Why is swaddling important?

Question

how does swaddling affect the baby's comfort?

Answer 1

It gives them comfort and they think they are still wrapped up inside your womb. It makes them sleep easier too.  I swaddled my little girl for a short while.  I then wrapped her up with her hands exposed up by her face as I was told in hospital that they like to feel their face!  Once I stopped swaddling, I used Grobags.  You then get peace of mind knowing that theyre still wrapped up and that they wont get cold in the night!

Answer 2

They are used to the close confines of the uterus inside mom, so being wrapped up nice & snug feels familiar to them. :)

Answer 3

When babies are still young they still have the startle reflex. This is where they suddenly spred their arms out in a startled fashion. If you swaddle them they won't do this and also it is comforting for them because they have been used to being nice and cosy inside their Mummys tummy.

Having said all that, I had a baby in April and was advised not to swadle my baby because it can cause over heating. Everyone did it 4 years ago when I had my son but now they're saying not to. Go figure. You just do your own thing anyway.

Answer 4

Think about it--a baby was wrapped up tightly in the womb for 9 months.  They love to be wrapped; it makes them feel secure.  Their nervous systems are also not quite mature when born, so they jerk involuntarily.  Swaddling also helps with this.  My newborn sleeps so much better when swaddled.

Answer 5

Like the others said, being swaddled is like being back in the womb, which is very familiar to newborns.  Also, they move their limbs but not entirely on purpose at this point.  It can be a little scary for them.  Swaddling helps them feel secure.

With that said, if you find swaddling doesn't comfort your newborn, don't sweat it.  After the first couple of weeks, my daughter hated being swaddled.  She learned how to get her arms out FAST.  She never really enjoyed it and it never really comforted her.  

Answer 6

babies are used to being confined, wrapping them makes them soothed because it reminds them of the womb.  They also are not used to the spastic movements of the arms and legs and it can upset them to feel the movement

Answer 7

It isn't important for all babies, but I found for my twins that it was a necessity!

It helped them to feel close and secure.  By wrapping their arms and restricting their movement they weren't bothered by their startle reflex which is natural at that age.

Very, very, few babies hate being swaddled.  It's just that many people swaddle incorrectly and babies hate being swaddled improperly.  The natural instinct is to fight their way out of it but if they're swaddled properly then they can't fight their way out of it and they relax.

I loved swaddling.  I swaddled my twins for sleep until they didn't need it anymore.

One of them slept swaddled for 6 months and the other for 7 months.