By now you’ve probably read the latest attention grabbing
headlines “Does Swaddling Babies Raise the Risk of SIDS” or “Common Parenting
Practice Tied to Higher SIDS.” Since this is a technique not only relevant to
our moms, but also one we highly recommend as a way to soothe a fussy baby, we
wanted to take a moment to address.
According
to a study published May 9th in the online edition of the journal Pediatrics, infants swaddled
during sleep have a greater risk of dying
from SIDS, especially if they are placed on their stomachs. News
outlets and Social Media have had a field day with headlines, however, CEO of
The Pump Station & Nurtury® Cheryl Petran believes many of the
posts going viral to be misleading: “They took this and twisted and rolled it
up into a messy little ball.”
According
to The Pump Station & Nurtury® Co-Founder, Corky Harvey MS, RN,
IBCLC “Swaddling is the cornerstone of settling a fussy baby. Learning how to swaddle so that babies are
quiet helps with parent attunement with the child in learning how to handle and
read them.”
Most
of the articles go on to suggest that, according to the study, swaddling can be
risky. However the actual
conclusion of the study supports 2 widely held factors parents and pediatricians
have already known for quite some time.
1.
Infants
should avoid sleeping on their sides and stomachs to reduce the risk of dying
from SIDS. Infants must be put to sleep on their backs.
2.
There is an age at which you should no longer swaddle.
Contrary to what
some headlines suggest, the researchers identified a “small but significant risk”
associated with infants swaddled and put to sleep on their backs. This finding actually keeps very much in line with
the recommendation of pediatricians like The Pump Station & Nurtury®
expert, Dr. Tanya Altmann, who states, “It’s perfectly fine to swaddle your baby and put them
to sleep on their back in a safe sleeping environment.”
That
being said, there was a small percentage of the infants who died of SIDS and
who were swaddled and put to sleep on their backs that were found on their stomachs. This finding may
have more to do with age and the fact that the baby is capable of rolling over.
So
how long can you swaddle your baby for?
“Around four months of age a lot of babies
will start breaking out of the swaddle. So, you may want to try swaddling them
from the armpits down with their arms out and then taking away the swaddle when
they become more mobile. A sleep sack is a great alternative. Your baby can still be
warm and cozy, but their arms won’t be pinned down at their side. So follow
your baby's lead if they enjoy being bundled up in a swaddle, then it’s
perfectly safe and fine,” says Altmann
According
to sleep specialist and Creator of The Happiest Baby on the Block, Dr.
Harvey Karp, “Swaddling is
recommended until at least 4 months. Many babies are ready by that age,
however, some benefit from an extra few months of swaddling. At 4 months, try
to swaddle with one arm out (it’s important to keep the white noise playing all
night). If your baby sleeps well with one arm out, you can stop the wrapping
(but still continue the sound). However, if he does not sleep as well with one
arm out, continue with the regular wrapping and sound and try the one arm
wrapping again in another month.” Stop altogether if baby
is rolling to their stomach.
Corky Harvey
believes, and Dr. Karp might also argue, that "Swaddling helps to
prevent babies from rolling to their stomachs as soon, therefore lessening the
risk of SIDS. The small number of babies that died of SIDS while
swaddled and on their backs may have died whether swaddled or not. There is no
way to remove all risk." She goes on to ask "Was the baby a
vulnerable baby (preemie or ill? was there a smoker in the house? Was the baby
in a separate room? All experts—including McKenna and the AAP-- believe that
babies need to be near the parent (arms reach) for the first 6 months of life.
"It should also be noted
that SIDS rates have declined sharply in recent years. We have removed babies
from stomach sleeping, and have put them on their backs. That proved to be,
singularly, the most significant factor in reducing the instances of SIDS,
according to anthropologist and author, Dr. James McKenna.
So
perhaps instead of suggesting a perfectly safe, respected, and highly
recommended technique for soothing your baby is the cause for SIDS, the viral
headlines should be reading “If you’re going to soothe your baby via swaddling,
be sure to do it properly!”
If
you would like to read more info on this subject we suggest these two articles
You
can also learn more about swaddling and other important information on how to
help your little one to sleep, stop them from crying, give the first bath, and
of course, how to Breastfeed & bottle feed in our BabyCare101 DVD or Digital
Download
If
you would like recommendations for sleeping sacks, we have several suggestions
in our list of essential baby care items.
