Have the 'rules' about swaddling changed?

[IWillOnlyEatBeans]

When I had DS (about 2.7 yrs ago!) we were encouraged to swaddle him by the MWs in the hospital and we continued to do so for a few months at home as it really helped him to sleep.

DS2 is due in December and I was just wondering whether swaddling is still advised/recommended? I was watching the Midwives programme a few weeks ago and all parents who were swaddling were told not to (but no explanation was given as to why!)

Just wondering what I have missed...

We were told the advice was not to
Swaddle when DS was born last december

from sids website:

Is it okay to swaddle my baby?

A recent study suggested that swaddling may be an emerging risk factor for SIDS. More research is needed but parents should be cautious. If you decide to swaddle your baby, don't cover their head and only use thin materials. Read more about swaddling.

fsid.org.uk/page.aspx?pid=779

Had my DD this June and everyone advised to swaddle. Midwives did it in the hospital when she was born. Showed us how to do it, as did HV.

This is so confusing. Do we or don't we??

The changing guidelines make me quite anxious sometimes.

I find guidelines seem to be adjusted to account for stupidity. So instead of teaching safe cosleeping they do a blanket "baby in own bed"....instead of advising how to swaddle safely "dont swaddle" and so on.

Use thin materials (giant muslins work well)...no hat indoors... Voila.

Do what you think best and see what the baby likes. The midwife told me 'all babies liked being swaddled' -I thought it highly unlikely because in the womb he didn't kick much, but he moved his arms continually-however as a new mother I didn't voice an opinion. She swaddled him and with supreme effort at 24 hours old he got his arms free. I thought 'well done'-there is no such things as all babies.

Guidelines are just that-a guide-you don't have to follow them if they don't suit you or your baby.

I'm 35 weeks pg and have been told the advice is not to swaddle, as it is now considered a risk factor.

My baby was born in June and I was advised not to swaddle. Interesting that Weezie was told the opposite for her baby born around the same time. Guess that just highlights that guidleines are just that...a guide. Do whatever suits you and your baby best.

I'm 27 weeks and I'll be swaddling, albeit with a thin muslin.

What on earth "don't cover the head" - why on earth would you swaddle a baby including its head???

I use a thin muslin under the baby (with a corner at the head), then over each arm (using the corners at the side) and under the baby again. So the arms are pinned to the sides by the weight of the baby, and nothing else is covered.

I have no idea whether 'no swaddling' is because of over heating, or because for some reason movement of the arms is important, so I don't know whether this is a 'safe' swaddle or not.

I was told not to by the midwife on the ward, even though they did, because if I did it wrong DD would overheat. They didn't show me how to do it correctly, but I didn't ask.
My dad showed me an article about it being bad for the hips if it was done wrong, but I was bedsharing by then.
Not my most helpful post, I know

I ignored any advice to swaddle as DS hated it. Don't see any need for it, tbh. DS would have overheated and also when he went to sleep he would jerk all his limbs like a star - any constriction woke him up again.

It makes me laugh if you haven't had the baby and you have decided you will be swaddling-you may have one like mine who simply won't have it!

DD was born July 2011 and when I asked one of the midwives if she could show me how to swaddle I was told it was not advised. It really irriated me to a point as I was thinking, yeah not advised, its not illegal! I left it and learnt it when i got home (but never fully mastered it and after a while dd didn't like it anyway!)

All three of mine loved being swaddled - it sent them to sleep in a trice.

Oh - I used a cellular blanket.

Laugh away exotic

Obviously you can have an idea about what you'll want to do before the baby arrives - if the baby has other ideas, then fine!

You can have an idea-unfortunately the baby doesn't read the right books.
e.g. the third was my last so I was quite happy for him to remain a baby for as long as possible. He had other ideas!

My DD loved being swaddled & massively helped with getting her to sleep. Wait & see what your baby prefers.

Weird! I swaddled dd (3) and was also advised to in the hospital. I used gro swaddle sheets which were brilliant! I have already bought new ones for dd2. Wonder at what point I will be told not to

I had twins 10 months ago and the midwives swaddled them in thick flannel sheets and had hats on them in the hospital, and in fact added a blanket (ie swaddled them in it) one day when their body temp was low
We carried on swaddling at home but used giant muslins and we didn't put hats on them indoors.

My DD was born at the end of may and I've been swaddling her with the thin swaddle me wraps. She's an escape artist though and have given up having her arms in now as they would always be out by morning. She is at this moment in her swaddle wrap but only done to under her arms.

When my DS was admitted as a young baby to a paediatric ward the nurses there encouraged and showed me how to swaddle, again this was last year though.
I think it depends on whether your child likes it, and whether you feel happy doing it. Even if something was a 'rule' you shouldn't do it if you don't feel happy - its YOUR DC after all.