Five Weeks
1. Even though you have no idea what they are talking about, trust your (extremely wise and highly experienced) peers when they tell you that The Swaddle is one of the most important techniques you have to master as a new parent.
2. Obtain swaddling gear like:
Cotton Muslin Swaddle Blanket from Aden + Anais
And:
HALO SleepSack Micro-Fleece Swaddle
3. Birth baby. This could take a few minutes, so be patient.
4. Study the techniques of the nurses on the maternity ward. Ask the one who does the niftiest swaddle to demonstrate. Request that she repeat the process up to 1 million times if you are too tired/in shock/dimwitted to understand the fancy way she manipulates the fabric.
Thirteen minutes
5. Perhaps make a diagram, especially if a) you are a visual learner b) your name is Rob or c) if you have a penchant for Adobe Illustrator.
6. Practice practice practice.
Eight Days
7. Do not be afraid to pin your child’s arms down by his sides and wrap him VERY tight. Think straightjacket. Think burrito. Cocoon. Papoose. However tight you wrap him, he will still not be packed as snug as he was in the womb. For example, this stylish swaddle (done by a lovely professional photographer at Greenwich Hospital) was Obviously far too loose:
One Day, photo by bellababyphotography.com
8. If you can really embrace the science of The Swaddle, then you might…you just might enjoy a full night’s sleep….zzzz.
Eleven weeks
Then again, you might not:
One Month
Happy Swaddling.
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Categories: Kid, Kid Products, Parenting Humor
Baby burrito!
You gotta pack ’em tight (burritos and babies) 🙂
Another great one! You are so funny! It was great to see you in Yonkers. You look fabulous!!!!! Glad you’re out and about. We expect a baby visit ito Katonah one of these Sundays, maybe est day May 19th. Wendy
Thank you Wendy – great to see you too. Loved the pix of your grandaughter ON ICE 🙂
so adorable!!
Thanks – I hear that the swaddling phase doesn’t last long, so I am trying to celebrate it 🙂
Beautiful pictures! I have no idea how to swaddle a baby, but recently our vet suggested we make a “burrito” with our cat so that we could give him medication. I’ve never swaddled an infant, but it should give you comfort to know that you were at least successful in your attempts to swaddle and you walked away without any blood being drawn.
oh yikes! I am trying to envision a cat in a swaddle – that is a funny/cute image. Well, until the blood part…
Haha, that is so true! I actually thought my son hates being swaddled until I learned how to do it correctly. That’s when he actually started sleeping more! My mom always commented that he looked like a mummy. To bad I can’t swaddle him anymore. My restless days and sleepless nights are killing me!
I am wondering/dreading when this swaddling era will end – I love it and so does Ian. My doula said she swaddled her kids til 8 months…so I guess we’ll see!
“Birth baby. This could take a few minutes, so be patient.” I laughed so hard…
I had no idea tighter was better… it looks… restrictive? And uncomfortable… but I guess still way more space than the first nine months of his existence!!
I know, it goes against every instinct I had about being gentle with a baby, you really feel like you’re squeezing him like a tube toothpaste!
Yeah, the “birthing” took me 36 hours – if I could do math, I’d know how many minutes that is! 🙂
After the week I’ve had…. I’m going to go in the living room and ask my husband to swaddle me in a blanket as tight as he can! Honestly, I think I could go to sleep and be so happy… like for a very long time.
“Honey, make me into a burrito!” I’ll bet he’s never heard that one before.
HA HA!
Sweet pictures! Your little guy makes me smile from ear to ear.
Ha ha! Yes, I think the adult swaddle is an under-explored source of comfort. Come to think of it, it’s kind of like sleeping bag, but tighter…let’s market this, Stacey! Maybe this is our million-dollah idea! We can do it in some mid-centsch patterns…maybe cinch it with a stylish belt….I’m calling the patent office right now! hee hee
my little man always HATED the swaddle. Could only use 4 of the 5 s’s….maybe I never wrapped it tight enough. If only you had written this blog 4 months ago! 🙂
It was alarming to me at first how tight we were wrapping him – but he loved it, so…I suppose there are kids who would dislike it no matter what! 🙂
Thanks for visiting.