How to swaddle a newborn in a diaper with a head. Seven options for swaddling crumbs and the most important rules from a pediatrician

When we talk about newborns, the image of a cute little bag, carefully wrapped in a diaper, immediately appears in our head. Indeed, more recently, it was customary for babies to be swaddled in a set of a diaper and a blanket, or only in a diaper.

How justified this is in our time, when a lot of cute clothes for the little ones have appeared, we will discuss below. However, to this day, many mothers and nurses in the maternity hospital, they are used to wrapping a newborn "the old fashioned way."

What are the benefits of swaddling for babies and parents?

During the time in the mother's womb, the baby is accustomed to a limited space, and therefore at first it may experience discomfort from the freedom of movement that has appeared, and swaddling will help him adapt gradually.

In addition, as practice shows, babies in diapers often fall asleep faster and sleep more peacefully than in diapers.

With sufficient dexterity, it is much faster and easier for parents to change baby diapers for clean ones than changing blouses and pants. At the same time, the use of a diaper in infancy helps mom and dad save a lot on diapers, which, you see, is a weighty argument in our time.

How does it happen?

If our great-grandmothers got by with one type of swaddling - now it is called tight - using a swaddle for this, then modern children are already swaddled in different ways: freely, selectively (leaving arms or legs free) and even in a special orthopedic way.

Tight (classic, soldier, column)

Tight swaddling is currently used quite rarely, the child needs to be left with a little freedom. However, the basic principle remained in place - both the arms and legs of the baby are completely covered with a diaper. This method is called simple or classic swaddling.

free

Depending on the need or desire of the mother, the baby can be swaddled freely, leaving room for the movement of the legs, or even leaving the arms free.

with head

You can swaddle the baby completely, with the head. If the room where the child is cool, it can be very convenient. Especially if the baby is not very good at putting on a hat.

We offer an algorithm of actions that will help you easily and, most importantly, correctly swaddle a newborn

What is required for swaddling?

Diapers (in the heat, one, thin one is enough, in case of cool weather, a warm one, made of soft flannel, is also placed under a thin diaper).
Pampers or disposable diaper.
Any means of your choice with which you will treat the baby's skin under the diaper (oil, cream or powder).
Convenient place for changing.

Is a changing table required?

It is convenient to swaddle the child on a special changing table. As a rule, it is just a flat table with a shelf for folding care products.

Such a table, of course, is very convenient because it has sides to protect the baby, and also allows the mother not to lean over the child too much, easing the load on the back.

However, its presence is not absolutely necessary. It is quite possible to swaddle the baby both on the bed and on the sofa.

An important point when swaddling is to ensure that the neck and chest of the child are not too tight.
Never leave a swaddled baby on your stomach, this can lead to suffocation.
Do not wrap the baby in a diaper after 3 months, let him move more. If desired, you can leave swaddling only for a night's sleep.

And most importantly: never leave a child on a sofa or table unattended! If you need to leave for something, be sure to transfer the baby to his crib. It's better to be safe than risk!

How to prepare your baby before swaddling?

It is possible to wrap the baby in a diaper only after performing standard hygiene procedures:

The child must be washed and dried thoroughly.
Before wrapping the child in swaddling clothes, they put on a diaper or a gauze diaper.
Gently blotting the skin, under the diaper it is treated with oil, baby cream or talcum powder so that diaper rash does not form.

How to make a diaper out of gauze?

In order to save the budget when swaddling a baby, you can use not ready-made disposable diapers, but gauze diapers. How to build it is clearly demonstrated by the following diagram in pictures:

How to properly disinfect diapers?

After washing, it is very desirable to iron diapers for a newborn on both sides with a hot iron. If possible, it is better to use a steamer. Then the fabric will not only be disinfected, but will also become softer.

If there is no such device, you can simply sprinkle water on the fabric while ironing.

Getting Started: Step by Step Instructions

Previously, even kindergarten children, playing mother-daughters, deftly wrapped dolls in rags, copying their mother's movements. If you didn’t swaddle toys as a child or are not sure that you know how to do it correctly, we will try to tell and show everything.

Full swaddling

Spread the diaper horizontally on a flat surface. Roll up the top a little.
We put the baby on the diaper in the middle. One handle can be wrapped in the folded part of the diaper. We bend one part of the diaper to the opposite side of the baby, slightly tucking the edge under the side. The edge of the diaper goes behind the back of the child.
Now we take the second part of the diaper and also bend it under the opposite side of the child.
Now the top of the baby is completely closed, including the shoulders.
We bend the lower part of the diaper forward, covering the legs of the child. We straighten the diaper and wrap its ends under the upper edge of the lapel.

For a better understanding, we offer instructions in pictures:

This method of swaddling is shown in maximum detail in the following video clip (video from the maternity hospital):

free

The principle of loose swaddling is the same as tight swaddling. The only difference is that it is performed without a strong pull on the diaper, as a result, the baby's legs and arms remain practically free. In addition, in this way you can swaddle only the arms or only the legs of the crumbs.

All actions are performed in the same way as with full swaddling - first one edge is folded, then the other, and at the end the lower part rises and wraps under the armpits.

Swaddling without handles

If desired, the child can only swaddle the lower part of the body. In this case, they put on a vest or blouse, and put it on the diaper not at the level of the neck and shoulders, but at the level of the armpits.

with head

The algorithm for swaddling a baby with a head is as follows:

The baby is laid diagonally on a diaper or blanket, so that one of the corners is above the baby's head.
The corner is wrapped around the head, imitating a hat or cap.
One side, the bottom corner, and the second side are wrapped in turn, as in classic swaddling.

This method is demonstrated in more detail in the following video:

Wide swaddling: why and how?

Wide swaddling is a means of preventing and even treating congenital dislocation and subluxation of the hip, if it is diagnosed in early dates. In newborn babies, the femoral head easily falls into place if the legs are in the correct position.

In the treatment of congenital dislocation of the hip, special panties are used during swaddling, or a folded diaper is simply laid between the legs.

This is done so that the legs are constantly in the divorced position. The instruction for wide swaddling is quite simple - the main thing is to leave the baby's legs in a free position.

The essence of this type of swaddling lies in the fact that the child is wrapped in a diaper only halfway and in the usual physiological position - with legs bent to the sides. That is, the diaper in the thigh area is not tightly tightened, but remains in a free position.

The sequence for wide swaddling is the same as for direct swaddling:

The child is placed on a diaper, one edge is folded obliquely to the opposite side, fixing under the handle.
Bend the second side of the diaper, while leaving the lower part wide and free.
The lower part of the diaper is lifted and wrapped around the child's waist, while making sure that the legs are in a completely free position.

Pros and cons of swaddling babies

Curvature of the legs: fact or fiction?

The idea of our ancestors that by using tight swaddling it is possible to provide a child with slender, even legs, is currently untenable. Therefore, pediatricians strongly do not recommend swaddling the baby in this way.

Tight swaddling negatively affects the physiological and emotional development child, as a result causing problems in the respiratory and nervous systems, the work of the gastrointestinal tract and being one of the causes of rickets.

Simple anxiety or CNS problems?

Swaddling "with handles" can be of great help to the baby and parents when putting to bed. Indeed, sometimes it happens that children cannot fall asleep, as the chaotic wave of the hands frightens and wakes them up.

However, sometimes these problems may hide disturbances in the work of the child's nervous system, so it is better not only to swaddle the child to sleep, but also to consult a doctor with the appropriate question.

Simplicity and economy or muscle tone?

As we have already said, after practicing a couple of times, you can swaddle your baby very quickly and deftly. So in some cases this is the easiest and fastest way to dress a child. In addition, let's not forget about savings. Indeed, the first couple of months the baby is quite comfortable in diapers.

On the other hand, by dressing the baby in pants and a blouse, parents provide him with maximum freedom for movement. And we know that any movement improves muscle development and tone.

Well, in the end - all these clothes for babies are so beautiful! Maybe you should not deny yourself the pleasure? By the way, perhaps thereby parents from the very early age instill good taste in children?

Whether you will swaddle your child or wear pants and blouses from birth is up to you, the parents. The main thing is that both you and the baby feel comfortable and comfortable.

Despite the variety of clothes for newborns in stores, many young mothers prefer to wrap their baby in diapers.

They are cheaper than suits, babies wrapped in them sleep more peacefully. It is easier for an inexperienced mother to pick up a multi-layered even cocoon than a baby in a suit. Feeding the baby is also easier when wrapped. A few pieces are worth buying and progressive parents.

Although there are moms who doubt about it, we will still share the lessons with you, because. they can be useful for:

carrying out hygiene procedures: cleaning the nose, ears;
medical examination;
the need to quickly calm the baby, for example, after a bath or stress;
skin diseases, diaper rash - diapers do not have seams that rub the skin;
the need to quickly warm the baby.

Two or three pieces are usually required upon admission to the maternity hospital.

Choosing the right diaper

When choosing a swaddling kit, first of all, they look at the weight and height of the newborn. The following tips will help you navigate the situation:

Buy several different instances to decide which is more convenient to use.
Surely come in handy large square diapers 120×120 centimeters. At first, you can wrap the baby with your head in them, later they will come in handy at the doctor’s examination, on the road, as a sheet in the crib.
canvas 100×100 centimeters recommended for swaddling babies up to 3-4 months.
Previously the most popular diapers 80×95, 80×120 centimeters.
For premature babies, diapers are suitable, whose length is 70 centimeters.
Standard diapers for the classical method - rectangular shape .

Usually the set should consist of half diapers made of thin fabric and half warm specimens.

The most common light fabrics: cambric, cooler and chintz. Batiste models are quickly torn, but ideally breathable, suitable when summer and heat. The kulirka sits down a lot. Printed fabric for children is the most popular.
From warm fabrics knitwear, flannel, footer are suitable. The advantage of knitted patterns is the ability to take any shape, the baby can move arms and legs. Classic flannel diapers are made of pure cotton, they are characterized by the ability to perfectly absorb moisture. Footer is the warmest material, it is winter version for the crumbs. Models from it should be big size.

Important! A newborn in the first days is capable of soil clothes up to 20 times a day. If you are not going to use disposable diapers, double the number of diapers, as some of them will be in the wash all the time. As a headrest, a diaper folded four times is also used. Plus you need gauze diapers.

Transforming models are very convenient, in which the legs of the crumbs fit into the pocket, and the body is wrapped in the edges on which the Velcro is located.

Types of swaddling

Even many experienced mothers do not know how many types of swaddling there are. Main ways: tight, loose, wide. From birth, the child is wrapped in cloth with the head, later only the legs are swaddled. Swaddled in a blanket, envelopes, slings, sleeping bags. On modern models there are bright pictures that makes appearance peanut amusing and aesthetic. You have a girl or a boy - there are any options.

Each type requires skill. You can train on dolls, toys, learn by wrapping an even roller from a blanket in fabric. It is desirable to master all the methods before the birth of the baby, during pregnancy. Inept actions can scare the baby or accidentally injure him. Having learned the algorithm of actions, it will be easier in practice.

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Before wrapping the baby in a cloth, you need to put on a diaper and a vest. Which diaper to use, gauze or disposable diapers, is for mom to choose. Many pediatricians advise leaving the baby's head uncovered.

The phrase of Dr. Komarovsky is known that it is better to put on a bonnet on a grandmother than on a baby.

Classic tight version

Swaddling a newborn with a "soldier" suggests that the arms of the baby will be straight along the body. The legs in this position are straightened and tightly wrapped in cloth. There are several ways: swaddling with the head or only the torso.

First way (with head)

This method requires two diapers. Spread the first horizontally at the level of the shoulders of the crumbs. Lay the second one on top of a diamond shape and bend the corner under the back of the baby's head.
Lay the baby in the center so that the edge of the top panel can be wrapped around the head. Tuck the edges of the fabric and place tightly around the forehead and temples of the baby.
Bend the handle of the crumbs to the chest, wrap it with a diaper, leading the edge first under the arm, then to the legs. The fabric should fit tightly around the body, but not too tight so that the baby can breathe freely. We repeat the same action on the other side.
Now we wrap the child with a second canvas, the direction of the edge of the fabric from the shoulder to the opposite arm, it starts under the back. We wrap the other half of the body in the same way.
Grasp the legs of the baby with the lower end of the diaper, fix the ends by tucking them into the tucked edge. It is impossible to use pins of any kind; if necessary, it is better to use tape. A strong child is able to free himself and grab a dangerous object.

Second way (body only)

Suitable after swimming. Pulling baby sliders and blouses is not very convenient, it is easier to wrap the baby in a large diaper.

To do this, the canvas is located in the form of a diamond, the upper edge is folded inward.
It is necessary to lay the baby closer to the top, bend the edges of the fabric, clasping the shoulders of the crumbs.
Wrap the left side of the baby's body with the right edge of the diaper, bring it under the back.
Lift the bottom edge up, stretch the fabric and wrap the baby's shoulder. Wrap the baby's body with the left and secure the tip of the diaper.

This method raises many objections, modern pediatricians do not recommend it. Although the child’s sleep is sound with this method, constant stay in a static position interferes with natural development, the tightly stretched fabric disrupts blood circulation.

The fact that crooked legs can be corrected by this method is a myth. A child in several layers of tissue quickly overheats, colic may occur.

The best option: use a loose or wide swaddling.

free option

Swaddling in this way can be done in different ways.

The basic principle: the arms and legs of the crumbs are given some freedom. You can wrap the baby, leaving the handles open, or you can use the so-called Australian method. Here is a step by step guide:

Unfold a large diaper.
Fold the top edge inward about 10 centimeters. Lay the child in the center so that his shoulders are located on the folded edge of the material.
Insert the crumbs handle into the resulting space formed by the edge of the diaper. Pass the end of the canvas under the arm of the opposite hand and wind it behind the back.
Repeat on the other side.

If you did everything correctly, the crumbs' fists will be located at the level of the mouth, in the resulting pocket the baby's hands can move. The baby will not be able to pull out the handles and will not frighten himself with an awkward movement.

You can fold a large diaper diagonally, spread it with a blunt end down. The baby fits so that his head is just above the edge of the diaper. Wrap the baby obliquely with the ends of the resulting triangle, fasten the lower end under the chin.

Wide variant

The fact that tight swaddling leads to hip dysplasia, for example, with a breech presentation of the fetus, was noticed back in the Middle Ages.

For classic version This method uses two diapers.

One is folded two or four times to make a triangular diaper (kerchief-shaped).
It is placed under the baby's lower back, while the sharp corners of the triangle are located on the sides, and the blunt one is passed between the legs.
The ends of the diaper are wrapped around the baby's body and fixed.
The baby in the diaper is placed on the second diaper so that it covers the area of the kidneys.
The upper ends of the canvas must be wrapped alternately around the baby's body and secured, the lower edge should be raised to the tummy.
Wrap the lower edges of the material around the baby's lower back and fix the ends.

swaddling legs

After the baby has left the age of the newborn, you can only swaddle the legs.

To do this, a horizontally located canvas is placed under the shoulder blades of the crumbs, its edges are alternately brought under the handles of the little one.
The upper ends are fixed, and the lower part is twisted under the baby's heels, like a candy wrapper. Legs should be straight.
Then the edge of the fabric is straightened and secured, wrapping around the child's hips.

How to swaddle in a blanket for a walk

When going for a walk, many people use discharge envelopes and overalls. But if there is a need to go out on a frosty day, use a baby blanket. If everything is done correctly, the child will definitely not freeze. Yes, and dressing it will be easier than pulling on a bunch of clothes.

Proceed step by step:

Put on a baby hat and blouse, wrap it in a warm cloth.
First, under the blanket, spread out in a rhombus, stretch the fixing tape.
Then put the baby down. Wrap the right edge obliquely, pass it under the left handle.
Raise the bottom edge, straighten it in the area of the legs.
Wrap the body of the child with the left edge of the blanket and fix it with tape in several layers over the entire surface.

The use of diapers implies several rules. First, they must be perfectly clean and ironed from two sides. After the baby grows up, the need for such treatment will disappear, in the first month of life this rule is mandatory. When ironing, it is advisable to use steam treatment to soften the fabric.

Here are a few more rules to help avoid problems when using diapers:

Wet child I need to change clothes immediately. otherwise, dermatitis, diaper rash, hypothermia cannot be avoided.
The chest must be clean use oil or wash it more often.
Change your baby where it suits you.: use changing table, bed, but don't leave him alone!
Be sure to straighten the fabric, make sure that the folds do not rub the skin.
Swaddle according to room temperature, remember that it's more dangerous to overheat a baby than to overcool it. Although the latter is undesirable.
Don't swaddle baby V disposable diaper at night: They are designed for 2-3 hours of use.
Ask for help from experienced mothers, grandmothers or a doctor. A video tutorial, a diagram, a photo, a table do not always give an objective picture. You can consult in the hospital on special courses for pregnant women or in the maternity hospital. It may not work right away, but if you make a mistake, you will be corrected.
It's better to swaddle loosely than too tight.
Watch to the face was not covered with cloth.
Communicating with the baby act carefully.

Do not worry, it will take quite a bit of time, and you will intuitively begin to understand your baby. The baby himself will give you signals whether he is comfortable with a certain type of swaddling, whether he likes the fabric of diapers and when they should be abandoned. Soon, only photographs and a pile of unnecessary symbols of infancy will remain from this period.

IMPORTANT! *when copying article materials, be sure to indicate an active link to the first

this question arises in front of newly-made parents in the maternity hospital when they give the child. After the first feeding, the baby's diapers become wet. As a rule, in the maternity hospital, doctors themselves tell you how to swaddle a child. But it will still be better if the young mother herself learns this process when she is still pregnant. . Master wrapping maybe on dolls or soft toys Houses.

What is swaddling for?

Now in stores you can find a lot of hygiene products that will help a young mother do without diapers. In the markets you can find a large selection of disposable diapers and clothes for the youngest children. Many parents ordinary cotton diapers considered a relic, but still necessary in the following situations:

With swaddling baby will lie quietly and all the above procedures can be safely carried out.

When medical procedures are performed, the canvas is necessary. If a baby needs to put a heating pad on the tummy, then when he is in a diaper, it is much easier to do this. Doctors have established that a child who was swaddled in childhood has a developed sense of touch. When the fabric touches the baby's body, the baby develops a sense of touch more quickly. If the baby was born premature, then in this case the canvas will imitate the mother's womb. And this will have a very beneficial effect on the child.

How to swaddle

How to swaddle a newborn: all swaddling can be divided into several types step by step.

Tight full wrap. With this type of swaddling, the baby is wrapped from head to toe. If the baby is swaddled very tightly, then he will not be able to turn his head and will be completely immobilized. In this form, the legs can be completely straight or slightly bent.

How to swaddle a newborn: classic wrapping. The baby in this form is wrapped in a diaper from neck to heels. At the same time, his shoulders are closed, and his arms are very tightly pressed to the body. At the same time, the head can move to the right and left.

Thus, the child can react to any sound stimuli or drink mother's milk.
Free wrap. With such wrapping, a kind of nest is constructed from the fabric, in which the child can move his arms, legs, and head.
But his movement is limited. With this type of swaddling, the development of the coordination abilities of the baby takes place. At the same time, the baby gets to know his body and capabilities.

Wrapping the lower body. very comfortable when the baby gets used to her hands and is not afraid of them. With this wrapping, disposable diapers can be omitted. In addition, the legs will be in constant motion, the skin will breathe. A new beautiful blouse will not get dirty if the baby goes to the toilet.

Until what age should a baby be swaddled

To answer this question, you need to look at the behavior of the baby. You can not rely on the advice of doctors and grandmothers, because each child is individual and unique. When a child has just been brought from the hospital, it is recommended to swaddle him with his head, because he will not be cold and comfortable. Then you need to look at the reaction of the crumbs when mom washes him away. Or when the child changes clothes.

What are the types of diapers

Diapers vary in size and fabric quality.. As a rule, chintz fabric is laid to the body of the crumb, and flannel on top. Large flannel sheets are not needed, they are usually purchased 100 x 100 cm. How exactly to buy diapers? Some points must be taken into account: if the fabric is sewn on its own, then their width must be made according to the roll of fabric. If diapers are made from sheets, then they must be cut so that there is less residue.

Types and sizes of diapers

From 70 to 95 cm. This size of the canvas is not the most convenient. They are recommended to be used as a napkin or bed sheet.

From 95 to 100 centimeters. This type of cloth is suitable for wrapping a newborn baby. When the child grows out of them, such fabric can be used as bedding or on a changing table.

From 110 to 125 cm. Such canvases are very comfortable, they can be used until the baby is three months old. In this size diaper, it is very convenient to wrap the baby in several layers.

From 120 x70 to 135 x 95 cm. These fabrics are especially easy to use. 'Cause they let you roll the crumb completely with the head or just wrap his legs.

Velcro fabric. In another way, it is called the "envelope for newborns." The following sizes are available: 53, 68, 72 cm. As a rule, Velcro envelopes are very convenient. They are made of cotton, jersey, fleece. Usually the product is beautifully decorated with lace and decorative embroidery is made on them. Using a Velcro diaper, the process of swaddling a baby is greatly facilitated. It is more convenient to use such a canvas when walking or when visiting a pediatrician.

How to swaddle a newborn in pictures step by step

When using a Velcro diaper, wrapping the baby is carried out in three steps: the first step. It is necessary to lay the baby on a diaper and put his legs in a specially designated envelope.

The second step is to wrap the baby on the right side and fastening the fabric with Velcro.

The third step is to wrap the crumb on the left side and the fabric is also fastened with Velcro. Thus, the child from heels to shoulders is wrapped in a diaper. As a rule, this type of wrapping refers to tight.

What are the ways to swaddle a baby

The first way is to wrap with hands. To do this, lay the child on a table or bed. The child must be placed on the fabric so that his neck is on the surface of the edge of the fabric.

The left hand of the baby must be placed on the tummy or chest. Then you need to take the upper corner of the fabric and bring it behind your back through the barrel.
Then the baby's handle should be placed next to the left, and hold the other hand with your own hand.
Then you need to take the edge of the canvas and lead the newborn behind the back through his left side. At the bottom of the corner, the fabric must be parted to the side with both hands. Then the lower border of the fabric must be fixed on the baby's chest above the arms.

If the fabric is too tight, then the edge must be bent. The remaining free edge must be tucked under the back of the baby. And the freed left corner must be drawn through the back and brought out over the right shoulder. Following this, the corner is tucked into the fold on the child's chest or the wrapping can be fixed with a ribbon for enhanced fixation.

Swaddling baby with handles

How to properly wrap a newborn, this will be discussed below. How to wrap a newborn is shown in the pictures.

Then you need to take the bottom corner of the fabric and bring it behind the back of the baby through the left shoulder. Wrap the rest of the free left corner around the baby from left to right, and remove the edge behind the back. Wrapping a newborn is a very simple process.

Next, you need to lay out the fabric, tuck the top edge 25 cm. Then the baby's right hand should be put under the fold. Then you need to put the child's hand on the tummy. And at the same time, move the remaining edge of the sheet over the left side of the baby. Do the same with the left edge of the fabric. Thus, the wrapping of the newborn is half finished. It remains only to swaddle the legs. To do this, the lower side must be bent under the knees of the newborn.

Method two

For this method, you need to unfold the sheet and tuck the top edge 25 cm. The right arm of the newborn must be placed under the fold. Another baby's hand should be placed on the tummy. And at the same time, move the right edge of the diaper over the left side of the baby. Further, the process of how to swaddle a child continues with the left edge of the canvas.

To do this, the left hand must be placed under the edge of the diaper and the left corner bent over the right side of the newborn. Tuck the bottom corner under the baby's knee. With this wrapping, special attention must be paid so that the fabric does not strongly pull the child. The baby should be completely wrapped up, but at the same time he should be able to move a little.

How to swaddle a child so that his hands remain without a diaper

The baby must be placed on a sheet so that its upper corner is above its armpits.

If the baby does not want to wear a vest or sliders, then two diapers can be used, the lower one should be made of cotton, and the upper one should be made of flannel fabric. When asked whether it is worth swaddling a baby, you need to answer that it depends on the individual character of the baby. If the child is hyperactive and afraid of his movements, then he needs to be swaddled. And if the baby feels good in sliders and a blouse, then there is no need to apply wrapping.

Together with the birth of a child, a young mother has important concerns for caring for a baby - she needs to be fed and clothed. If everything is more or less clear with feeding, then difficulties sometimes arise with the second question. It would seem that it could be easier than wrapping a child in a piece of cloth. However, many women have absolutely no idea how to swaddle a newborn in a diaper. Moreover, many believe that in our time, when disposable diapers and diapers of all styles can be purchased in stores, diapers are no longer relevant.

Despite the fact that time goes forward, many new accessories, hygiene products and modern clothes for the little ones, diapers have been and remain an essential item for babies. Why is this happening and why are they needed?

Situations when you may need a diaper made of cotton or flannel are quite enough:

Diapers, of course, are different - with special layers impregnated with antiseptic substances, made of hypoallergenic fabric, breathable. But even with all these benefits, if an infant has sensitive skin, prone to irritation, sooner or later he may develop an unpleasant skin rash or diaper rash. This is where the good old diaper is needed, the use of which will not harm the baby.
Unfortunately, children often get sick. It happens that their tummy hurts, they suffer from colic, at one time they begin to cut their teeth. Any medical procedures are easier and easier to carry out when there is a clean diaper at hand, in which you can wrap the baby so that his arms and legs do not interfere with the treatment.
Daily hygiene is necessary for a child - he regularly needs to clean his nose and ears. Not every baby will be calm about such actions of the mother. Therefore, the best option is a diaper that will help to cope with a capricious baby.
The child also needs to be washed, and, as a rule, the first baths give him little pleasure, since the newborn does not yet know what water is and is afraid of it. Doctors recommend bathing your baby in a thin, cotton or cotton diaper until he gets used to the process of bathing. ordinary piece natural fabric gives him a sense of security.
Little kids cry a lot and are naughty. Sometimes it is very difficult to calm them down, besides, in the first months of life, children are afraid of their own arms and legs, so the mother will need a diaper for tight swaddling. Having warmed up, the child quickly calms down and falls asleep.
In addition, swaddling, fettering the involuntary movements of the baby, protects him from many injuries, makes him calmer, which has a beneficial effect on the development of the baby's nervous system. In cold weather, an indispensable children's attribute helps the baby to warm up. Wrapped in a soft, comfortable fabric, the newborn associates the diaper with his mother's tummy and feels completely safe.

The only condition for using the diaper is to use it only for its intended purpose and for a short time. A long stay in such snares can lead to mental and physical retardation of the baby. In addition, diapers are a temporary measure and should be discarded when children no longer need them, although they are still convenient for parents.

Swaddling Safety Rules

Even before the birth of the long-awaited baby, it is worth learning how to swaddle a newborn in a diaper. A expectant mother it doesn't hurt to practice doing it right - any old doll will do for this.

In anticipation of the appearance of the baby, parents also need to purchase a changing table in advance. This is a necessary thing for the health of the mother herself. Usually it is made with the expectation that it would be convenient for a woman to swaddle, and at the same time, strain the spine as little as possible.

In addition, all the necessary things will always be at hand - the shelves that the table is equipped with will make it possible to place diapers, talcum powder on them, baby cream and other care items.

If parents are determined to swaddle their baby, for the first month they will need from 10 to 20 diapers a day. Someone will find this too much, but we must not forget that this accessory must be changed even when the child is dry. If it is winter, more linen will be needed, since in cold weather the child should not be allowed to freeze. Flannel fabric is best for this period.

Diapers can be purchased from different materials - chintz, cotton, flannel, but they must fit the baby in size. Typically, 85x90 sheets are used for a newborn. Already in one month, this diaper will be too small and a size of 90 × 100 will be required. Unfortunately, on sale you can most often find a suitable accessory measuring 120 × 120, which is intended for three-month-old babies.

In order for the child to always remain healthy and alert, you should know some safety rules when swaddling:

The diaper should be made only of their natural fabric;
You can wash the material with children's products intended for this - gel, powder;
Before use, the washed accessory must be carefully ironed using steam, and on both sides;
During swaddling, you can not leave the child alone;
Before the procedure, you should check the air temperature in the room so that the baby does not freeze;
The child is pre-bathed or washed away, after which the skin is wiped dry;
It is better not to wear a diaper under a diaper - the baby will feel too constrained and this will not do him any good;
You can swaddle a baby over a baby's undershirt, on which there should not be any additional details.

Up to one month, the use of a diaper, if diapers are not used, is a must. Then you can gradually accustom the baby to baby clothes, if the need for swaddling becomes irrelevant.

How to swaddle a newborn in a diaper

Technically exist different ways wrap the newborn in a diaper.

Three basic swaddling techniques:

tight;
free;
Wide (medical).

In this case, you can leave or wrap the arms and legs of the baby. Newly born children are swaddled with their heads.

The procedure for the usual method:

A clean diaper is spread;
The baby is laid so that the edge of the fabric is under his head;
The top edge wraps around the body and runs under the arm on the other side.
The second edge is passed under the other handle;
The body is covered with the lower part of the material;
The remaining edges should be tucked under the back of the baby on the right and left;
The corners are tucked into the formed fold, thus, being fixed.

Tight swaddling baby

Tight swaddling involves fixing the arms and legs, since the movements they often make distract the child from sleep, the main thing is to smooth out the folds of the fabric under the sides and back of the child.

Basic moments:

The baby is laid on the fabric so that its neck falls on the upper edge of the fabric;
The bottom corner grabs the legs and wraps up;
The legs should be shifted, and the arms straightened along the body.

To date, pediatricians do not recommend the use of tight swaddling, as it can cause damage to the hip joint, disruption of normal blood circulation, and slow development of muscle and connective tissue. It is believed that the child during sleep should have some freedom of movement. Although the opinions of doctors on this matter may differ. Some believe that such a measure can sometimes be applied to a restless baby.

Free swaddling baby

With the free method of swaddling, the baby can take a comfortable position for himself. Despite the fact that his movements are limited, he feels comfortable and, at the same time, is not afraid of the surrounding space. The difference between the free method and the tight method is that the arms and legs of the child do not straighten in an unnatural way, and the diaper does not shrink too much. In addition, the handles remain on top of the material.

The free wrap option is useful because:

Proper formation of organs and bones occurs;
Due to air circulation in the cocoon, skin irritations occur in children to a lesser extent;
Nothing interferes with normal breathing and blood circulation.

It has been proven that such children begin to stand up and walk earlier.

Wide baby swaddling

The method of wide swaddling is used for certain diseases of young children. Indications for use can be congenital joint injuries and dislocations, as well as muscular dystonia, which is very common.

Before the mother begins to deal with the baby on her own, the pediatrician must clearly show how this is done correctly.

Features of the procedure:

Swaddle only the lower part of the body;
The baby's legs should be naturally bent and divorced, for this you need to put a roller or a small pillow between them;
Practically, the baby is in the frog pose.

This method can be used in children under one year old and only as directed by a doctor.

Knowing how to swaddle a newborn in a diaper, you can always choose the method that suits him best.

The refusal to swaddle occurs when the baby no longer wakes up from the movements of the arms and legs. In different children, this happens individually, but mainly between the ages of two months and six months. The child himself can make it clear that he no longer needs this accessory. But on the issue of children's health, it is better for parents to play it safe and consult a pediatrician who will tell you when the baby can try on the first children's clothes.

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New parents have many questions about swaddling. First of all, they are interested in whether it is necessary to swaddle a newborn. In practice, there are many difficulties with the swaddling technology itself. In addition, there are many ways to implement the plan. In this article, we will tell you how to properly swaddle a baby and look at several important nuances of swaddling.

Swaddle or not?

The question of whether to swaddle a newborn should be taken by parents alone without advisers. This is important at least for the reason that all children are different, and their little one may both need to be swaddled and categorically oppose it. Therefore, it is most reasonable to ask this question after childbirth, when the character and temperament of the child become completely obvious to both the mother and the rest of the household.

In the maternity hospital, they don’t particularly ask - they swaddle all babies, without exception, simply because it’s customary, it’s been done this way for decades. In modern maternity hospitals, where there are wards for the joint stay of mother and child, the question is not so categorical: the newly-made mother herself can determine for herself what to dress the child in - in a diaper or in sliders and a vest.

After discharge from the hospital, this issue is completely within the competence of the mother and father. Of course, they can take an interest in the opinion of grandmothers, who will unanimously say that it is necessary to swaddle, and also ask a pediatrician. The doctor may recommend swaddling, but only in certain situations, for example, with hip dysplasia in a baby. Swaddling itself in this case will also be special - therapeutic.

But no one can better mom understand if the baby needs to be swaddled. If the baby is worried, often wakes up, waving his arms, he is frightened by his own bursts of limbs, crying, try swaddling. It is possible that the baby will be more calm and he will start to sleep better, because in the mother's womb in the last months of pregnancy it was crowded, the baby got used to tightness and the constant touch of the walls of the uterus.

The diaper in this case creates familiar conditions for him, since Big world while scaring the little one. A diaper pleasant to the touch will give additional peace of mind, as a newborn learns the world mainly through tactile sensations.

If the child suffers from colic, often cries due to bloating, you can also try swaddling, but not tight, but free, so that the baby can take a more natural fetal position in the diaper (with legs tucked in and arms brought to the chest).

There are children who from the first days are desperately fighting for personal freedom, getting out of the diaper by all available means. If you see that the diaper gives the child inconvenience, try to put him without it - in a shirt and pants. It is possible that this is how your newborn will be calmer.

Arguments about the dangers and benefits of diapers should not be taken seriously. Usually they are near-scientific. Interested mothers who are faced with the question of swaddling, of course, can familiarize themselves with them, but the decision must still be made based on the personal convenience and comfort of the baby. Opponents of swaddling point to the following circumstances:

a child in a diaper grows depressed, dependent, infantile, because his will and need for freedom are ruthlessly destroyed and suppressed by his parents;
in a diaper, children grow slowly, lag behind in physical and mental development;
babies wrapped in diapers sweat more, more often suffer from diaper rash and prickly heat;

swaddling is difficult and troublesome, and washing diapers and drying them is doubly difficult - you need a lot of space, and besides, diapers need to be ironed;
more washing powder is required for washing diapers;
a sense of beauty is not brought up, because diapers do not differ in a wide variety of colors, designs and accessories;
swaddling violates the full blood circulation in the limbs of the child.
swaddling is almost impossible to entrust to the father of the child, if the mother needs to go out somewhere, most men cannot master the wisdom of the swaddling technique;

Most of these arguments, from the point of view of medicine and science, have no basis and belong to the category of myths, for example, the assertion that swaddling slows down development and interferes with blood circulation. Yes, and with regard to infantilism, you should not take the arguments for granted, after all, many revolutionaries, political leaders and generals grew up in diapers, because before that, no other option for keeping a newborn was even considered.

Supporters of swaddling give their arguments:

the transition from tightness inside the uterus to the big world is best done with the least stress for the baby, which is where the diaper helps, imitating the conditions familiar to the baby;
during the first months there is no need to spend a lot of money on the purchase of vests and sliders - the child grows out of them very quickly, and the diaper is of such size that it will last for several months;
diapers are easier to wash - this is easy to handle washing machine, and sliders sometimes need to be washed by hand;
in a diaper, babies sleep stronger and sleep longer;
swaddling is necessary so that the legs are even;
diapers made from natural fabrics rarely cause allergies, unlike bright things with textile dyes or disposable diapers.

It must be said that the supporters of swaddling with an evidence base are not so smooth either. For example, crooked legs can never be straightened with diapers, with the exception of the prescribed therapeutic swaddling for dysplasia, and the duration of sleep depends on completely other factors.

Therefore, only mothers and fathers themselves should choose whether to swaddle a child or not. The well-known doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky claims that swaddling in itself does not carry any particular benefit or particular harm. But it can be just convenient or inconvenient for a particular family in general and the baby born in it, in particular.

If you decide to swaddle your baby, it is really not so easy to do it, but difficulties arise only at the very beginning. Having learned to wrap the baby once, a woman usually never loses the acquired skill: with the second or third child, the swaddling pattern pops up in her memory by herself, and her hands remember well what and how to do.

How to choose diapers?

If you decide to swaddle, you need to make sure that everything you need is available and in the right quantity. Mothers of the Soviet period had little choice: thick diapers for winter and light, thin cotton diapers for summer. At modern parents the choice of this type of children's goods is incredibly large, and therefore questions arise about which of them are needed, how and for what their different types can be used.

When choosing diapers, you need to consider their functionality. Ask yourself what you are going to use them for. If only in order to fix the baby's arms during sleep, then you can only get by with thin diapers, especially if you still plan to put on a baby's undershirt and sliders under them. If swaddling in your case should replace clothes, then you need both dense and thin diapers.

For naked games, massage, air baths, reusable waterproof films are useful, and for a normal long sleep at night without a diaper, reusable absorbent films are useful.

Let's talk about the different types and calculate how many diapers your newborn might need.

Cotton diapers These are natural cotton diapers. They are pleasant for the baby's skin, useful for swaddling in winter under flannel diapers, and in summer - for separate swaddling. Can be used as a bed sheet. Regardless of the season, you will need about 7-10 pieces.

Thick flannel diapers- they are also made from natural cotton fiber. Useful for swaddling in the winter, as they are warm. Additionally, they can be used as a towel after bathing. Unlike towels, they are softer and more pleasant for the delicate skin of the baby, and also perfectly absorb moisture. Such diapers need to have at least 5 pieces.

Knitted diapers- great option"for growth". Due to the elasticity of the knitted fabric, the products stretch, and therefore are useful for swaddling from the first days to six months and even longer, if necessary. You may need up to 5 of these products, although you can do without them if there is a need to reduce the cost of diapers.

Reusable diapers they are expensive, but you need no more than 1-2 of them. You can massage on waterproof diapers, as traces of vital activity can be easily removed from them. They are a two-layer "construction" of soft tissue and a layer of oilcloth. On absorbent diapers, you can sleep all night or play and crawl for a long time. They are three-layer, inside there is a membrane that absorbs urine and does not release it to the surface.

Disposable diapers sold in packs. The name fully reflects the essence - each is used only once. If urine or feces get on the diaper, it is thrown away; the product cannot be washed. For the first time, one package is enough, and then you yourself will understand whether you need them in principle.

Fur diapers- these products are also called winter. If necessary, they can easily be transformed into an envelope, which is useful for a walk in the cold season. The inner layer is made of natural wool. For a child born in late autumn or winter, one such diaper envelope is enough. Also, when unfolded, the thing can then be used as a warm blanket.

Velcro diapers and fasteners- a great option for those who cannot master the swaddling pattern for a baby, but are determined to swaddle. You don’t need to invent anything with them, just put the child in it and fasten the Velcro or fasteners in the right places. The diaper does not tighten the body of the baby, it is practically impossible to fasten it incorrectly. Such models are disposable and reusable, thin and dense.

If funds allow, get 2-3 pieces - in the early days, while swaddling technology is still in the learning stage, they can be of great help.

When choosing diapers, be sure to make sure that they are made from natural fabrics without an abundance of textile dyes that can cause allergies. Pay attention to the dimensions, to how easily the fabric absorbs water. The diaper should not be rough, put it on your cheek - the fabric should be very soft and pleasant. The seams along the edges of the product must be of high quality, the threads should not fall out. This is a mandatory safety requirement, because a dropped thread can get into the baby's airways and cause serious consequences.

The diaper should not contain seams in the center, and the edges should be soft, otherwise they will rub and injure the delicate skin of the little one. Pay attention to the strength of the fabric: it will have to be washed and ironed frequently, the diaper should be reliable and durable.

Now a few words about sizes. Sometimes a mother can’t quickly learn how to swaddle a baby properly just because her diapers are too big or too small. Often this is faced by women who decide to sew diapers on their own.

Recall that for comfortable and proper swaddling, products must have certain sizes:

Thin diapers- 0.9x1.2 m (optimal), products with dimensions of 0.9x1.0 m are more common on sale.
Tight diapers- 1.1x1.2 m (optimal), 0.9x1.2 m or 0.75x1.1 m are usually on sale.

If you do not plan to use disposable diapers systematically or at all, stock up on a package of gauze diapers, they can be purchased at any children's store or pharmacy.

Swaddling methods and algorithm of actions

Swaddling a baby requires the mother to strictly comply with the requirements and rules of hygiene. Therefore, the procedure should begin with bringing the skin of the baby to the appropriate state. In the maternity hospital, the baby is swaddled in a “column” for discharge - neat, even and beautiful, placed in an elegant discharge envelope, handed over to a happy father. When the newborn is deployed at home, repeating such a “column” most likely will not work, and there is no need for this.

Before swaddling a baby in a diaper, you need to decide on the type of diaper - either it will be disposable diapers or gauze. Any of them are put on easily and quickly on a pre-washed and dry baby. A gauze diaper of a rectangular shape is placed between the legs of a boy and a girl in length. A triangular diaper with a wide corner is carried out between the legs, and the hips are wrapped around the side corners and fixed in front.

Now is the time to start swaddling your baby. Choose convenient way and get down to business.

Closed swaddling (classic)

This method is considered the most common, it is he who is taught to expectant mothers in courses in antenatal clinic, and it is he who is usually shown to women in labor in the maternity hospital. The method is not complicated, and therefore, after 1-2 days of mother's torment, a clear understanding usually comes of how this should happen.

Spread the diaper so that its wide part is high, and the smaller sides are wide. Lay the baby on a rectangle of fabric so that his head is above the edge of the diaper.

This swaddle does not cover the head.

take the left hand of the child and put it on his chest, holding it with one hand;
with the other hand, tuck the left edge of the diaper onto the handle and further, behind the right side. The hand is thus fixed;
take the right hand of the child and, similarly with the left, put it on the chest directly on the layer of the diaper that is already fixed, fix the other hand with the right edge of the diaper, bringing it over the left side of the baby;
after both handles are wrapped, with both hands take the bottom edge of the diaper, which is still free - the task is to close the legs. Straighten it, pull it slightly towards you, throw it over the legs and lift it to your chest;
bring the right side of the lower edge, which we raised, behind the back of the baby, and pass the left through the left shoulder;
tuck the remaining "tail" into the crease that formed on the chest.

In the classic way described above, tight swaddling is also done, only they try to fix the handles more tightly. You can also place the handles along the body with tight swaddling. It is important not to overtighten the diaper, otherwise the circulation of the limbs can really be disturbed. Tight swaddling modern pediatricians do not recommend. On the one hand, it allows you to securely fix the baby so that he does not pull out his arms at night, but, on the other hand, with tight swaddling, the child is often hot and uncomfortable, and therefore sleep can be disturbed already because of these factors.

with handles

The so-called "handle swaddling" is also a variation of classic swaddling. This method allows babies not to swing their arms, not to pull them out of the diaper, but at the same time the limbs are not tightened, as in tight swaddling.

This method is especially loved by many mothers:

lay the diaper vertically and lay the baby down;
turn the top edge of the diaper inside so that you get a "pocket";
put the child’s hand in this resulting “pocket”, and then bring it to the crumbs’ tummy along with the diaper fabric;
wrap the second hand of the child in exactly the same way;
hold the handles with one hand, and with the other, straighten the bottom of the fabric and wrap the legs, fixing the diaper under the baby's knees.

If you put the diaper not in a rectangle, but in a rhombus, you can do swaddling with handles in a different way, which will differ only in that the fabric will pass under the baby's armpits.

wide way

Very often wide swaddling is confused with free swaddling. Free implies that the child is swaddled “at half strength”, the diaper only slightly fixes the arms so that the baby cannot wave them, inside the diaper the baby can move its limbs and bend the legs to the stomach.

Wide swaddling is a method that allows the child to be in a position with the hips spread apart. This is important in certain conditions - with hip dysplasia, subluxation and dislocation, as well as for the prevention of relevant disorders in congenital weakness and underdevelopment of the hip joints.

Properly carried out wide swaddling allows you to reduce the load on weak joints, give time to cartilage and bone tissue to become more solid and reliable. For a healthy baby, the mother can also choose this method if both the child and the mother like it. There will be no harm for sure. Let's try to swaddle the baby like this:

lay the diaper and fold it twice to make a four-layer square;
take the corner of the upper edge, take it down - you get a "pocket";
turn the rectangle upside down;
fold the diaper in half again, in the middle you should get a dense strip;
place the baby in the center, the strip should pass between the legs;
wrap the legs with the corners of the fabric “structure”, then slightly spread them apart and fix the middle dense strip so that the hips cannot be brought together.

Such swaddling can be useful in summer, if it is hot and there is no need to swaddle the baby's arms, and also if he sleeps without swaddled arms and does not worry much about this.

Wide swaddling can also be done for babies who cannot sleep peacefully if their arms are not wrapped. But for this you need two diapers. First you do the above swaddling of the pelvic region and legs, and the second you wrap the baby's body then according to the classical scheme that we have already mastered. If you apply the third diaper, then you can carry out swaddling with your head. Then the third of them will swaddle the head and hands of the baby.

Theoretically, wide swaddling can significantly save on the purchase of disposable diapers. The downside is that it can be difficult for mom to understand that the baby described the first diaper, especially if he was wrapped at three.

partial way

This method has been known for a long time, all representatives of the older generation know it. Previously, it was considered a transition between tight swaddling and the transition to clothing. Partially, you can swaddle either only the arms or only the legs of the child.

Free swaddling also belongs to the category of partial. It is easier to carry out such swaddling than to make a classic or wide one. For him, take a diaper, spread a rectangle in height, put the child in the center. “Envelope” throw the right and left corners on the baby’s chest, tuck the bottom of the diaper and easily fix it around the belt. In such a "cocoon" the baby will be quite comfortable.

Typically, such swaddling is used to facilitate falling asleep for babies. Of course, the baby will take out the handles from the loosely fitting diaper, but this will happen already in a dream, while in the process of falling asleep, the arms and legs will not interfere with the baby.

A child wrapped in this way does not, of course, look the best. in the best way: the bundle turns out to be sloppy, folded, in addition, the baby actively moves his arms and legs under a layer of fabric, which makes him look like a swarming caterpillar. But his movements are not too limited, and the mother can be calm - the child will definitely not beat herself in the face with her hands.

Partial and free swaddling are good for colic, which plagues many babies in the first 3-4 months of life. The kid has the opportunity at any time to draw his legs to his stomach, which in itself significantly alleviates the condition, contributes to the release of intestinal gases.

Free swaddling is available even to those mothers who, despite all the efforts and efforts, have not been able to learn how to do classic swaddling. Another question is that there are such active children who manage to get rid of a diaper applied in a similar way in a matter of minutes. But that's a completely different story.

Common Parenting Mistakes

In such a serious matter as swaddling babies, there are usually no mistakes without mistakes. But the best way to learn, as you know, is from the mistakes of others. So let's look at what mothers are most often "wrong".

Disproportionate efforts. At first, it can be difficult for a mother to choose the degree of diaper pressure and fixation at which the child will be comfortable. Therefore, it turns out either too tight, so that the child can neither inhale nor exhale, or too weakly, and the diaper unravels pretty quickly, you have to start all over again.

Too high hopes. Many parents place too high hopes on swaddling. They rely on them as salvation, believing that the legs will become straight, and the back will not be twisted, and the character of the baby will become docile, and he will sleep clearly on schedule and on command. In fact, swaddling may not justify any hope. And it makes no sense to force a child to go to bed in a diaper if he absolutely does not like it. We have already talked about straightening the legs.
Violation of the microclimate. Swaddling, even with a light and thin diaper, increases the likelihood of prickly heat if the parents cannot match the temperature in the room and the needs of the child. Children feel comfortable at a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. If, according to general practice, it is +27 degrees in the room, and they put on the child two vests, a cap and try to swaddle them in a tight diaper, then such swaddling will obviously not bring any benefit - the baby will sweat and get sick.
Violation of hygiene. Some mothers, due to lack of time or other considerations, believe that diapers can be washed every few days. If the child pees, it is enough to dry the diaper and use it again. Some are limited to one rinsing and drying. This is a mistake, because rinsing cannot provide complete cleaning of the tissue from waste products, in particular from urea and ammonia. Swaddling in such diapers increases the likelihood of skin problems.

When should you stop swaddling?

Swaddling should be stopped when it ceases to suit adults and the child. And this will happen for sure, only when, no one knows. Some children already at the age of four months demand freedom and demonstrate complete readiness to sleep with their arms open. Others need a diaper up to 8 months of their life.

Congenital reflexes that cause a baby to throw up its arms, randomly swing its limbs, usually subside by 3 months. From this age, if desired, you can try to put the child without a diaper. But if all else fails, don't worry, give the child back the much-desired diaper and leave him alone. The kid himself will show when it's time for change.

Most parents adhere to the "golden mean", and the issue of swaddling in their families is not acute. During the waking period, their children are in normal clothes, and at night or midday naps, the child is swaddled to facilitate falling asleep. Thus, the decision on the duration of swaddling is also made by parents independently, based on the circumstances.