There are so many reasons I recommend swaddling a baby, but let me share my top three:
Top 3 Reasons to Swaddle a Baby
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Swaddling helps baby feel safe and secure. Your baby was snuggled up in your womb for 9 months and all of a sudden feels totally exposed in wide open spaces! I imagine it’s like relaxing in a hot tub and then jumping out into the snow. It’s a shock to their little bodies and bundling them up brings that feeling of warmth and security they had in your belly.
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Swaddling helps baby stay asleep while the startle reflex is strong. The startle reflex, or “falling reflex” is when baby’s arms and legs flail as if they are having a dream about falling. If they aren’t swaddled, this can cause frequent wakings. This reflex goes away between 4-6 months.
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Swaddling is a sleep trigger — meaning it signals to baby that it’s time to sleep. The second I start to wrap my babies up, they know it’s time to relax and go to sleep.
If you have never heard of swaddling or are unsure how to swaddle a baby, check out this video or my “Swaddle” highlight on Instagram for a step-by-step video on how I swaddle my babies.
And if your baby has started rolling, read this post if you are looking to transition your baby out of a swaddle and into a sleep sack!