Is It OK To Keep Baby Swaddled While Feeding?

New parents live through the whole unique experience of parenthood with the arrival of their little bundle of joy. They try and make every possible effort to make this overwhelming experience worthwhile. Swaddling is, therefore, one of those first efforts that they embark on to make their baby’s introduction to the outside world more pleasant and comfortable.

It is an age-old practice of imitating a cozy environment of a mother’s womb for the child to let him feel the same warmth and protection. While practicing this swaddling techniques, parents frequently ask specific questions concerning baby swaddle cloth like is it ok to keep baby swaddled while feeding? How to use swaddle blankets? Do babies wear anything under swaddle? Etc.

We will now guide you through the things that you should avoid and help you with the proper way to swaddle your baby.

Do all babies like to be swaddled?

Every child is different from another, and so are their preferences. Like a mother’s womb, babies like swaddling to achieve warmth and comfort, but some babies dislike getting enclosed. They want to move their limbs freely and sleep, keeping their arms out.

So for the parents who question, do all babies like to be swaddled? Even if it is the opposite case with your child, you can relax as long as he is happy. There are some specially designed swaddle pods such as Cocoon Swaddle Bag for such babies. They provide ample room for babies to move while still maintaining a cozy environment to have uninterrupted sleep.

Related : 7 best organic swaddle blankets

Swaddling involves wrapping the infant using a blanket or cloth. It is done in the initial months of the baby’s life and should be stopped as soon as the infant starts to roll over. An infant is swaddled to gain certain benefits, which are listed below:

• To protect the child against Startle Reflex.
• To help calm a colicky infant.
• To provide the child with uninterrupted and healthy sleep.
• To keep the baby warm while sleeping.
• To make a child feel safe and secure, similar to what he feels in his mother’s womb.
• To comfort an infant while going through any discomfort, e.g., temporary pain from vaccination.
• To save your little one from cold air and maintain his body temperature.

Is it ok to keep baby swaddled while feeding?

Although this technique seems helpful for most parents and their babies getting good nighttime sleep, what concerns parents the most is how long to swaddle the baby during the day?

Should i swaddle my baby for daytime naps? A baby swaddled for about 12-20 hours a day is perfectly fine if he is seemingly calm and content.

Offering a swaddle to your child for more than this time would probably result in certain disadvantages such as:

• As the babies transition time approaches, your child might be more reluctant to sleep without a swaddle at any time of the day.
• It would be bit tricky for you to make your baby learn to sleep without a swaddle.

The new moms might be guessing, is it ok to keep baby wrapped while feeding, and can you burp a swaddled baby? It will not recommend swaddling your baby at the time of feeding.

Should i unswaddle to breastfeed? Yes, you should always get your baby unwrapped before feeding, especially when breastfeeding whlie swaddled, due to the following reasons:

• Should i keep baby swaddled during night feedings? No, your baby may find it challenging to locate nipples without using his hands. It will not let him compress the breast when needed resulting in decreased milk flow. Your baby will not latch properly.
• You can also miss your baby’s hunger cues if his hands are enclosed, as newborns tend to lick their hands or close their fists tightly when hungry.
• Keeping your baby swaddled will make him sleep faster when nursing.

Your baby needs to have full feedings. Otherwise, he will remain fussy and dissatisfied. It may also hinder his growth.

Related : How to Teach Baby to sleep without swaddle? ( 7 Best Approaches)

Do you keep baby swaddled for dream feed?

Do babies wear anything under swaddle or you need to unwrap baby from swaddle blankets? Depending on the climate temperature and your baby’s skin sensitivity, you need to decide which material you can go for while selecting a swaddle. The different types of swaddle materials include :

• Polyester
• Jersey knit
• Cotton muslin
• Bamboo
• Fleece

What should baby wear under swaddle?

We are talking about what the baby should wear under the swaddle? Or do babies wear anything under swaddle? Then consider the following recommendations:

1. While deciding how many layers under swaddled baby? If you choose a baby swaddle cloth for your little one, you need not add more than one layer. Only a diaper under the blanket would serve the purpose.
2. If you opt for a swaddle or a sleep sack, you can make your baby wear a light cotton onesie, a short sleeve onesie, or a shirt and pajama set, depending on the temperature.
3. And if you select a swaddle pod, you will need an item of baby clothing underneath as with a swaddle sack.

It would be best if you never overheated your child by adding multiple layers of clothing. Try to select thin and breathable swaddle materials in a hot climate and warm fabrics for the colder months. You can use the tog rating to pick your baby’s right swaddle and wearables.  you can also try best swaddle for summer.

Read Also: Can You Store Breast Milk In Bottles With Nipples

How to use swaddle blankets? Swaddling techniques

It will take a 5 step process to wrap your new baby using a swaddle blankets. If your babies actively begins to move his legs and arms then it is tricky, but following these steps will help you understand how to properly swaddle a new baby?

1- Spread the blanket on a flat surface 

Find a flat surface to open your baby’s swaddling blanket. Please place it in a diamond shape.

2- Put baby on the blanket, keeping face-up from the folded corner

Fold the upper corner of the blanket a little and put down your baby on it so that his face and neck remain uncovered, which means up from the folded corner.

3- Wrap the left corner over the baby’s body

Take the left corner of the blanket and wrap it over your newborn baby, keeping his arms free straight. Cover your baby’s chest and take it to the other side to tuck it in.

4- Get the base corner up 

Take the bottom corner up over the baby’s legs covering his feet.

5- Wrap right corner and secure it

Lastly, wrap the remaining corner of the blanket over the baby keeping his right arm straight. Take it to the left side beneath the baby.

To see if your baby is wrapped correctly, you need to check for the tight-fitting of the swaddle. A two to three fingers gap between the swaddle blanket and your baby’s chest is necessary. The swaddle should not hold your baby tight enough that he feels restricted in making arms and legs movements.

In the case of swaddle sacks, draping your baby is a 2 step process that includes

1- Placing baby into the sack and securing him with zipper enclosures

2- Wrapping the arms using Velcro flaps.

Lastly, the swaddle pod is probably the easiest. Put your baby inside the pod, keep the head uncovered, and zip up to swaddle him.

How to use swaddle blankets for sleep? Avoid Sudden infant death syndrome

When you get your baby to sleep with a swaddle, do not forget to follow the below-mentioned guidelines from NHS to ensure the well-being and safety of your baby. These are the basic rules of swaddling that will also help you understand how to swaddle swaddle before or after baby falls asleep?

• Make your baby’s head straight while he sleep on his back.
• Avoid keeping any soft toys, extra pillows, or loose blankets near your swaddled baby.
• You should swaddle your baby to exclude any chance of his head getting covered. Always remember to check the fitting of the swaddle from the neck area.
• Do not wrap your baby too tightly to save him from Hip Dysplasia.
• As soon as the baby begins to flip over, you should take the initiative to stop swaddling and make him learn to sleep without it; otherwise, he will be at risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. You can start the training by keeping the baby’s arms out of the swaddle.
• You should make sure that there is enough space for the baby’s chest to expand appropriately.
• Choose natural and breathable materials to avoid any discomfort to the baby.
• You must maintain the ideal room temperature following the climate. Otherwise, your baby may either become overheated or feel a bit chilly, which can become a cause of disturbance for him.
• Hot weather sometimes causes heat rash in babies. Be very careful and try to provide them with air-conditioning in such a situation.

Read Also: Disadvantages of swaddling a baby

Can you put a swaddled baby in a car seat?

No, it would not be safe for your baby to keep him swaddled while placing him under the straps of a car seat, but yes, there is a solution to it. What you can do is:

• Put your baby in a safety seat and buckle him tightly.
• Use the swaddle blanket to cover him up from over the straps. It would help if you wrapped him by keeping baby face up, arms straight, tucking the blanket tightly beneath his legs.

It will help you not compromise on your baby’s safety and give him the feeling of ease and security.

Conclusion:

It is essential to use the method of swaddling, keeping in mind the dos and don’ts associated with it. The effort you put in to comfort your baby should serve the purpose, and your baby’s health should never be compromised. Therefore, we tried to help you understand its benefits and the potential risks that it may impose on your baby in case of ignorance.

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