How to swaddle children: advice to young mothers

"Swaddle tight, or the legs will be crooked!"; "Scribe tightly so that you know who the master is in the house!" - these tips our grandmothers seem to us, young mothers, remnants of the past. There is also a diametrically opposite point of view, which argues that it is not necessary to swaddle at all: they say, this is a restriction of the child's personality freedom , which prevents him from developing. Our point of view is this: swaddling can and should be done, but not as the previous generation did. Now the benefit of free swaddling is proved. What is it and how to swaddle the children correctly - our material will tell.

So, tight swaddling is not only a relic of the past, but also a dangerous action: neonatologists have proved the connection of tight swaddling with dislocations of the hip joints in infants. However, it is necessary to swaddle a child at least in the first month of life. Imagine yourself on the spot of the baby: for nine months you grew up in a warm and cozy limited and slightly cramped space, and now you were born. Legs and hands chaotically move, the kid is scared, and many children also wake up in a dream with their movements. If you swaddle a child, he gets the impression that he is still in the uterus, in a confined space, and the first movements will not scare him. In the whole world, so-called free swaddling is now practiced .

How to swaddle the children?

Before you begin to swaddle, prepare a comfortable flat surface (ideally - changing table), two diapers (cotton and flannel) and a diaper (gauze or disposable). Newborns can be swaddled with handles (completely the entire body) or to the level of the armpits, leaving the handles free.

If you use a gauze diaper, calculate the correct number of diapers that you will need per day, taking into account the drying time.

The entire period of the newborn (up to 28 days after birth) of the diaper should not only be carefully washed, but also ironed with a hot iron on both sides.

Up to what age do you swaddle a child?

Most experts agree that swaddling a child needs up to 1 month. It is after this age that he begins to actively explore his body, arms, legs. There is motor activity, awareness of one's body in space. Diaper will inhibit physical and psychological development. However, some children may show discontent with swaddling and at two weeks of age: the baby will cry until you remove the diaper, or try to release the handles. For other children, swaddling is necessary for restful sleep for up to three months. Look at your child and remember that his needs are individual.

Now on sale there are also diapers on Velcro. When using them, you do not need to think about how to swaddle children: you simply put the baby on one part of the product, cover the other and button up.

Do not swaddle the child tight, it does not affect the curvature of the legs!

So, back to how to swaddle the children correctly. The room should not be cold. If indoor or outdoor is very hot, use only one or two cotton diapers.

Place a warm, then thin diaper on the table. Place the baby on them so that his neck is where the upper edge of the two diapers is. One side edge wraps under the baby's handle, then wrap the second edge around the entire body. Lower the free edge spread slightly to the sides, tuck it back and wrap one edge in the other. This is the Russian method of swaddling: when the diaper is horizontal with respect to the baby.

In Europe and the United States, another scheme for how to swaddle a child. Photos you can see below:

If you are shrouding your armpits, put newborns on "scratches" and watch for his nails.