As a first-time mother, I was ready to learn all the tricks of the trade. The nurses at the hospital where I delivered were kind enough to share their best-kept secrets. One of those was how to swaddle my son. It looked easy enough—or so I thought, until I got home. Then I discovered the magic of the SwaddleMe Swaddle blanket.
Swaddling is the art of wrapping the baby in a blanket to make them look like a tiny burrito, and my son loved it. Most babies do: My nurse explained that swaddling helped infants feel like they’re back in the comforting confines of the womb. Being wrapped snugly in a blanket recreates that feeling of security because a baby’s arms and legs are tucked close to their body. Mostly, though, I just noticed my newborn cried less when he was swaddled. This was definitely a technique I needed to master.
At the hospital, I watched the nurse’s expert hands tuck and fold my son’s blanket into a comfy swaddle. In no time at all, my baby was wrapped head to toe with only his tiny face peeking out.
But when it was my turn to try, I couldn’t get it right. The more I tried, the squirmier my son became; he grew impatient with me and started screaming. I figured it was just my sleep-deprived brain giving me trouble. If I could wrap a birthday present, then surely I could wrap my newborn in a blanket. Once I practiced a few more times, this swaddle thing would be no problem.
But this swaddle thing was a problem. When I got home, my folds and tucks were all wrong and my son remained super squirmy. I was not a master of the swaddle, and my son was not a master of feeling cozy without one. He was fussy. Plus, without the swaddle, his flailing arms kept startling him awake (called the Moro reflex). Babies aren’t able to control their own reflexes, so my little guy’s arms moved like a cartoonish orchestra conductor’s and would accidentally thump him in the face. My son and I were in need of some comfort, and that’s when I discovered the SwaddleMe Swaddle.
The SwaddleMe Swaddle had been a baby gift, and I rediscovered it while looking for extra diapers. A wave of relief washed over me as I looked at the treasure I’d uncovered.
I opened the blanket and spread it out flat on the floor. Unlike a normal blanket, the top unfolds like wings and there is a slender bottom pouch in which to tuck the baby’s legs and feet. I laid my son on top of the swaddle with his shoulders parallel to the seam of the cloth and his head out. I placed his feet inside the pouch. I gently held his right arm to his side while bringing the right flap across his torso and tucking that under his opposite arm. Then I crossed the left flap over and used the velcro tabs to fasten it. Done! I could totally operate this swaddle! My son was a happy little burrito-baby once more!
The SwaddleMe Swaddle was hands-down the most useful baby gift I received. The velcro tabs kept the cloth safely closed so there were no escaping hands or feet. I could adjust the tightness easily. Middle-of-the-night diaper changes were fast because I could lift up the bottom pouch’s top flap and remove my son’s lower half. The winged section up top stayed closed, and this kept his arms safe and snug in the swaddle, while I worked to change his pee-full diaper down below. Still, I researched other swaddle blankets, and while there are other, roomier ones available, they offered too much space and not enough security.
Compared to other swaddling blankets and wraps, the SwaddleMe is a great value. It comes in packages of twos and threes, so there’s always a backup ready to go! A package of two at Target runs a parent $24.99 and a package of three on Amazon goes for $28.55—a bargain for a good night’s sleep. There are other swaddling blankets and wraps out there with similar designs, and while some have velcro, like the Ollie World swaddle, they are more expensive and are far less foolproof than the SwaddleMe.
Another great bonus for us was that these are made of 100 percent cotton. My newborn had extremely sensitive skin and would develop rashes easily. I never felt nervous having this material close to his body because I knew the cotton would be gentle. Occasionally, I’d notice that my son was hot in the swaddle, but when I dressed him in fewer layers underneath, the problem was solved instantly.
The simple design of the SwaddleMe Swaddle allowed me to swaddle my son without confusion or complication. He was once again a cozy and a happily wrapped baby. Finally, I was able to relax, get some sleep, and dream of giant burritos.