Best swaddles for newborns - wrap your little one up for peaceful naps

The practice of swaddling has been used in cultures throughout the world for thousands of years. The best swaddles will wrap your baby up in a way that mimics the womb, creating a warm, safe feeling for your baby, which encourages them to sleep for longer in their crib.

 As well as researching modern baby must-haves like the best baby monitors and the best travel cots, at Mumsnet we know the importance of tried and tested methods our members swear by for better sleep, like swaddling. Getting a good nights’ sleep is key for both you and your baby, especially in those early weeks and months.

Babies have a ‘startle reflex’, an instinctive movement that frequently wakes them up throughout the night. Swaddling your baby involves wrapping them up so that their arms are held close to their body, and so they're is unable to move and ‘startle’ themselves awake. This often means they can sleep longer and more deeply, in turn allowing you a little extra rest.

As with many decisions around getting your baby to sleep, this is a personal choice and will vary from parent to parent. If you’re looking for the best swaddle for you and your baby, we’ve done the hard work for you - after scouring the Mumsnet Talk forums for authentic recommendations from our network of millions of parents, we've weighed up the pros and cons of a wide range of swaddles, and we've come up with recommendations that we think offer something for everybody.

These are the best swaddles to buy in 2024.

How do you swaddle a baby safely?

What is swaddling?

Swaddling is the practice of wrapping a baby snugly in order to soothe them. It’s been used in many cultures for thousands of years, and it works because it reminds babies of being in the womb, and helps stop babies’ startle reflex from waking them up.

Some studies suggest that swaddling reduces the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), as it keeps babies in the safest sleeping position, on their back. However, others have suggested the risk is increased, as deeper sleep means they are less likely to wake up if they overheat. With this in mind it’s important to make sure your baby is wearing the right amount of layers and that the room is a safe temperature (the NHS recommends 18C). You can read more about how to swaddle safely below.

It may not feel like it, but your newborn spends up to 20 hours of each day asleep. Because of this, it’s vital to make sure your baby is swaddled safely and that risks are minimised as much as possible.

Underneath the swaddle, your baby should wear normal sleep clothes. The Lullaby Trust recommends using swaddles made of thin fabric to avoid overheating, and although most swaddle products will adhere to these standards, it never hurts to check. Don’t be alarmed if your baby’s hands or feet feel cold, as this is normal. To check whether they are too hot or cold, you should feel their chest or back.

Babies should always be placed on their backs to sleep.

Always make sure your baby is able to move her legs, or that her hips are in the frog position to reduce risk of hip dysplasia. Many swaddle blankets will be designed to accommodate this.

Babies should never be swaddled above the shoulders as this risks suffocation.

Although these safety warnings can sound alarming, it’s important to remember that SIDS is rare and that swaddling as a practice has been used for thousands of years.

How long should you swaddle a baby for?

You should stop swaddling a baby’s arms when they’re able to roll over - around 2-4 months old. This is because they need their arms to roll back over. Many swaddles have ‘arms out’ options to help transition out of swaddling into a baby sleeping bag. If you use a muslin square, you can just leave one arm out when you swaddle your baby.

What’s the best swaddle to buy?

With its ‘arms up position’ and rave reviews from Mumsnet and beyond, we think the Love to Dream Swaddle UP is the best swaddle to buy. Having said this, different babies get on with different types of swaddles, so the most popular one might not be best for you. We’ve got a soft spot for the Miracle Blanket, which has saved many a Mumsnetter’s sleep when they thought nothing else would help.

How we chose our recommendations

As well as testing out a number of the UK's top swaddles with a parent tester and her baby, we spent several hours sifting through Mumsnet's forums for our users' recommendations on the best swaddles they rate. We were also on the lookout for poor reviews of products to avoid.

We consulted recommendations from experts, consumer websites and print media and ensured we included brands that regularly appeared in the top 10 lists.

We then looked at reviews for our longlisted swaddle blankets to check if those previous customers were satisfied with their purchases.

By doing this, we whittled our longlist down and chose a selection of products that we think offer something for everybody.

Why you should trust us

At Mumsnet, we believe parents should be able to access impartial and honest advice about products and services they may purchase.

We consult real parents as well as experts so we can offer the benefit of honest experience and we don’t take payment for our reviews from companies.

Our team of writers is made up of experienced consumer and parenting journalists who between them have a wealth of experience and knowledge at their fingertips.