Swaddling

[Just Saying]

When they move out of the nursery into the big kids room. I don't allow ANY blankets in the room where a baby sleeps. I can't take the risk that an older baby will wing it into the playpen of another baby.

I have a big (many many hundreds) collection of footed jammies and sleep sacks. I just use sleep sacks or over jammies until they are old enough to move over to the other sleeping room. That's around 2 ish

Nan could you please post a picture of your sleep sacks or would you share where you purchase them.

[Country Kids]

So are we saying what they teach us at the hospitals are wrong????? I always see babies swaddled at the hospital and they teach you to do that when you get home.

A friend of mine just had twins=both under 4lbs. I believe. Both swaddled in hospital and taught to do it hat home.

I'm surprised that hospitals are teaching the wrong thing!!!! I'm wondering though if that is why little ones aren't sleeping though because then parents get home, hear not to swaddle and then babies are constently waking up do to be startled all the time.

Also the lowest tempature we are allowed to have in daycare homes here is 68 degrees. Are you allowed to have it cooler than that?

[nannyde]

Nan could you please post a picture of your sleep sacks or would you share where you purchase them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Baby-Girls-CARTERS-0-3-6-9-months-LOT-2-FLEECE-SLEEP-SACK-BAGS-/280781171822?pt=US_Baby_Toddler_Girls_Clothing&hash=item415fdcac6e

there's an example of them

I buy them off of Ebay. I only buy specific ones that I know are well made. It takes a while to find the right ones for us. The newer made ones are thiner, not wide, and not long enough. The older style ones are better. I also like the ones with the mitted sleeves.

[Sunchimes]

If swaddling isn't done correctly, it can cause hip problems when they get older. A swaddle that is tight around the hips and legs can cause dislocation. And, if it's done when they are old enough to turn over, they can smother. And blankets can come unwrapped. I think a proper swaddling method is safe, but it's too easy to do it wrong.

[MarinaVanessa]

The hospital recommended we swaddle as well and swaddled him for us. I am not sure where the recommendations to not swaddle come from but I did and I would again.

I'm in CA and I had my son 1 year ago exactly this month and ALL of the babies in the maternity ward were swaddled and so was my son even though he stayed with me the whole time.

I held him a lot so he would get sweaty so I took him out of the blanket a lot. The nurses would come in and take him for whatever they needed (weighing or whatever) and when they brought him back he was always swaddled again. I never though twice about it, this is a first for me :confused:

[Abigail]

Swaddling is recommended IF done right. Don't swaddle a bag too tight. Never wrap up a babys arms if they are able to roll over because they need to be able to roll back to their back and use their arms if needed. Swaddling only becomes dangerous when you do it wrong, example....giving a six month old a HUGE blanket to sleep with that isn't wrapped correctly and ends up over their head once they fall asleep.

I would never put a child who is old enough to walk in a sleep sack. Sleep sacks do not have feet. Once a child turns ONE it's okay to give them one blanket in the crib/pnp and check on them like normal. If they're old enough to walk they should not have their legs contained where it becomes unsafe. A parent can choose to do this, I've seen an 18 month old wear a sleep sack that he couldn't walk in, but I would hope it would be frowned upon in daycare.

[Meyou]

Thanks for the clarification ladies. From the descriptions I did swaddle my daughter safely but I won't be doing it anymore.

I'm pretty sure it's completely different here in Canada. I've never heard of swaddling being dangerous and it was recommended by midwives and DR's here.

Maybe this is why there is confusion Meyou?

Actually I like that thought even less than just being ignorant of swaddling info.

Canadian standards for many things are higher than American standards so if we're "behind" in this one it concerns me. For the most part I trust Canadian advisories to have current and safe info. For example most american car seats do not meet canadian safety standards other than the Britax series. There are numerous substances banned by the FDA that are legal in the US such as a variety of food dyes and BGH. but yet we're taught swaddling in the hospital. I checked with friends with little ones and they were all taught to swaddle here, the most recent one 3 months ago. I just wish there was some consistency somewhere.

[nannyde]

Swaddling is recommended IF done right. Don't swaddle a bag too tight. Never wrap up a babys arms if they are able to roll over because they need to be able to roll back to their back and use their arms if needed. Swaddling only becomes dangerous when you do it wrong, example....giving a six month old a HUGE blanket to sleep with that isn't wrapped correctly and ends up over their head once they fall asleep.

I would never put a child who is old enough to walk in a sleep sack. Sleep sacks do not have feet. Once a child turns ONE it's okay to give them one blanket in the crib/pnp and check on them like normal. If they're old enough to walk they should not have their legs contained where it becomes unsafe. A parent can choose to do this, I've seen an 18 month old wear a sleep sack that he couldn't walk in, but I would hope it would be frowned upon in daycare.

They may be able to have a blanket at one but they also can toss that blanket as soon as they can stand in the playpen. Considering how shallow cribs and playpens are most average size one year olds would have full arm swing because their armpits are over the top horizontal rail.

I don't reccomend giving them blankets if they are ANYWHERE near another playpen. My rule is: no blankets in the nursery. I've seen how far a good weighted blanket can be tossed.

I use oversized footed jammies for the ones who have outgrown the sacks.

[JenNJ]

I don't give blankets until they are on nap mats in the big kid sleep room. Usually 3.

[SilverSabre25]

I just had a baby six months ago and was taught swaddling in the hospital...again, just like I was four years ago. I have *never* heard that proper swaddling was dangerous. Precautions need to be taken and common sense used, of course, but that's true for everything.

My DS needed swaddled off and on for the first month or so, but once I got the dairy out of his/my diet he was fine.

I actually agree with everything Abigail said up above.

[Unregistered]

A spin off from the other thread but specifically what part of swaddling is dangerous?

I swaddled my now 7 year old with a thin receiving blanket that I made big enough for swaddling. She was wrapped tightly from the shoulders down with her neck and head free. Was this dangerous?

What is the difference between what I did and this...?

http://www.cheekymonkey.ca/ErgoCocoon.htm

or this...?

http://www.cheekymonkey.ca/Lulujosw.htm

or this...?

http://www.swaddledesigns.com/p/Swaddle-Duo/Modern-Duo/SD-180LM

Are these unsafe? I just googled and pulled random swaddling products being sold.

If they are unsafe then what is safe for swaddling? My babies are normally older so I use sleepsacks but I want to know the correct information. You never know it may save a baby someday.

Swaddling isnt dangerous from the things ive read also isnt banned here and yes the hosptials still do it too. I just think some of these providers are using there own PERSONALLY opinion.

[Ariana]

Thanks for the clarification ladies. From the descriptions I did swaddle my daughter safely but I won't be doing it anymore.



Actually I like that thought even less than just being ignorant of swaddling info.

Canadian standards for many things are higher than American standards so if we're "behind" in this one it concerns me. For the most part I trust Canadian advisories to have current and safe info. For example most american car seats do not meet canadian safety standards other than the Britax series. There are numerous substances banned by the FDA that are legal in the US such as a variety of food dyes and BGH. but yet we're taught swaddling in the hospital. I checked with friends with little ones and they were all taught to swaddle here, the most recent one 3 months ago. I just wish there was some consistency somewhere.

I guess I see the whole "swaddling is unsafe" being a bit of fear mongering personally. Education is key. Teaching people in a hospital setting how to swaddle will decrease liklihood of any possible problems. Obviously if the data is not there to support banning swaddling in Canada then it's not going to happen. Thats just my opinion however