Swaddling in summer

[loveisagirlnameddaisy]

I'm due to have DC2 in a few weeks and have decided I want to give swaddling a go. I didn't do it with DD, just never got the hang of how to swaddle and no-one suggested it to me. I do think it would have helped her enormously in the early days as her Moro reflex was so strong - so I'm getting prepared for doing it this time around.

I'm a bit clueless about what you actually use - I know some people use normal cotton blankets - someone told me to get a receiving blanket but I have never heard of one of these. I've also seen lots of swaddle blankets on google which are specially shaped etc but they are all so expensive.

Also, as it's going to be July when I have the baby and not knowing if we'll have a hot summer or not - is it wise to swaddle in the heat?

thank you!

If its really hot you could just use a large muslin. Personally my DS was pretty strong and started to fight his way out every time I tried to swaddle him with a blanket. I tried a swaddle pod which was great and you can get them in summer and winter weights....... But as you say, pretty expensive for something you're not going to use for long. eBay?

Thanks hodgie. I've had a look on eBay but most things seem to hold their original value quite well. There are muslin swaddles by Aden & Anais, these retail at £25 for 2 (!!!) and are pretty expensive on eBay as well. Can't believe what is basically a huge muslin with a pretty pattern on it can be worth so much. The power of branding, eh?

I didn't find that the special shaped swaddle blankets fitted snugly enough for DS. He was born in a heat wave and I swaddled him in a thin cotton sheet.

Hermione did you just use a bed sheet? What is the best shape to start with if you're not using a specially designed one?

Not sure why I have such a mental block with it all - I'm sure once I've done it for a couple of days it will all seem so easy! :)

We have swaddle blankets from Mothercare and I used them with my winter babies, but as you say they are too hot for this heat.

I've been looking at muslins, boots seem to sell 3 for £17 which is cheaper than A+A but probably wouldn't resell so well? (also seem a bit smaller).

If you're handy with a sewing machine, you can buy plain muslin and just hem it. I haven't got round to it because I would like to see/feel fabric rather than order off the net, but eBay etc sells cotton muslin/cheesecloth/cotton gauze.

Hope that helps?!

Oh and I swaddle like this:

And if it really was too warm, I did a half (underarm) swaddle so at least the baby still felt "bound". despite arms/chest being out.

Swaddling saved my sanity!

Also, you can get the midwife to teach you to swaddle when your baby arrives!

Sorry to harp on about this

Good luck with DC2!

Definitely just buy some muslin! I was so shocked by the price of packaged muslins in Mothercare - you can buy it for about £2.50 a metre in my local fabric shop! I made six large muslins for a fiver, with the fabric doubled up and hemmed. They are softer than the shop ones too. If you just wanted to make a couple of swaddlers and you don't have a machine you could hem by hand in front of the telly.

Ooh, some good tips. Thank you MrsPlug and Grumpla. Don't worry about harping on, I need all the help I can get. Freaking out about no. 2 so I'm trying to focus on the small stuff (like swaddling) to keep me sane. :)

Grumpla that is a great idea - I never thought of buying muslin the old fashioned way. I'm sure our local market might have some and my MIL's friend is a whizz with her sewing machine. Brilliant idea.