Neonatology 

Very popular at the time of our fathers, swaddling was considered primarily a way to straighten the legs of the newborns. Very few of today's adults escaped the very tight swaddling, designed to make our legs straight and beautiful.

Today we know that not swaddling tight straight children's feet, but calcium-rich diet, and many moms find swaddling a barbaric method that do not allow infants any movement.

In fact, things are not quite so. Most babies love to be swaddled for a wrapped blanket around their body reminds the safety and warmth that they felt in the womb. This old practice virtually can help mothers also, in the case of agitated children, crying a lot. In Western countries, swaddling returned to fashion, not as a way to straighten the legs, but as a way to soothe the baby. Wrapped in his blanket, the baby feels secure. The narrow place reminds the womb where it felt good, safe and did not know what is cold or fear.

Swaddling help babies fall asleep faster, sleep more and settle more quickly when they cry. This applies especially for infants. A properly swaddled baby feels safe; it is in a warm and tight medium, as it was the mother's uterus to which it was accustomed. In addition, swaddling prevents lifting its little hands, to scratch its face.

However, some babies do not seem to agree at all swaddling. In such cases, try a lighter swaddling, that allow them smaller movements or their little hands may be left completely outside.

Although it may seem easy, swaddling is a difficult challenge, especially for young inexperienced parents. You need a blanket big enough to fit the baby in it and thin enough to be malleable. Here's how to swaddle a child "as written in the book."

Place the blanket on the bed or the swaddling table, with one corner towards you. In the upper corner, bend down a few inches, and then place the child just to sit its head on the folded piece. Take the right corner of the blanket and move it over the child's body, including over the right hand, then move it after its back, leaving out the left hand. Take the down corner of the blanket and raise it overthe baby and put the end under the right corner. Finally, take the left corner and move it over the child's entire body, including the left hand and then take it on the back. If you find it difficult, there are special beds for swaddling children in commerce, who make all the "operation" easier. Babies cry of loneliness and it is difficult for them to be separated by the mother, they may be swaddled in a blanket that mother was wrapped overnight or that was close to her skin. Sensing the scent of the mother, baby feels safe, as if she would be next.

Most parents choose to inferior children only during the first weeks of life. From 2 months, most babies do not need the safety and warmth that it offers swaddling. However, studies have shown that after two months, many children do not even stop crying if they are swaddled.

In addition, when the child is able to roll from one side to another, swaddling can become a problem. If it turns on its belly when it is very tight swaddled, the child may have trouble in breathing and even suffocate. Babies begin to roll between two and five months only, so since two months is a good time to stop child swaddling. If sleep problems begin when the baby is not swaddled anymore, we can try to gradually weaken the blanket and only when it is accustomed, we can eliminate it completely.

Swaddling has to be stopped also if your child gets very hot, if it begins to restrict its movements or if it seems that it no longer takes pleasure.

This article is part of the Information Campaign "A-Plus Parent".