How to swaddle a baby correctly 

While tight swaddling and warmth are important for babies, improper swaddling can lead to health and life-threatening situations. Here’s how to properly swaddle so you can avoid these risks:

• Avoid loose cloth swaddling to avoid suffocation and SIDS-risk. Aiden and Anais is one of the most popular muslin blankets used for swaddling. While their breathability makes for a versatile blanket, loose blankets are deemed unsafe for use in the crib or bassinet.  Baby's are known for their ability to Houdini out of or break free from a muslin or cloth swaddle and cause it to loosen or unravel, which can quickly become a safety hazard to your sleeping baby.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advocates against the use of any loose blankets in your baby's bed. Wearable swaddles with fasteners, zippers, and a structured neckline collar will help keep the fabric in place and from rising above a baby’s neckline or unraveling and causing a suffocation hazard, a much safer, healthier option for swaddling.

• Wrap tightly around arms, not around the hips or legs. It is important to allow the legs and hips to spread apart and bend up when swaddling. Babies’ legs were bent up in a fetal position in their mothers’ womb; sudden straightening of the legs can loosen their delicate joints. Swaddles recognized as “hip-healthy” are one of the best ways to properly swaddle without developmental dysplasia of the hip. See embé swaddles mentioned in the International Hip Dysplasia Institute says here.

• Make sure to dress your baby accordingly depending on the weather. When a baby’s core body temperature goes up wearing a swaddle, the baby can go through hyperthermia or overheating which is linked to SIDS. Typical signs of your baby overheating include dampness around collar area and head or his/her face is redder than usual. If your baby does not sleep as long as usual and there are signs of rapid breathing, these are also signs of overheating. embé swaddles are designed with the legs-in legs-out feature to overcome this challenge conveniently without having to completely wake up the baby.

Embé swaddles make it so much easier for parents and caregivers to avoid common health and safety risks involved with swaddling, with its zipper and velcro design as well as patented legs-in legs-out design. Read here to learn more about checking to make sure your swaddle is the correct length for safe sleeping.

Watch the video below to learn how to swaddle embé swaddles!