sleep more peacefully, he will not scare himself with chaotic movements.
Arguments against
Many modern experts oppose swaddling a newborn baby. ATthe baby feels free in sliders and a blouse, can make any movements, develops faster in the physical plane. In addition, many pediatricians point out that sleeping on the stomach is very useful for colic. And the baby will not be able to sleep in this position when swaddling.
Many babies in the first months of life cannot easily endure simple hygiene procedures (cutting their nails, cleaning their ears). Parents have to solve such problems when the baby is sleeping. In this case, again, diapers will have to be abandoned.
Giving up diapers has many advantages from an aesthetic point of view. Modern children's stores offer a huge selection of clothes for babies in the first days of life. Parents can "fancy" immediately after discharge from the hospital. And thanks to disposable diapers, you don't have to change clothes every hour.
Closed swaddling
This newborn swaddling pattern is the most common. This is the method used in medical institutions. The work uses only a cap, a vest and a diaper. The technique is universal, suitable for both feeding the baby and sleeping.
First of all, you need to put on a cap and a baby's undershirt, smooth out the wrinkles on the back. You can calm the baby when swaddling with the help of songs or a story. In the warm season, it is recommended to use a chintz diaper. In winter, flannel material is ideal. Knitted diapers are also popular. They are very warm and easy enoughfixed.
To perform closed swaddling, the diaper is laid in a rectangle. The baby should be laid so that the edge of the diaper is at neck level. The material wraps around the baby's body and is fixed under the back. The bottom edge is folded last.
Open swaddling
This pattern of swaddling a newborn is almost the same as the previous one. The only difference is that the edge of the diaper is placed at the level of the belt. Thus, only the legs of the baby are fixed, and the arms remain free. This method is great for staying awake. The child feels more free. This keeps your feet warm.
Open swaddling of a newborn is advisable to apply until 4-6 months, when the baby still lies a lot and does not show interest in movement. However, some babies begin to roll over very quickly, and the whole structure stops holding.
Tight swaddling
If we consider the advantages of swaddling a newborn, then this method will be most preferable if parents are in favor of restful sleep. The technique makes it possible to completely immobilize the baby. The child will not be able to fully move his legs and arms, so he will not wake himself up with chaotic movements.
Previously, it was believed that such swaddling contributes to the correct orthopedic development of the child, the alignment of the legs. However, later the technique was abandoned in maternity hospitals. Moreover, improper tight swaddling can lead to a delaypsychoemotional development of the baby and violation of air ventilation.
Wide swaddling
Such a scheme of swaddling a newborn by many young parents is still used today. The bottom line is that a child in a diaper can take any physiological position, calmly move both arms and legs. The technique is ideal for walking on the street or staying awake at home. The baby can be immersed in the diaper completely (with handles) or partially (up to the waist).
During wide swaddling, the baby can take the frog pose. It is natural for most babies in the first months of life. Specialists can prescribe wide swaddling for hip dysplasia.
This is the most "humane" method of swaddling a newborn. A photo of the swaddling pattern can be seen below.
Swaddling "diaper"
What did parents do twenty years ago when diapers were out of the question? Then homemade gauze diapers were used, which were quickly washed and dried. And young mothers had to learn the swaddling technique very quickly. Making a disposable diaper is pretty easy. You need to take gauze and put a triangle out of it with sides of about 30 cm in 4-5 layers. In this triangle, the baby is swaddled.
This option is used by many young parents today. Avoid disposable diapers at home. Baby's skin needs to breathe. Gauze diapers are also recommended if there are rashes on the baby's skin.or diaper rash.
Swaddling with head
This newborn swaddling scheme is ideal for the first months after childbirth, when the baby spends most of his time sleeping. The diaper is spread out in a rectangle and the baby is placed across. The edge of the material should be well above the head of the newborn.
Initially, it is necessary to wrap the baby's head, bring the free edge of the material under the arm. The same is done on the other side. For a tighter fixation, a second, denser diaper is superimposed over a thin diaper.
Swaddling in a blanket
Regardless of what types of swaddling a newborn is used, when walking outside, you will have to additionally use a blanket. The exception may be too hot days. But even on summer evenings, the baby should be wrapped in a thin blanket. It is important to focus on weather conditions and air temperature.
Initially, the baby can be dressed in a blouse and sliders, or use one of the swaddling methods described above. Next, a blanket or blanket is spread out in a rhombus, the baby is laid in the middle. Wrapping must be carried out according to the principle of closed swaddling. You can fix the design with a scarf or ribbon. One corner of the blanket can serve as a kind of hood. It will protect the baby from the wind and direct sunlight during sleep.
How to choose a diaper?
Despite the fact that many parents today respond to swaddling, everything you need for this procedure can be found in specializedchildren's stores. We have a wide range of diapers in standard sizes. The most common is chintz and flannel material. In winter, flannelette and knitted terry diapers are also popular.
Which material to choose? Everything depends on weather conditions. It is also worth remembering that cotton diapers dry out much faster. Thin material can be used instead of gauze diapers.
How long to swaddle a baby?
Any method of swaddling a newborn can be used up to 6 months. However, practice shows that it is most advisable to do this up to 2-3 months, while the baby sleeps most of his time. Every day the baby becomes more and more active. He needs free arms and legs to explore the world and fully develop physically.
Very convenient is night swaddling. It can be used up to 8-9 months. Being in a constrained state, according to the reviews of young parents, babies sleep better. They get enough sleep, so they behave more calmly during daytime wakefulness.
Safety
For swaddling, you must use a special table suitable for the growth of parents. It is absolutely impossible to leave a baby here unattended. During the manipulations, you need to ensure that rough folds do not form on the vest and the diaper itself, which will rub the delicate skin of the crumbs.
You can't swaddle your baby too tight. This can lead to impaired blood flow. It is strictly forbidden to tie knots around the child's neck. If there is no confidence in the correctness of swaddling, such manipulations should be abandoned.
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