To think this should be told to every mother?

[HeyUGuys]

I heard my HV telling another woman not to swaddle her baby as it can be fatal.
Then my DM tells me a story from the newspaper where a woman has been reported to social services as she is 'willfully putting baby at risk' by swaddling.

Now i have never put any of my DC to bed swaddled, but i have used it to help them sleep in the day. Was it just me who hadnt been told how dangerous it is?

HV said it can cause SIDS, over heating, joint problems in the hips....

[StephenFrySaidSo]

do no fathers ever put their children to sleep where you live OP?

[IShallCallYouSquishy]

I swaddled from 6 weeks in the height of summer but with a super thin light weight swaddle wrap. DD fought her way out and found her thumb about 3 weeks later. It was a lifesaver for us.

[ifyourehoppyandyouknowit]

I swaddled using either a lightweight blanket or an extra large muslin. Only swaddled arms though as it helped stop DS smacking himself in the face when he was falling asleep, and then waking up.

[StephenFrySaidSo]

MortifiedAdams-lots of things that are dangerous for babies are sold in shops. have you ever seen the bottle holder cushions?

[CheungFun]

I think it's a bit over the top to say swaddling can be fatal, whilst it might be in some rare cases, I think it's quite a strong statement to make. I think as with all things a bit of common sense is required and if you swaddle your baby, use a suitable blanket and check their temperature to ensure that they aren't too hot.

[SilverApples]

I swaddled both of mine in a sheet from birth, and they started sleeping through the night from 4 weeks. I was careful about the temperature of both baby and room.

[GrassIsntGreener]

My hv taught me to swaddle both of mine, 5 years ago and last year.

[IceBeing]

wow there is a lot of shit on this thread.

People who are certain swaddling is the reason for their kids sleep pattern people announcing it is 'perfectly safe'.

Swaddling is like co-sleeping. It is dangerous if you do it wrong AND you are unlucky enough to have a SIDS susceptible baby.

I would think the best plan is to do it correctly!

[IceBeing]

Although one very true thing has been said. HVs are a menace to health.

They really are.

[ShadowSummer]

Sounds a little scaremongery to me.

I can see that if you were to swaddle a baby in really warm blankets in a warm room, then they'd be at risk of overheating, but surely if a parent is using thin cloths for swaddling and checking baby's at a sensible temperature, then it's not that risky?

Incidentally, when DS was in scbu after being born prematurely, the neo-natal nurses swaddled him quite often once he was out of the incubator.

[baddriver]

Swaddling is hard though, eh. You need duct tape.

[TooExtraImmatureCheddar]

The MWs in the hospital swaddled DD. When I got home, the community MW was horrified and unwrapped her immediately. Not at all confusing, then!

[silverangel]

DTs were swaddled in hospital (for 7 weeks) and we swaddled when we got home for a while too. Another example of utterly conflicting advice.

[ToysRLuv]

WTF? I swaddled ds for 8 months (after which I did a gradual change to a sleeping bag), as he wouldn't sleep well (or basically at all) otherwise (poor boy was also propped up from all sides, to help with the reflux and prevent rolling while swaddled). He simply wasn't coordinated enough to self soothe with his arms. He used to wave them around madly and smack himself in the face thus waking himself up. Hence the swaddling in the first place. He had a dummy for soothing, which is known to reduce sids risk.

Even now at nearly 4 years old he loves the snugliness of a sleeping bag, and likes playing games where he is rolled up tightly in a blanket. There is nothing wrong with him and he is excellent at jumping and dancing. You just have to make sure that you're not swaddling too tightly or warmly and prevent older babies from rolling in their swaddle.

[ToysRLuv]

Also, while we had a hell if a time with ds's sleeping, at least he didn't learn to self soothe by sucking his thumb. This runs in dh's family, and he himself sucked his thumb until he was 11. As a result he got wonky teeth and asymmetrical thumbs.. Dniece is now in the same situation, and I'm sure dnephew will be in her age, as well.

[OnTheBottomWithAWomensWeekly]

You want to take parenting advice from the Daily Mail and pass it on to all parents?
The Daily Mail that one day tells you that coffee causes cancer, the following that it cures cancer? Do me a favour!

[Thumbwitch]

I never swaddled either of my boys, partly because they both hated it, partly because they used to do a limb jerk as they dropped off and if they were restricted, it would wake them up again; but also partly because they overheated at the drop of a hat. Both are real hot-bodies and sweat through their heads; I had a job keeping them cool enough without letting them get cold.

DS2 was never that restricted inside me either - he had a little swimming pool in there (polyhydramnios) and was swimming around right up until my waters were broken!

[Mutley77]

In Australia they all seem to swear by it. We had never done it as I knew it wasn't recommended in the UK and tbh therefore never really bothered here with DC3 either. But when I have swaddled DC3 I have used a large muslin, not any kind of blanket.

[ToysRLuv]

I think it's the case that some babies love it and need it, and some babies hate it. Mine loved it. It would have been easier not to bother had I had a choice about it, but I didn't. I didn't swaddle for the first month and was on my knees. Then someone (not a hv!) suggested swaddling. I'm still eternally grateful to her!

[Oblomov]

Swaddled both of mine. Loved it.
Is this HV speaking the truth, recognised guidelines, new recommendations?
Or is she toxic and unprofessional and should Op make a complaint about her?

[Oblomov]

Dh was better at swaddling than Me. He did it more than me. He was fab at it.

[Retroformica]

We swaddled with a thin layer. Worked well

[Mabelface]

All 4 of my babies were swaddled in a cotton sheet and they all loved it. It helped prevent the startle reflex from waking them up. It's like anything, use some common sense and don't overload with blankets.

[BuskersCat]

Several midwives and nurses tried to swaddle DD when she was a newborn in hospotal. She was having none of it That was 3 years ago.

sounds like the scaremongering shit that they come out with. They also sa it bout co-sleeping