

Swaddling and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome: A meta-analysis. Risks and benefits of swaddling healthy infants: An integrative review. English/health-issues/conditions/orthopedic/Pages/Hip-Dysplasia.aspx Safe sleep and skin-to-skin care in the neonatal period for healthy term newborns. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Each baby and parent or caregiver combo is unique, so if you have questions about whether swaddling is right for your baby, give your pediatrician a call. However, for premature or colicky babies in particular, swaddling can be a very effective, soothing tool to help them sleep better. Some parents even prefer to have their baby adjust to “outside the womb” sleeping conditions right from the start, so that they don’t have to wean the swaddle a few months later when their baby starts to roll.

Many full-term, healthy babies learn to sleep quite happily without one. Babies who are swaddled and roll onto their stomachs may have an increased risk of suffocation.Swaddling blankets that come loose can be a suffocation risk.Swaddling too tightly can harm a baby’s hip development.Swaddling can make babies sleep harder, which may actually increase risk of SIDS.According to the AAP, these risks include: While swaddling is an age-old practice that does soothe many young babies, there are risks that must be considered. Still, any type of swaddle that compresses the arms and limits movement should not be used once your baby shows signs of rolling (or around 2 to 4 months of age). So while all of these swaddles can be used safely if proper precautions are taken, the top options from a safety perspective would be one of the sleep sack or zip-up style swaddles, as they can’t come off and get tangled if they are properly fitted. Frequently asked questions What is the safest swaddle?Īccording to the AAP guidelines for safe swaddling, loose blankets are a suffocation hazard for young babies.
