Do sleep sacks hinder development?

  Two months after birth, the baby starts to scratch his head and face with his hands, which always wakes him up. Your baby can not sleep restfully. So you should find some ways to fix your baby’s hands. Mothers can buy a swaddling sleep sack directly. After the hands are fixed, your baby’s sleep quality will be much better. And the swaddling sleep sack only wraps the baby’s hands, and his lower limbs can still move freely. Some people also are curious about that do sleep sacks hinder development.

  Using baby sleep sacks correctly will not hinder your baby’s development. Parents should make good use of sleep sacks.

• How to use baby sleep sacks safely?
• make good use of sleep sacks

  If you want your baby to have a restful sleep, you should depend on the below three things.

• Swaddle
• Pacifiers
• Blackout curtains

  One of the most important things your baby needs help with during the first three months of sleep is the Moro reflex. The younger the baby, the more pronounced the startle response is. And the swaddle is the ideal solution to this problem:

  When the baby is wrapped, his little arms will be wrapped well. Then the baby will not wake up from sleep scared.

  Swaddling can help the baby get the tightly wrapped feeling in the mother's womb. Babies can get a sense of security, which is helpful to their sleep.

  As for the impact on the infant’s development, mothers may be worried about the impact of swaddling on the baby's hip joints. Now the several well-known swaddling brands on the market are careful with the Hip Healthy that IHDI is emphasizing. Parents can check the brand's instructions for proper use. The swaddle only fixes the baby's small arms. His legs and hips can move freely and will not be restricted.

How to use baby sleep sacks safely?

  The main point is when you should stop using the swaddling sleep sacks for your baby. The more common saying is about three months, four months. The actual fact is that it's not accurate to determine whether or not you should stop swaddling your baby, because every baby is different.

  It is better to observe your baby during the day and stop swaddling him when he shows signs of rolling over by himself. Swaddling always keeps the baby sleeping in a safe sleeping position, sleeping on the back. Swaddling restricts the movements of your baby's arms. So if your baby turns over into a prone position, there is a risk that your baby will have difficulty breathing, which is very dangerous.

What are the risks of incorrect swaddling?

  We mostly used swaddling when we were young. And maybe even some people will tie their little baby's legs. Pediatricians recognize that swaddling a baby can simulate that feeling of being tightly wrapped in the womb, which can increase the baby's sense of security and help him improve sleep quality. But some ways we used to swaddle were often prone to mistakes, which can cause many risks to the baby.

increase the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)

  One of the risks of using swaddling is in a study, which is published in the journal Pediatrics. The risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) was found to be much higher when swaddled infants were lying on their sides or stomachs.

  Generally speaking, when swaddled babies are lying on their sides or stomachs, they are more likely to be at risk of sudden death due to suffocation. As the swaddling blanket wraps babies too tightly, which will restrict their movements.

increase the risk of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH)

  Improper swaddling can cause serious hip problems and increase the risk of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). If the DDH can not be found and treated in time, it can lead to painful walking legs and even leaves a lifelong disability for your baby. To avoid DDH, it is important to allow the hip joints to move freely rather than fixing the legs together.

Choose swaddling sleep sacks rather than swaddles

  The swaddle sleep sack is usually tight at the top and loose at the bottom.

  Newborns usually have the Moro reflex. The Moro Reflex is a type of human infant reflex, which is also known as the startle reflex. It is a whole-body movement when the infant is lying on his back. When a sudden stimulus occurs, the infant's arms will be extended, fingers will be spread, the back will be extended or bent, the head will be tilted back, legs will be straight, and arms will be clasped to each other. Sometimes, the Moro reflex reflects the sleep quality of your baby. But don’t worry, this reflex disappears within 3-5 months gradually.

  When the baby is in the mother's womb, he will wave his arms and touch the inner wall of the uterus, and is bound by the uterus. But after birth, babies will be out of the womb environment. His hands can stretch without restraint, which is easy to wake him up.

  Parents who choose swaddling sleep sacks for their newborns can help them maintain a better sleep quality and be easier to develop the baby a regular sleep. The key point of the swaddling sleep sack is the suitable size. Do not let the sleep sack cover your baby’s mouth and nose. The top needs to be tight, and the bottom is better to be loose. The baby's arms will be bound when waking up, and his legs can be free to kick and move.

Safe sleep position

  Many mothers will find that the baby is sleeping in a peculiar position. He always holds up his little hands, which feels like “surrender”. If you help your baby to take back his little hands, he will slowly raise them again.

  Why do babies like to sleep in the arms-up sleeping position?

  The arms-up sleep position is related to the strength of the baby's muscles. Mothers worry that this arms-up sleeping position will cause the baby's catch a cold. At this time, you can choose one-piece swaddling sleep sacks for babies. Then the baby can have free space to move, but also will not feel cold and sleep comfortably. Parents do not have to worry about accidentally by the blanket and quilt, etc. Using the baby a blanket or a quilt may have the risk of covering your baby's mouth and nose, which is very dangerous. In addition, I also recommend that parents do not swaddle their babies too tightly. Because a long time tight swaddle will affect the baby's hip joint development, which is easily lead to hip dislocation.

  It is recommended that babies sleep on their backs until they are one year old. Do not let newborns sleep on their stomachs to avoid suffocation. Newborns’ muscles are not yet well developed, and they can not turn over on their independently. When the baby is sleeping on his stomach, the pressure on his jaw will increase and affect the smooth flow of the airway. And if the baby lies on his back stomach on a softer mattress, there is also the risk of suffocation. So letting your baby sleep on his back is generally not recommended.

  If the baby is not feeling well, sleeping on the stomach for a while may make them feel more comfortable. Or, when the baby is playing, you can also let him lie down for a while to exercise his back muscles and prepare for future turnover.

  If you put your baby on his side, you can help the baby avoid the danger of spitting up. However, if let the baby sleep on his side at night or for a long time without parental care, he may roll over into a prone position and have a risk of suffocation. 

  In addition, some of the sudden deaths in infants are sleep-related, so parents should pay extra attention to their babies’ sleep. When the baby is sleeping, it is best not to have other things in the bassinet or the crib, such as stuffed animals, big blankets and towels, etc., to decrease the risk of suffocation.

Conclusion

  It is necessary to let your baby have a sleep sack. And parents should use the baby’s sleep sack safely.

• Parents should make sure the baby stays in the supine position when he is in a sleep sack during the sleep.
• Stop using swaddling sleep sacks promptly when your baby tries to roll over.
• When using the swaddling sleep sack, pay attention to whether your baby appears to be overheated. 
• Swaddling sleep sacks should have a loose bottom, which will not affect the baby's limb development.