Some studies have shown an increased risk of SIDS and unintentional suffocation when babies are swaddled if they are placed on their stomach to sleep, or if they roll onto their stomach. If babies are swaddled, they should be placed only on their back and monitored so they don't roll over.
Yes, you should swaddle your newborn at night. The startle reflex is a primitive reflex that is present and birth and is a protective mechanism. With any sudden noise or movement, your baby is “startled” and her arms will extend away from her body, she'll arch her back and neck.
The hips and legs need to have room to move. Swaddling can cause baby to overheat. If baby is swaddled with a blanket, the blanket could come loose and become a suffocation hazard. Tight swaddling can make it hard for baby to breathe.
How often does SIDS occur? SUDI and SIDS are rare and the risk of your baby dying from these is very low. The rate of SIDS deaths has declined in Australia due to safe sleeping campaigns. In 2020, 100 babies in Australia died of SUDI (data from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia only).
While the cause of SIDS is unknown, many clinicians and researchers believe that SIDS is associated with problems in the ability of the baby to arouse from sleep, to detect low levels of oxygen, or a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood. When babies sleep face down, they may re-breathe exhaled carbon dioxide.
When should I not swaddle my baby? It's recommended that you stop swaddling your baby once they can roll onto their tummy or if your baby does not seem to like it. If your baby doesn't like to be wrapped or if they can roll onto their tummy, you may prefer to use a safe infant sleeping bag.
You should stop swaddling your baby when he starts attempting to roll over. Many babies start working on this move at about 2 months old. Swaddling once your baby can roll over may increase the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and suffocation.
But if you want to stop sooner — maybe you're tired of the whole swaddle wrapping thing or your baby doesn't seem to sleep any better with a swaddle than without — it's perfectly fine to do so. Babies don't need to be swaddled, and some actually snooze more soundly without being wrapped up.
If your baby is swaddled, keep them swaddled throughout their night feeds. Or if your baby is older, keep them in their sleeping bag. If you need to do a diaper change before or during their feed, re-swaddle them again or put them back in their sleeping bag as soon as they are changed.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents keep their babies swaddled for 12–20 hours per day for the first few weeks after birth. This relaxes babies. Swaddling a baby correctly also protects her from overheating, injuries and sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.
wearable blankets and sleepsacks
For newborns who want to feel comfy and warm but need just a little more wiggle room than a swaddle provides–wearable blankets–also known as sleep sacks–are perfect! These are bodysuits with blanket-like material.
What are the symptoms? SIDS has no symptoms or warning signs. Babies who die of SIDS seem healthy before being put to bed. They show no signs of struggle and are often found in the same position as when they were placed in the bed.
Frequent night waking is thought to be protective against SIDS. Studies of near-miss infants and siblings of SIDS infants show that these babies have fewer night-waking episodes.
SIDS usually occurs when a baby is asleep, although it can occasionally happen while they're awake. Parents can reduce the risk of SIDS by not smoking while pregnant or after the baby is born, and always placing the baby on their back when they sleep.
If it is warm outside, putting your baby in a diaper underneath the swaddle may just be enough. If however, the temperature is cold, it's a good idea to put baby in a short or long sleeved onesie or even footy pajamas to ensure that baby is kept warm.
Swaddling helps babies sleep longer, reduces anxiety, and prevents face scratching. Risks include overheating, hip dysplasia, and decreased arousal, which may increase the risk of SIDS. To swaddle safely, don't over-swaddle, ensure a secure swaddle, and avoid swaddling too tightly.
The cause of the decrease in SIDS cases was the introduction of the “Back to Sleep” program by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
White noise reduces the risk of SIDS.
A relatively famous study (famous if you read a lot about baby sleep, so honestly you should be a little proud if you haven't heard of it) showed that babies had a significant reduction in the risk of SIDS if they had a fan in their room.
Infants at the age when SIDS occurs quite frequently spend most of their sleep in a stage known as rapid eye movement or REM sleep. This sleep stage is characterized by the dysregulation of various mechanosensory airway and chemosensory autonomous reflexes that are critical for survival (18, 19).
What is SIDS? Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexplained death of an infant (younger than 1 year old). SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants ages 1 month to 1 year old, and claims the lives of about 2,500 babies each year in the United States.
The rate of SIDS deaths per 100,000 live births has declined in Australia since the beginning of national public education campaigns about risk factors associated with SIDS in 1991 (AIHW 2012). Between 2007 and 2017 the rate declined from 28 per 100,000 to 6 in 2017, following a peak in 2009 of 32 per 100,000.
Unswaddle during “awake” time
Don't leave the baby swaddled all the time, simply use it as a signal for sleep. Allow some room for free movement when they are awake and you're playing. By keeping the swaddle for sleepy times you're creating associations that'll help your baby sleep better.