Swaddling?

[goatlady]

Swaddling seems to be a standard hospital practice, so now I've gotta question it. LOL Isn't skin to skin much better than swaddling a baby? So is swaddling a good thing to do?

[kerikadi]

Skin to skin is great but there isn't anything wrong with swaddling either. The time will come when you will need to put your baby down to go to the bathroom, take a shower, eat a meal etc - during this time they are often times happier swaddled.
Also I was HOT for at least a week after giving birth and wanted the ceiling fan on so it was best for baby to be covered with a blanket so the draft didn't make him/her too cool.

Keri

[alegna]

My dd never tolerated swaddling.

-Angela

[mary3mama]

Skin to skin is great, but some babies are more comforted by swaddling. My first DS would startle himself very easily by his own movements. Swaddling seemed to be what he really needed for the first several weeks.

DS#2 really would have none of that swaddling stuff...but he didn't startle as easily either.

[RootBeerFloat]

I think skin to skin is the BEST in terms of bonding and stimulating lactation. For soothing, that depends on the baby. DD HATED being naked for months after she was born and swaddling was very soothing to her at times. Other kids hate being swaddled and it doesn't work at all.

I don't like alot of Harvey Karp's stuff, but his book and video (the video was more useful IMO) for The Happiest Baby on the Block is really useful for learning swaddling and soothing techniques. Some of it is junk (he advocates the use of a pacifier, for example), but some of it was really helpful for us.

A great compromise is babywearing. I wore DD in a stretchy wrap sling day and night for a long time after she was born. I used a front wrap cross carry, so she was upright with her ear against my heart. It was pretty snug and she was right next to me (although I wore a thin shirt because she would sweat terribly next to my skin). It simulates the womb environment (like a swaddle does, but better) and was so, so soothing for her. I highly recommend it.

[CrunchyKat]

My baby HATED swaddling! I always had her skin to skin and wrapped blankets around us both!

[Isaac'sMa]

Depends on the child, I think!

[MonicaS]

My 1st two were born in the hosp, so naturally they were swaddled by the nurses. That just carried over to home. It didn't occur to me until months after my homebirth that my homebirthed baby had never ever been swaddled. We never thought about it at all. We managed just fine, so I guess it's not totally necessary. We used blankets, but we didn't try to swaddle her for swaddling's sake, kwim?

[MamaTaraX]

My3rd baby (1st homebirth) spent his first three days naked, cuddled with me or covered lightly witha blanket. Then he suddenly startednursing very very badly. My midwife suggested swaddling him to pin his arms down...and it worked!! There's nothing wrong with swaddling, IMHO. Not right out of the womb though. Onto mama first

Namaste, Tara

[Mama Poot]

DS enjoyed being swaddled but only if Daddy did the swaddling. If anyone else did it, they did it wrong and he would scream and scream. He also hated that stupid shirt that covered his hands. Don't let anyone put those shirts on your baby. Baby needs to be able to suck on his fingers if he wants to. Not allowing them to do this can cause breastfeeding problems. If you're worried about sharp little nails, get a baby clipper and clip them. DS only liked being swaddled for about 6-8 weeks, and then he would kick everything off. He is 10 months old now and would love to go around naked everywhere if I let him

[Earthylady]

Neither one of my kids have liked being swaddled. DD was frank breech and we tried swaddling her to keep her legs down and she hated it. DS hated having his arms pinned down. We just learned to keep them covered up as best as we could when holding them.

[blissful_maia]

Definitely varies from child to child. Of course, there is nothing wrong with swaddling if it doesn't replace any other forms of contact that you would otherwise have with your baby! My dd loved being swaddled sometimes, mostly when she just wanted to be held after just having nursed etc. She was a bit jumpy and would wake herself up with her little twitches and jerks. (Sigh... I can't wait until this babe is born! ). I guess it could be compared to being carried in a wrap-type sling... comforting to babes, but they still do need that time to stretch out and be free!

[rad]

DS #1 hated being swaddled. DD and DS#2 just loved it the first few weeks after birth. They'd both always jerk themselves awake, so the swaddling seemed to sooth them when I couldn't be holding them.

[mamamilkers]

My two year old LOVED being swaddled. I had to wean her from it! She still asks to be "wrapped up" to this day, however her blankie is no where near big enough to really swaddle her

In the hospital she was put directly on my chest right after birth, then taken away to have all the stuff done and brought back all swaddled up. She definitely benefited from it. From that day on first the first several months the only way to calm her down would be to swaddle and bounce her!

[megjo]

My kids especially liked to be swaddled in the their bath. Sometimes their movements would make the water splash and in return they would startle and the cycle goes all over again. They calmed right down if you have a blanket around them. Sounds weird but it worked for me. Other than that, I sling 'em, and sleep with them, so swaddling wasn't necessary. Skin to skin is always better for nursing. They like to feel your warmth on their hands and chest. I also think it helps with letdown.