Good Parenting

If you have ever really observed a newborn, you will notice for a moment they are like a rag doll. In this early phase of their life, they have no control over their limbs. As they sleep, loud sounds take place around the home. For example: the phone ringing, your dog barking, the sound of pots and pans banging around as a family member prepares a meal, or even you attempting to pick up the new baby. You may notice how his or her limbs make jerking, quick, and startling movements. When this happens, it wakes your newborn from his or her sound sleep. The baby will then let out a loud piercing cry, which often times prevents them from continuing to sleep for hours at a time. Instead, they take quick catnaps for about 15- 30 minutes at a time.  

Often, many new parents are at a loss as to what they need to do in order to keep their baby from waking up and most importantly, keep them sleeping.  Growth hormones are released while they sleep. When they do not get the proper amount of sleep, another type of hormone is released for pain. Therefore, parents find themselves dealing with a cranky baby. A well-rested baby is a happy baby, which leaves the parents feeling confident and happy.

The baby just came out of your body where it was tightly wrapped within you. This was the baby’s comfort zone and what he or she is accustomed to.  Remember how the nurses wrapped your newborn in those first few days? This technique is called swaddling. Swaddling is the act of tightly wrapping your infant in a blanket. This is a familiar feeling to your newborn and the solution to his or her sleeping problems. When the baby arrives into the world, its limbs are very loose and stretched out. The baby has no control over them and no concept of where his or her body ends and where the world begins. It is a scary thing for an infant to experience with all the bright lights and loud sounds. Swaddling comforts and warms the baby so it feels more comfortable and relaxed.

Keeping your little one swaddled tightly is giving her back the feeling of security and warmth. Swaddling controls their limbs from thrashing about and helps to keep the baby asleep for longer periods of time, which give the new mother the time she needs to rest until the next feeding. When the baby is resting, the mother can rest which results in a more relaxed and peaceful home.

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This entry was posted on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 at 1:08 am and is filed under Good Parenting.