8 Benefits of Swaddling Preterm Babies

Parenthood is a blessing that chooses you to discover a part of yourself that you were never aware of. Just think about the time when you held your little one for the first time. That feeling is surely out of this world. Honestly, you experience a roller coaster ride of a trillion emotions in that moment of sheer delight. 

To be more precise, that one moment plays a major role in introducing you to a phase of life where your child instantly becomes your main priority, and you desire to do anything and everything for the comfort, safety and upbringing of this delicate piece of your heart. 

This entire bundle of feelings and emotions become even more inevitable with a preterm infant who is born to be handled with extra love and care.

But do you know how to keep your preterm infant comfortable, cozy and safe at home?

Well, the most reliable idea is to rightly swaddle your preterm baby. This promises a lot of benefits and thus allows you to make memories without carrying the added burden of worries, fears and risks on your shoulders. 

Lets  look at the benefits of swaddling your preterm baby.

 1. Sound Sleep  

Preterm children often face a hard time having a restful sleep. They are attentive to even the slightest of disturbances around them. This is always the biggest worry that disturbs their parents the most.

An effective solution to this is to swaddle your baby rightly. This not only keeps your baby warm and cozy but also makes him somewhat unconscious of what is happening around.

Try it out and you will see a huge difference on your own.

2. Womb Like Sleeping Posture

A premature baby has not completed the usual time of 37 weeks in his mother's womb that is why he often craves for sleeping in a womb-like posture that he is used to.  

If you wish to ensure your little one’s comfort and ease, always go for swaddling your preterm baby. The swaddle replicates a fetal in-utero posture, hence, makes it easier for your baby to adapt to his new surroundings.

 3. Energy Conservation

Birth is more like a sudden trauma for a premature infant. That is why most preterm babies are habitual to crying. Crying drains a bit too much of their energy leaving them tired and cranky.

Swaddling comes handy in this situation. It somehow lessens the effect of disturbances, ensuring comfort and coziness to make it possible for your precious one to have a good day every day.

 4. Prevents Disturbance from Startle Reflex

All infants are extremely responsive to loudness and noise. This behavior is typically more common in premature infants and thus it serves as a huge trouble for parents who spend days and nights in trying to pacify their cry baby.

However, a tried and tested way to reduce this Startle Reflex is to swaddle your premature child in the right manner. It possibly helps a lot giving your child the peace and calm that he really needs.

 5. Improves Neuromuscular Development

A swaddled baby loves to move his arms and legs in a playful manner. This activity makes his muscles stronger giving him the strength and power that he needs for his survival. 

It further contributes to improving the neuromuscular coordination that premature babies often lack.

6. Aids Temperature Regulation

Premature children are not fully able to regulate their body temperature on their own. It is sometimes because the organs are not that mature or because the oxygen carrying capacity of their blood is compromised. Irrespective of varying medical conditions behind this trouble, an effective solution is to swaddle your baby.

It keeps the body warm and hence, makes it easier for him to breathe without any difficulty.

7. Reduces the Risk of SIDS

Weak immune system, immature organs, limited oxygen carrying capacity of the blood, neural bleeding, neural damage, respiratory distress syndrome and many other such health-related issues are often observed in babies with premature birth. 

These difficulties ultimately put infants at a risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Swaddling is one of the numerous ways that can help keep your baby safe from such life-threatening health issues and SIDS in the longer run. 

8. Reduces Physiological and behavioral distress.

Preterm babies crave for the intrauterine environment that nourishes them in an ideal way. Their cravings are further intensified by the invasive treatments and examination that they go through.  Injection and heel sticks cause severe pain leading to a higher level of psychological and behavioral distress in premature infants. Swaddling plays a significant role in reducing this stress to let your child welcome a happy and healthy life ahead.

Hence proved, swaddling your preterm baby is a must for ensuring his well- being.  However, keep an eye on a few things while swaddling a preterm baby. A  swaddled baby must never lie on his stomach and always use a light cotton cloth to wrap your baby so that his body temperature remains balanced. Incorrect swaddling methods can possibly cause several serious health issues, such as hip dysplasia. Partial or complete swaddling may  cause pneumonia in infants.

Therefore, if you wish to avail the optimal benefits of swaddling, first educate yourself about the right way to do it. Take the required precautions and continue to enjoy the perks of parenting. Your child is your life's biggest asset, stay strong and surpass all challenges like a true survivor.