To Swaddle or Not to Swaddle?

Kimberly Gubbins, CPNPFrom the desk of Kim Gubbins, CPNPAs long as we can all remember, babies have been tightly wrapped in swaddles. There are many positives to swaddling an infant. A swaddle keeps a baby warm and helps them sleep. Most believe that swaddling aids in longer sleep hours due to a baby’s innate startle reflex. This is a reflex they cannot control and if swaddled, they are kept from waking themselves more frequently. In the last few years we have seen some worrisome repercussions from the art of swaddling. Two of the main negatives of swaddling include hip dysplasia and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Hip dysplasia is a condition when your child's thighbone (the femur), pops our of the socket from their hip. Studies have linked tight swaddling to an increase in this condition. Secondly, we have seen infants who were swaddled for longer than two months of age have serious consequences. If your infant rolls over while swaddled and ends up on their stomach—they are at risk for a SIDS event as their airway is more closed off. We know from the "Back to Sleep" campaign that the safest way for an infant to sleep is on their back. Therefore in 2011, the National Resource Center for Health and Safety discouraged swaddling because of its possible link to an increase in SIDS. So should we swaddle or not swaddle? While it is a great method to help with a fussy baby, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children continued to be swaddled loosely allow...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - Category: Pediatrics Tags: Changes at PHA Healthy Habits Source Type: news