Recently, there has been a lot of controversy, even among doctors, how to swaddle a newborn in a maternity hospital. Experienced mothers try not to give up this procedure in the first months, choosing one of the techniques they like. If the woman in labor has not learned to swaddle in the hospital, you have to develop dexterity.

First swaddling

In a modern maternity hospital, a baby is in the same ward with her mother. She will feed him, wash him, change clothes. If this is not the first baby in the family, then the mother can easily cope with the diapers, wrapping her baby up like a doll.

Are newborn babies being swaddled in the hospital now? In modern maternity hospitals, they try to adhere to old traditions, and the newly born baby is wrapped in swaddling clothes. In this case, they proceed from a psychological standpoint. It is this approach that provides the feeling of security that the infant felt in the womb. Therefore, midwives teach young mothers several methods of wrapping in the delivery room.

Ways to swaddle a newborn baby:

• tight - with straight arms and legs;
• free - with open arms and legs capable of moving;
• wide - with legs spread at 60 °.

How to swaddle a newborn baby in a maternity hospital? Initially, wrapping is carried out at birth using a method of tight fixation of the limbs. This is a good opportunity to quickly calm the baby down. The midwife performs this procedure first.

In the future, when the baby is transferred to her mother in the ward, she will have to master the procedure, having studied several techniques at once (for the future).

It is also recommended to swaddle the baby in a tight way before leaving the hospital. In this case, they resort to a variety of this method - "envelope". So it is easier for mom to hold the breast in her arms on the way, and he feels more comfortable.

How to swaddle a newborn at home, each mother will determine for herself. Perhaps she will apply a tight method for the night, and during the day she will carry out a free wrap. If the room is warm, then a wide method will be applied, which the little one will like, since this is a more natural pose.

Algorithm

Each method has its own algorithm for swaddling a newborn baby. If a mother quickly masters the technique of how to swaddle a baby in a diaper in a tight way, then she will cope with the rest of the options quite easily.

Algorithm of action in the hospital:

1. having carefully laid out the diaper on the table, the baby is placed in its middle so that the neck touches the edge of this sheet;
2. we apply the straightened left handle to the body, grab the side edge and wrap the tight body (obliquely), putting the end under the back on the right;
3. we do the same with the right hand and the side end of the fabric;
4. the bottom edge is a bit like a fishtail. He is tucked up on the body. In this case, the legs must be connected and straightened;
5. having wrapped the tight body with the lower ends of the sheet, they are fixed either with a safety pin, or a bow is used.

Algorithm in pictures

Method "envelope" it is carried out in the same way, only the fabric is laid diagonally in such a way that the upper corner later covers the baby's face. The lower corner is laid on the legs and stomach, and the side is wrapped around the body.

The technique is used when the child is swaddled for discharge from the hospital. What a newborn is swaddled with at discharge depends on the season: a blanket or a light envelope. Almost always, a diaper is used for discharge from the hospital, it should only be made of natural material. If mom is an ardent adherent of sliders, you can use them, but you must master the described technique. Swaddling helps to calm down a capricious baby.

Special ways

In every family there is, of course, an older woman, a grandmother, an aunt who will show a young mother how to swaddle a newborn. In the first month, it is best to use two diapers. First, the baby is wrapped in one, then in the second. Thus, he turns out to be hidden in a dense cocoon that holds his movements. Modern swaddling for newborns from 3 months consists in wrapping only the lower part, the handles remain free.

Swaddling legs. During wakefulness, it is recommended to swaddle the baby's legs without handles. Leaving them is advised outside. This method is also very good in summer or in warm weather. When it's hot, you can use gauze as a material for changing.

Step by step photo

How to swaddle a newborn baby in a maternity hospital:

• fold the diaper in half;
• place its edge at the level of the baby's chest;
• bend the left side to the right, bend it behind the back;
• perform similar manipulations with the second side;
• lift the bottom edge to the waist, straighten, lay, strengthen.

This method is considered the most comfortable, it contributes to the rapid development of the baby.

Swaddling pens. Another option is just changing the pens. They use it when the baby is lightly asleep and shudders from every movement of his limbs, while eating, if he waves his arms and prevents himself from eating.

To swaddle the baby's arms, you need to place it comfortably on the diaper. The head should extend over the edge. She will not be covered in swaddling.

How to properly swaddle a baby in a diaper:

1. put on a thin undershirt on the baby;
2. put it on a diaper;
3. take the left edge, go around the handle, tuck it obliquely under the back, flatten it;
4. do the same with the second edge;
5. tuck the bottom edge;
6. put on a hat.

In the process of changing, do not forget to straighten the folds with your palm. The baby should feel comfortable in any type of swaddling.

How many diapers and undershirts do you need in a maternity hospital? According to mothers, a pair of elegant diapers and undershirts for discharge are required. For 5 days of stay in the maternity hospital, 3-4 of each type of clothing and 2-3 diapers will be enough. In modern maternity hospitals, sets of diapers are issued if they are not enough, but on demand you can get a sufficient amount.

How to swaddle a newborn in a maternity hospital video:

A baby was born and in the first days of his life it is advised to swaddle the baby with his head. Initially, they put on a shirt with deaf sleeves. Its seams are all made outward. Then the baby is placed on the diaper so that the head is below the edge. Cover the head with its free part, then wrap the arm around, tucking the edge of the diaper under the tank. The second edge is wrapped around the baby and secured.

Young parents have many questions about swaddling. First of all, they are interested in whether it is necessary to swaddle a newborn. In practice, many difficulties arise with the very technology of swaddling. In addition, there are many ways to implement your plans. In this article, we will tell you how to swaddle your baby properly and look at several important nuances of swaddling.

Swaddle or not?

The question of whether it is worth swaddling a newborn, parents should accept alone without counseling. This is important at least for the reason that all children are different, and their toddler may both need to be swaddled and categorically oppose it. Therefore, it is most reasonable to ask this question after childbirth, when the character and temperament of the child will become completely obvious to both the mother and the rest of the household.

In the maternity hospital, they don't ask much - they swaddle all babies, without exception, simply because it is customary, it has been done for decades. In modern maternity hospitals, where there are chambers for the joint stay of a mother and a child, the question is not so categorical: a newly-made mother herself can determine for herself what to put on her child - in a diaper or in romper and undershirt.

After discharge from the hospital, this issue is completely in the competence of the mother and father. Of course, they can ask the opinion of the grandmothers, who unanimously say that it is necessary to swaddle, and also ask the pediatrician. The doctor may recommend swaddling, but only in certain situations, for example, with dysplasia of the hip joints in a baby. Swaddling itself in this case will also be special - therapeutic.

But no one can understand better than a mother if the baby needs to be swaddled. If the baby is worried, often wakes up, waving her arms, he is frightened by his own splashes of limbs, crying, try to swaddle. It is possible that the baby will be calmer and he will begin to sleep better, because in the mother's womb in the last months of pregnancy it was cramped, the baby got used to the tightness and constant touch of the walls of the uterus.

In this case, the diaper creates familiar conditions for him, since the big world still scares the baby. A pleasant to the touch, the diaper will give additional peace of mind, as the newborn learns the world mainly through tactile sensations.

If the child suffers from colic, often cries due to a bloated tummy, you can also try to apply swaddling, but not tight, but free, so that the baby can take a more natural position of the embryo in the diaper (with tucked legs and arms brought to the chest).

There are children who, from the first days, are desperately fighting for personal freedom, getting out of the diaper in all available ways. If you see that the diaper is uncomfortable for the child, try to lay him without it - in a shirt and pants. It is possible that this is how your newborn will feel calmer.

Arguments about the dangers and benefits of diapers should not be taken seriously. They are usually pseudo-scientific. Interested mothers who are faced with the question of swaddling, of course, can familiarize themselves with them, but a decision must still be made based on the personal convenience and comfort of the baby. Opponents of swaddling point to the following circumstances:

• a child in a diaper grows depressed, dependent, infantile, because his will and need for freedom are ruthlessly destroyed and suppressed by his parents;
• in a diaper, children grow up slowly, lagging behind in physical and mental development;
• babies wrapped in diapers sweat more, more often suffer from diaper rash and prickly heat;

• it is difficult and troublesome to swaddle, but it is doubly difficult to wash and dry the diapers - you need a lot of space, besides, the diapers must be ironed;
• more washing powder is required for washing diapers;
• a sense of beauty is not brought up, because diapers do not differ in a wide variety of colors, designs and accessories;
• swaddling disrupts full blood circulation in the baby's limbs.
• swaddling is almost impossible to entrust the child's father, if the mother needs to go out somewhere, most men cannot master the wisdom of the swaddling technique;

Most of these arguments, from the point of view of medicine and science, have no basis and belong to the category of myths, for example, the statement that swaddling slows down development and impairs blood circulation. Yes, and with regard to infantility, one should not take arguments for granted, after all, many revolutionaries, political leaders and commanders grew up in diapers, because before another option for keeping a newborn was not even considered.

Swaddling advocates make their case:

• the transition from the crampedness inside the uterus to the big world is best done with the least stress for the baby, in which the diaper helps, imitating the conditions familiar to the crumbs;
• during the first months there is no need to spend a lot of money on the purchase of undershirts and sliders - the child grows out of them very quickly, and the diaper is of such size that it will last for several months;
• diapers are easier to wash - a washing machine can easily handle this, and sliders sometimes need to be washed by hand;
• in a diaper, babies sleep better and longer;
• swaddling is necessary so that the legs are straight;
• diapers made from natural fabrics rarely cause allergies, unlike bright items with textile dyes or disposable diapers.

It must be said that everything is not so smooth with the advocates of evidentiary swaddling. For example, crooked legs can never be straightened with diapers, except for the prescribed therapeutic swaddling for dysplasia, and the duration of sleep depends entirely on other factors.

Therefore, only the mothers and fathers themselves must choose whether to swaddle the child or not. The well-known doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky claims that swaddling itself does not carry any particular benefit or harm. But it can be just convenient or inconvenient for a particular family in general and the baby born in it, in particular.

If you decide to swaddle your baby, it's really not so easy to do it, but difficulties arise only at the very beginning. Having learned to wrap the baby once, a woman usually never loses the acquired skill: with the second or third child, the swaddling pattern spontaneously pops up in her memory, and her hands remember well what and how to do.

How to choose a diaper?

If a decision is made to swaddle, you need to make sure that everything you need is in stock and in the right amount. Mothers of the Soviet period had little choice: thick diapers for winter and light, thin cotton diapers for summer. Modern parents have an incredibly large choice of this type of children's products, and therefore questions arise about which of them are needed, how and for what their different types can be used.

When choosing diapers, you need to consider their functionality. Ask yourself why you are going to use them. If only in order to fix the baby's arms during sleep, then you can do only with thin diapers, especially if you still plan to wear a baby's undershirt and sliders under them. If swaddling in your case should replace clothes, then you need both thick and thin diapers.

Reusable waterproof films are useful for naked games, massage, air baths, and reusable absorbent films for normal long sleep at night without a diaper.

Let's talk about the different types and calculate how many diapers your newborn might need.

• Calico diapersAre natural cotton thin diapers. They are pleasant for baby's skin, useful for swaddling under flannel diapers in winter, and for separate swaddling in summer. Can be used as a bed sheet in a baby cot. Regardless of the time of the year, you will need about 7-10 pieces.

• Heavy flannel nappies - they are also made from natural cotton fiber. Useful for swaddling in the winter as they are warm. Additionally, they can be used as a towel after bathing. Unlike towels, they are softer and more pleasant for the delicate skin of the baby, and they also perfectly absorb moisture. You need to have at least 5 such diapers.

Knitted diapers- a great option "for growth." Due to the elasticity of the knitted fabric, the products stretch, and therefore are useful for swaddling from the first days to six months and even longer, if necessary. You may need up to 5 such products, although it is quite possible to do without them if there is a need to reduce the cost of diapers.

Reusable diapersare expensive, but no more than 1-2 pieces are needed. Waterproof nappies can be massaged because they can be easily removed. They represent a two-layer "construction" of soft fabric and a layer of oilcloth. On absorbent diapers you can sleep all night or play and crawl for a long time. They are three-layer, inside there is a membrane that absorbs urine and does not release it to the surface.

• Disposable diaperssold in packs. The name fully reflects the essence - each is used only once. If urine or feces got on the diaper, it is thrown away, the products cannot be washed. For the first time, one package is enough, and then you yourself will understand whether you need them in principle.

Fur diapers- these products are also called winter products. If necessary, they can be easily transformed into an envelope, which is useful for a walk in the cold season. The inner layer is made of natural wool. For a child born in late autumn or winter, one such envelope diaper is enough. Also, when unfolded, the item can then be used as a warm blanket.

• Diapers with Velcro and fasteners - an excellent option for those who cannot master the baby swaddling scheme in any way, but intend to swaddle firmly. You don't need to invent anything with them, just put your child in it and fasten the Velcro or fasteners in the right places. The diaper does not tighten the baby's body, it is practically impossible to fasten it incorrectly. Such models are disposable and reusable, thin and dense.

If funds allow, purchase 2-3 pieces - in the first days, while the technology of swaddling is still under study, they can be of great help.

When choosing diapers, be sure to make sure that they are made from natural fabrics without an abundance of textile dyes that can cause allergies. Pay attention to the dimensions, how easily the fabric absorbs water. The diaper should not be rough, place it on your cheek - the fabric should be very soft and pleasant. The seams along the edges of the product should be of high quality, the threads should not fall out. This is a mandatory safety requirement, because a dropped thread can get into the baby's respiratory tract and cause serious consequences.

The diaper should not contain seams in the center, and the edges should be soft, otherwise they will chafe and injure the delicate skin of the baby. Pay attention to the strength of the fabric: it will have to be washed and ironed frequently, the diaper must be reliable and durable.

Now a few words about the size. Sometimes a mother cannot quickly learn how to swaddle her baby correctly just because her diapers are too large or too small. This is often the case for women who decide to sew diapers on their own.

Recall that for a comfortable and correct swaddling, products must have certain dimensions:

• Thin diapers - 0.9x1.2 m (optimal), products with dimensions of 0.9x1.0 m are more often on sale.
• Thick diapers - 1.1x1.2 m (optimal), 0.9x1.2 m or 0.75x1.1 m are usually on sale.

If you do not plan to use disposable diapers systematically or at all, stock up on a package of gauze diapers, they can be purchased at any children's store or pharmacy.

Swaddling methods and algorithm of actions

Swaddling a baby requires the mother to strictly adhere to the requirements and rules of hygiene. Therefore, the procedure should begin with bringing the baby's skin to the appropriate state. In the maternity hospital, the baby will be wrapped in a “column” for discharge - neat, even and beautiful, placed in an elegant discharge envelope, and handed over to a happy father. When a newborn is deployed at home, repeating such a "column" most likely will not work, and there is no need for this.

Before swaddling a baby in a diaper, you need to decide on the type of diaper - either it will be disposable diapers, or gauze. Any of them can be put on easily and quickly on a previously washed and dry baby. A rectangular gauze diaper is placed between the legs for a boy and a girl in length. A triangular diaper is held with a wide angle between the legs, and the lateral corners are wrapped around the hips and fixed in front.

Now is the time to start swaddling your baby. Choose a convenient way and get down to business.

Closed swaddling (classic)

This method is considered the most common, it is he who is taught to expectant mothers in courses in the antenatal clinic, and it is he who is usually shown to women in labor in the maternity hospital. The method is not difficult, and therefore after 1-2 days of mother's torment, a clear understanding of how this should happen usually comes.

Spread the diaper so that the wider side is high and the smaller sides wide. Lay the baby on a rectangle of fabric so that his head is above the edge of the diaper.

This swaddling does not involve covering the head.

• take the baby's left arm and place it on his chest, holding it with one hand;
• with the other hand, roll the left edge of the diaper onto the handle and further, by the right side. The hand is thus fixed;
• take the baby's right hand and, similarly, put the left hand on the chest directly on the diaper layer, which is already fixed, fix the second hand with the right edge of the diaper, bringing it over the baby's left side;
• after both handles are wrapped, take the bottom edge of the diaper with both hands, which is still free - the task is to close the legs. Spread it out, pull it slightly towards you, throw it over the legs and lift it to your chest;
• lead the right side of the lower edge, which we raised, behind the back of the baby, and pass the left over the left shoulder;
• tuck the remaining "ponytail" into the fold that has formed on the chest.

In the classical way described above, tight swaddling is also done, only they try to fix the handles more tightly. You can also position the handles along the torso for tight swaddling. It is important not to overtighten the diaper, otherwise blood circulation in the extremities may indeed be disrupted. Tight swaddling is not recommended by modern pediatricians. On the one hand, it allows you to reliably fix the baby so that he does not pull out his hands at night, but, on the other hand, with tight swaddling, the child is often hot and uncomfortable, and therefore sleep may be disrupted due to these factors.

With handles

The so-called "swaddling with handles" is also a variation of the classic swaddling. This method allows babies not to wave their hands, not to pull them out of the diaper, but at the same time the limbs are not tightened, as with tight swaddling.

This method is especially loved by many mothers:

• lay the diaper vertically and lay the baby;
• tuck the upper edge of the diaper inward so that you get a "pocket";
• put the baby's hand in this resulting "pocket", and then bring it to the baby's tummy along with the cloth of the diaper;
• wrap the child's second hand in exactly the same way;
• hold the handles with one hand, and with the other, straighten the bottom of the fabric and wrap the legs, fixing the diaper under the baby's knees.

If you put the diaper not in a rectangle, but in a rhombus, you can make swaddling with handles in another way, which will differ only in that the fabric will pass under the baby's armpits.

Wide way

Very often, wide swaddling is confused with a free one. Free means that the child was swaddled "half-heartedly", the diaper only slightly fixes the hands so that the baby cannot swing them, inside the diaper the baby can move its limbs and bend its legs to the stomach.

Wide swaddling is a method that allows the child to be in a position with the hips spread apart. This is important in certain conditions - with hip dysplasia, subluxation and dislocation, as well as for the prevention of corresponding disorders in congenital weakness and underdevelopment of the hip joints.

Correctly carried out wide swaddling allows you to reduce the load on weak joints, to give time for cartilage and bone tissue to become more solid and reliable. For a healthy baby, a mother can also choose this method, if both the child and the mother like it. There will be no harm for sure. Let's try to swaddle the baby like this:

• lay the diaper on and fold it twice to make a four-layer square;
• take the corner of the top edge, take it down - you get a "pocket";
• expand the rectangle upside down;
• fold the diaper in half again, in the middle you should get a tight strip;
• place the baby in the center, the strip should go between the legs;
• wrap the legs with the corners of the fabric "structure", then spread them slightly and fix the middle dense strip so that the hips cannot be brought together.

Such swaddling can be useful in summer if it is hot and there is no need to swaddle the baby's hands, as well as if he sleeps without swaddled hands and is not very worried about it.

Wide swaddling can also be done for babies who cannot sleep well if their arms are not wrapped. But this requires two diapers. First, you do the above-mentioned swaddling of the pelvic region and legs, and the second you wrap the baby's body then according to the classical scheme, which we have already mastered. If you use a third diaper, then you can swaddle with the head. Then the third of them will swaddle the head and arms of the baby.

In theory, wide swaddling can significantly save on the purchase of disposable diapers. The downside is that it can be difficult for mom to understand that the baby described the first diaper, especially if he was wrapped in three.

Partial way

This method has been known for a long time, all representatives of the older generation know it. It used to be considered a transitional between tight swaddling and a transition to clothing. Partially you can swaddle either only the arms or only the legs of the child.

Free swaddling also belongs to the category of partial. Such a swaddling is easier than making a classic or wide one. For him, take a diaper, spread a rectangle in height, put the baby in the center. With the "envelope", throw the right and left corners over the baby's chest, tuck the bottom of the diaper and easily fix it around the belt. In such a "cocoon" the baby will be quite comfortable.

Usually, such swaddling is used to make it easier for babies to fall asleep. Of course, the baby will take out the handles from the loosely-fitting diaper, but this will happen already in a dream, in the process of falling asleep, the arms and legs will not interfere with the baby.

A child wrapped in this way, of course, does not look the best way: the bundle turns out to be sloppy, folded, moreover, the baby actively moves his arms and legs under a layer of fabric, which makes him look like a swarming caterpillar. But his movements are not too limited, and the mother can be calm - the child will definitely not beat himself with his hands in the face.

Partial and loose swaddling is good for colic that plagues many babies in the first 3-4 months of life. The kid has the opportunity at any time to draw his legs to the stomach, which in itself significantly eases the condition, promotes the release of intestinal gases.

Free swaddling is available even to those mothers who, despite all their efforts and efforts, have not been able to learn how to do the classic swaddling. Another question is that there are such active children who manage to get rid of a diaper applied in a similar way in a matter of minutes. But that's a completely different story.

Common mistakes parents make

Mistakes in such a serious matter as swaddling babies are usually not complete. But learning is best, as you know, from the mistakes of others. So let's look at what mothers are most often "wrong" in.

Disproportionate effort.At first, it is difficult for a mother to choose the degree of diaper pressure and fixation at which the child will be comfortable. Therefore, it turns out either too tight, so that the child can neither inhale nor exhale, or too weakly, and the diaper unravels quite quickly, you have to start all over again.

• Too high hopes. Many parents have too much hope for swaddling. They rely on them as salvation, believing that the legs will become straight and the back will not be crooked, and the baby's character will become docile, and he will sleep well on schedule and on command. In fact, swaddling may not meet any expectations. And it makes no sense to force a child to go to bed in a diaper if he categorically does not like it. We have already talked about straightening the legs.
• Violation of the microclimate. Swaddling, even a light and thin diaper, increases the likelihood of prickly heat if parents cannot match the room temperature with the baby's needs. Children feel comfortable at a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. If, according to general practice, +27 degrees in the room, and they put on two undershirts, a hat and try to swaddle them in a tight diaper, then such swaddling will obviously not bring benefit - the baby will sweat and hurt.
• Violation of hygiene.Some mothers, due to lack of time or other considerations, believe that diapers can be washed every few days. If the baby pees, it is enough to dry the diaper and use it again. Some are limited to rinsing and drying it alone. This is a mistake, because rinsing cannot provide complete cleaning of the fabric from waste products, in particular from urea and ammonia. Swaddling with such diapers increases the likelihood of skin problems.

When should you stop swaddling?

Swaddling should be stopped when it ceases to suit adults and the child. And this will happen without fail, only when, no one knows. Some children, already at four months of age, demand freedom and demonstrate a complete willingness to sleep with open arms. Others need a diaper for up to 8 months of their life.

Congenital reflexes, which cause a toddler to throw up their arms, waving their limbs randomly, usually decline by 3 months. From this age, if you wish, you can try to lay the baby without a diaper. But if all else fails, don't worry, return the much-desired diaper to the child and leave him alone. The kid himself will show when the time for change comes.

Most parents adhere to the "golden mean", and the issue of swaddling in their families is not an acute issue. During the waking period, their children are in normal clothes, and at night or noon sleep, the child is swaddled to facilitate falling asleep. Thus, the decision on the duration of the swaddling is also taken by the parents independently based on the prevailing circumstances.

Despite the variety of clothing for newborns in stores, many young mothers prefer to wrap their baby in diapers.

They are cheaper than suits, babies wrapped in them sleep more peacefully. It is easier for an inexperienced mother to pick up a multi-layered, even cocoon than a baby in a suit. Feeding your baby is also easier when wrapped. A few are worth buying for progressive parents too.

Although there are moms who are hesitant, we will still share the lessons with you, because they can be useful when:

• carrying out hygiene procedures: cleaning the nose, ears;
• medical examination;
• the need to calm the baby faster, for example, after a bath or stress;
• skin diseases, diaper rash - diapers do not have seams that rub the skin;
• needs to warm up the baby quickly.

Two or three are usually required upon admission to a maternity hospital.

Choosing the right diaper

When choosing a changing kit, first of all, they look at the weight and height of the newborn. The following tips will help you navigate the situation:

• Buy several different copiesto decide which is more convenient to use.
• Surely useful large square diapers 120 × 120 centimeters... At first, you can wrap a baby with his head in them, later they will come in handy for examination by a doctor, on the road, as a sheet in a crib.
• Canvas 100 × 100 centimeters recommended for changing babies up to 3-4 months.
• Previously, the most popular were diapers 80 × 95, 80 × 120 centimeters.
• Diapers are suitable for premature babies, whose length is 70 centimeters.
• Standard diapers for the classic method - rectangular.

Typically, a set should be made up of half of fine cloth diapers and half of warm pieces.

• The most common light fabrics: cambric, calico and chintz. Batiste models tear quickly, but perfectly let the air through, they are suitable when summer and heat. The kulirka sits down strongly. Chintz fabric for children is the most popular.
• Warm fabrics jersey, flannel, footer are suitable. The advantage of knitted models is the ability to take any shape, the baby can move the arms and legs. Classic flannel nappies are made of pure cotton and are characterized by excellent moisture absorption properties. Footer is the warmest material; this is a winter option for crumbs. Models from it must be large.

Important! A newborn is capable of dirty clothes up to 20 times a day... If you are not going to use disposable diapers, the number of diapers should be doubled, as some of them will be constantly washed. A four-fold diaper is also used as a headrest. Plus you need gauze diapers.

Transformer models are very convenient, in which the legs of the crumbs fit into a pocket, and the body is wrapped in the edges on which Velcro is located.

Swaddling types

Even many experienced mothers do not know how many types of swaddling there are. Basic ways: tight, loose, wide... From birth, the child is wrapped in the canvas with his head, later only the legs are swaddled. Swaddled in blankets, envelopes, slings, sleeping bags. Modern models have bright pictures, which makes the appearance of the toddler funny and aesthetic. You have a girl or a boy - there are any options.

Each kind requires skill. You can train on dolls, toys, study by wrapping an even blanket roller in fabric. It is desirable to master all the methods before the birth of the baby, during pregnancy. Clumsy actions can scare the baby or accidentally injure him. Having learned the algorithm of actions, it will be easier in practice.

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Before you wrap the baby in cloth, you need to put on a diaper and a vest. Which diaper to use, gauze or disposable diaper, is up to mom to choose. Many pediatricians advise leaving your baby's head uncovered.

There is a well-known phrase of Dr. Komarovsky that it is better to put a bonnet on a grandmother than on a baby.

Classic tight option

Swaddling a newborn with a "soldier" assumes that the baby's arms will be straight along the body. The legs in this position are straightened and tightly wrapped in cloth. There are several ways: swaddling with the head or just the torso.

The first way (with the head)

1. This method requires two diapers. Spread the first one horizontally at the level of the crumbs' shoulders. Lay the second one on top in a rhomboid shape and bend the corner under the back of the baby's head.
2. Lay the baby in the center so that you can wrap the head with the edge of the top panel. Tuck the edges of the fabric and place it tightly around the forehead and temples of the baby.
3. Bend the handle of the crumbs towards your chest, wrap it in a diaper, winding the edge first under the arm, then towards the legs. The fabric should fit snugly around the torso, but not too tight so that the baby can breathe freely. We repeat the same action on the other side.
4. Now we wrap the child with a second canvas, the direction of the edge of the fabric from the shoulder to the opposite hand, it is wound under the back. We wrap the other half of the body in the same way.
5. Grasp the legs of the crumbs with the lower end of the diaper, fix the ends by tucking them into the folded edge. You cannot use any kind of pins; if necessary, it is better to use tape. A strong child is able to free himself and grab a dangerous object.

Method two (body only)

Suitable after swimming. It is not very convenient to pull on sliders and blouses for the baby, it is easier to wrap the baby in a large diaper.

1. For this, the canvas is located in the form of a rhombus, the upper edge is folded inward.
2. It is necessary to lay the baby closer to the top, bend the edges of the fabric, clasping the shoulders of the crumbs.
3. Wrap the left side of the baby's body with the right edge of the diaper, bring it under the back.
4. Raise the bottom edge up, pull the fabric and wrap the baby's shoulder. Wrap the baby's body with the left and secure the tip of the diaper.

This method raises many objections; modern pediatricians do not recommend it. Although a child's sleep with this method is sound, constant stay in a static position interferes with natural development, tight tissue interferes with blood circulation.

The fact that crooked legs can be corrected with this method is a myth. A child in several layers of tissue quickly overheats, colic may occur.

The best option is to use loose or wide swaddling.

Free option

Swaddling in this way can be done in different ways.

The basic principle: the arms and legs of the crumbs are given some freedom. You can wrap the baby, leaving the arms open, or you can use the so-called Australian method. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Spread out a large diaper.
2. Fold the top edge inward about 10 centimeters. Place the child in the center with their shoulders on the folded edge of the fabric.
3. Put the handle of the crumbs into the resulting space formed by the edge of the diaper. Pass the end of the canvas under the arm of the opposite hand and place it behind the back.
4. Repeat on the other side.

If you did everything correctly, the crumbs of the crumbs will be located at the level of the mouth, in the resulting pocket the baby's handles can move. The baby will not be able to pull out the handles and will not scare himself with an awkward movement.

You can fold a large diaper diagonally, spread it with the blunt end down. The baby is laid in such a way that his head is just above the edge of the diaper. With the ends of the resulting triangle, wrap the baby obliquely, fasten the lower end under the chin.

Wide varaint

The fact that tight swaddling leads to hip dysplasia, for example, in breech presentation of the fetus, was noticed in the Middle Ages.

For the classic version This method uses two diapers.

1. One is folded in two or four times to form a triangular diaper (in the form of a headscarf).
2. It is placed under the baby's lower back, the sharp corners of the triangle are located on the sides, and the blunt one is passed between the legs.
3. The ends of the diaper are wrapped around the baby's body and fixed.
4. A baby in a diaper is placed on the second diaper so that it covers the kidney area.
5. The upper ends of the canvas should be wrapped alternately around the baby's body and secured, the lower edge should be raised to the tummy.
6. Wrap the lower edges of the material around the baby's lower back and fix the ends.

Swaddling feet

After the baby has passed the age of a newborn, only the legs can be swaddled.

1. To do this, a horizontally located canvas is placed under the shoulder blades of the crumbs, its edges are alternately wound under the handles of the toddler.
2. The upper ends are fixed, and the lower part is twisted under the baby's heels, like a candy wrapper. The legs should be straight.
3. Then the edge of the fabric is straightened and secured by wrapping around the child's hips.

How to swaddle in a walking blanket

When going for a walk, many use envelopes and overalls. But if you need to go out on a frosty day, use a baby blanket. If everything is done correctly, the child will definitely not freeze. And putting it on will be easier than putting on a bunch of clothes.

Proceed in stages:

1. Put on the baby a hat and a blouse, wrap it in a warm cloth.
2. First, under the blanket spread with a diamond, stretch the fixing tape.
3. Then lay the baby down. Fold over the right edge, and pass it under the left handle.
4. Raise the bottom edge, straighten it around the legs.
5. Wrap the child's torso with the left edge of the blanket and secure with tape in several layers over the entire surface.

The use of diapers implies several rules. First, they must be perfectly clean and ironed on both sides. After the baby grows up, the need for such processing will disappear, in the first month of life this rule is mandatory. When ironing, it is advisable to use steam treatment to soften the fabric.

Here are a few more rules to help you avoid diaper problems:

• Wet child you need to change clothes immediately, otherwise dermatitis, diaper rash, hypothermia cannot be avoided.
• The baby must be clean use oil or wash it more often.
• Change your baby clothes where it is convenient for you: use a changing table, bed, but don't leave him alone!
• Be sure to straighten the fabric, make sure that the folds do not chafe the skin.
• Swaddle according to the room temperature, remember that it is more dangerous to overheat a crumb than to overcool... Although the latter is undesirable.
• Do not swaddle infant in disposable diaper for the night: They are designed for 2–3 hours of use.
• Ask experienced moms, grandmothers or a doctor for help... A video tutorial, diagram, photo, table do not always give an objective picture. You can consult in the hospital for special courses for pregnant women or in the hospital. It may not work right away, but if you make a mistake, you will be corrected.
• Better to swaddle looselythan too tight.
• Make sure the face was not covered with a cloth.
• Communicating with the baby act with care.

Do not worry, very little time will pass, and you will intuitively begin to understand your baby. The baby himself will give you signals whether he is comfortable with a certain type of swaddling, whether he likes the fabric of the diapers and when they should be abandoned. Soon, only photographs and a heap of already unnecessary symbols of infancy will remain from this period.

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Which is rooted in the distant past. All mothers knew how to swaddle a newborn, and have done this procedure with their children since the time of Hippocrates, and maybe even long before that.

But some modern mothers have a different opinion. Increasingly, you can see that children from the first days of life are dressed in undershirts and pants, almost completely abandoning diapers. In arguing for their choice, women rely on some modern research that suggests that swaddling a newborn is more harmful than beneficial. But is it really so?

Baby in a diaper: pros and cons

The baby is in the mother's stomach for quite a long time - 9 months. He constantly feels her warmth. But he has practically no free space for movement: the arms, legs and head are in a bent state. Of course, sometimes the baby changes its position, and at this moment the mother feels the jolts and can watch the bumps appear on the stomach.

After birth, a small person finds himself in a huge and unusual world, where he can perform any movements completely unhindered. And this new opportunity scares him. In order to create familiar conditions for him, women have been wrapping a child in a large piece of cloth for many centuries.

Swaddling newborns, in addition to imitating the mother's womb, has many advantages:

• Children wrapped in a diaper sleep much more calmly, since they do not wake up from their own sudden movements;
• Touching the surface of the diaper, the baby gets tactile sensations and feels very comfortable;
• The warmth received from the mother lasts longer;
• There is an opinion that swaddling a baby helps to form all his bones and skeleton correctly. Often you can hear from grandmothers that if you do not swaddle the baby, then he will have uneven legs. But this has not been proven medically;
• It is much more profitable to buy several diapers than to buy rompers, as small children grow out of any clothes quite quickly.

But, despite all the useful properties, in our time there are many ardent opponents of this procedure.

They argue their position as follows:

• A baby wrapped in a diaper cannot move. Because of this, he will not be able to take a more comfortable position;
• Swaddling causes muscle hypertonicity;
• The child is very often overheated;
• Sensory development is impaired.

You can argue endlessly about whether this procedure is beneficial or harmful. Each parent will choose the way of caring for their baby. But those who nevertheless decide to make a choice in favor of the well-established traditions should, before swaddling a child, study all the nuances of this procedure.

How to swaddle a baby: technique and secrets

Mothers who have given birth to their first baby inevitably face the problem of swaddling. Especially if these are young girls who do not have younger brothers and sisters on whom it would be possible, if not to practice this skill, then at least observe how to swaddle a newborn correctly.

There are proven ways to swaddle babies that all women expecting a baby need to know.

1. Tight swaddling.

The use of this swaddling technique implies an almost complete limitation of the newborn's movements.

The baby is almost completely wrapped in a diaper. From above, it covers the neck, and the lower part fixes the legs and is fixed at chest level. The arms are pulled parallel to the body, the legs are straightened.

Tight swaddling baby in pictures

Another, looser option

Attention! This swaddling technique was popular about 30 years ago. Now it is used extremely rarely, since most pediatricians are of the opinion that the child needs to be left free to move.

How to swaddle a baby video

1. Free swaddling.

The most preferred way of changing babies. It differs from the previous one, first of all, in that the baby is not wrapped in fabric too tightly and can move the limbs. If the room is cool, you can use two diapers: thin and insulated.

The swaddling scheme is simple:

• On a changing table (or other flat horizontal surface) you need to spread a thick diaper, slightly bending the upper edge, and then a thin one;
• A light diaper should reach the baby's armpits, that is, the arms remain outside. We wrap the edges obliquely, skip under the back, making sure that no folds appear, and fasten it on top;
• In the same way, we wrap it in a denser diaper, but already wrapping the handles. You do not need to tighten the edges tightly.

Important! When the baby is awake, it is better not to do the swaddling. So you will give him the opportunity to freely move them, which means - to develop.

For convenience, you can use pre-made envelopes purchased at the store. They have a special bag for fixing the legs, while the handles remain practically free.

Swaddling a newborn. How to swaddle a baby step by step

1. Swaddling with the head.

In many maternity hospitals, babies are swaddled in this way before being brought in for feeding. And many mothers want to learn how to wrap their newborn babies in the same way as they swaddle in a maternity hospital, since this method helps to fix the baby's neck and you can, without fear of damaging it, take the baby in your arms.

However, it should be borne in mind that this is also quite tight swaddling, and should not be abused.

How to swaddle your baby correctly

1. Wide swaddling for dysplasia.

Before swaddling a newborn using this method, you should consult a pediatrician, because it is only intended for children who have congenital orthopedic problems. It helps to correct the situation if diseases such as dysplasia or hip subluxation are diagnosed.

With this swaddling, the baby's legs are divorced and bent. This position is most natural for babies.

Wide swaddling in pictures

Important! You can wrap babies in this way up to 6 months of age, and only if the pediatrician suggested this method.

Wide swaddling

1. Swaddling with an envelope.

It is most often used when going outside, since the child's head is closed, which helps to retain heat even in winter. In cold weather, you can use a warm blanket for swaddling; in hot weather, a chintz diaper will suffice.

Attention! You should not use this type of swaddling when preparing a baby for a night's rest, as there is a high probability of overheating, and in case of spitting up, the baby will not be able to turn his head.

How to wrap a baby in a blanket

How to swaddle a newborn baby - each mother decides independently. It depends on the individual characteristics of the baby, as well as on the weather conditions outside the window and the temperature in the room.

How much to swaddle a newborn

The age to which it is worth using diapers for swaddling is not exactly established, it all depends on the behavior and well-being of the child. There are babies who get used to the environment by 1.5 months and begin to protest against swaddling themselves. Other children, even at 8 months old, do not fall asleep until they feel themselves in a cozy cocoon.

If the mother thinks that the baby is old enough, then the diapers should be replaced with sliders. This is especially true for active kids who do not like it when they restrict their movements and thus interfere with learning about the world.

Some mothers give up diapers because they don't want to learn the science of changing, while others just like to dress up their newly born baby in beautiful costumes. Of course, each parent decides for himself how his baby will be dressed. But when choosing clothes or a method of swaddling, the first place should be the comfort of the baby. After all, if he feels comfortable, then childhood will become the happiest and most memorable at times for both the little man and his mom and dad.

When a newborn is born, parents try to properly care for him. In the first months, many mothers decide to swaddle their babies. To avoid problems, you need to do it right.

Preparation for the procedure

Types of swaddling for newborn babies:

• tight;
• free;
• wide.

It is advisable to purchase a special changing table.

If you do not have this opportunity, swaddle a newborn baby on a flat surface, for example, it is permissible to use a table. Prepare everything you may need in advance:

• clean ironed diapers;
• undershirts, sliders;
• diapers;
• baby wipes;
• powder, oil, cream.

If it is cool enough at home, turn on the heater when you are looking after a dirty baby.

Try to swaddle the baby as soon as possible so that it does not freeze. Always keep an eye on him as he may fall.

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NAN formula for newborns - the composition, manufacturer and types of infant formula are described in the following material:.

How long does it take to swaddle an infant

Doctors say that swaddling a baby requires at least the first month of life... Otherwise, he will wake himself up, moving his arms and legs, sleep badly.

If you refuse to use diapers during the day, use them at night. Then the sleep will be stronger, the baby will wake up cheerful, calm.

When the baby grows up, you can wrap it up, leaving the hands free. The first 2-3 months of life, a swaddled baby feels comfortable.

As he becomes older, he will begin to move more actively, so swaddling should be free. At the age of three months, this can already be completely abandoned.if you feel the moment is right.

Upon reaching 5 months of life, it is imperative to stop using this method.otherwise it will lead to a delay in physical development.

Do not think that the baby will freeze in his sleep. You can cover him with a blanket, dress him up in a warm suit.

To swaddle a newborn or not, how to learn how to do it correctly so that the baby is comfortable, Dr. Komarovsky will tell in the following video:

Using diapers is good for newborns... Babies sleep better at night. Correct swaddling in the first months of life will help your baby gradually get used to a new, interesting, exciting world. When the child begins to consciously move the arms and legs, begins to actively develop, this practice will no longer be required.

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