1 April 2021

How to swaddle your baby with a muslin cloth

Restless babies experience advantages when you use swaddling. Swaddling is a handy tool to let your restless baby sleep better and longer. When you swaddle you wrap your baby in a muslin cloth from shoulder to toe. Your baby doesn’t suddenly wake up because of their moving arms and feet. Also, babies tend to sleep deeper and longer. Swaddling creates the same effect as in the womb.

Different ways to swaddle

Do you find it difficult to swaddle? Or you find it too much work? You can swaddle your baby in a sleepsack swaddle or you can swaddle with a muslin square. A muslin square is a handy alternative for a sleepsack swaddle. The stretchy and strong cotton provides a great fit and feels comfortable for your baby.

View here the easy instruction video to swaddle your baby with a muslin cloth.

Swaddling safely

Make sure to always use safe materials like (knitted) cotton. Knitted cotton provides a flexible and breathable comfort. Make sure to swaddle your baby completely from shoulder to toe. The arms need to be straight and along the body, to easily tighten the swaddle. It is important that your baby cannot wringe themself out of the swaddle.

How to stop swaddling

You cannot forever swaddle your baby. The advice is to phase out swaddling before your baby is 6 months old. Also, when your baby starts to roll and move around, you can start phasing out. If your baby is wrapped and they try to lay on the tummy, then stop immediately with swaddling. Phasing out means that you step by step stop with swaddling, so first you try wrapping with one arm out. It takes up to a week, depending on how your baby react. After swaddling you can replace the sleepsack swaddle with a baby sleeping bag. Read more about baby sleeping bags.