Those of us who are grandmas do not want to hear “swaddling” and “sudden infant death syndrome” together at any time for any reason, but “Swaddling and SIDS Risk” was the title of an article in the New York Times, May 10, 2016.
We grandmas learned from our mothers who learned from their mothers that swaddling a newborn calms the newborn, as the newborn feels it is back in the tight space of the womb. For those new to swaddling, it is wrapping an infant with a infant blanket, with the head exposed and the body and limbs wrapped, almost mummy like.
Swaddling using an infant blanket required practice on how to fold and how to swaddle. In this generation, swaddling blankets are as high tech as anything else, and come in the cutest varieties.
Now there are “miracle” swaddling blankets that are easy to put the newborn in found at Amazon.
The Miracle Swaddling Blanket gets near five stars on Amazon, comes in all colors, and the product description says it all:
“Being a new parent can be challenging enough without adding sleep deprivation to it. The miracle blanket is the secret to a happy, well-rested baby, as well as a well-rested mom and dad. The miracle blanket has been proven to extend sleep periods between feedings by preventing night movement and separation anxiety; thus allowing mom and dad a greater duration for sleep. Your baby will sleep longer and deeper with the miracle blanket. The miracle blanket is the only true swaddling blanket that guarantees its effectiveness with it’s triple patented arm flap design and length. The only thing you’ll have to worry about is which color to choose.”
For a fabulous newborn gift, there are gorgeous and expensive muslin swaddling blankets to be found.
There is even a website devoted to luxury swaddling blankets found here.
Yes, swaddling blankets are highly rated everywhere. So, what is happening now?
A new study in Pediatrics at the University of Bristol in England is one of few studies and the lead author of the study admits that the amount of good evidence is limited on the connection between swaddling and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). However, after pooling data from four observational studies of sudden infant death syndrome and swaddling, that included 750 SIDS cases and 1, 759 in a control group, the study found that swaddling increased the risk for SIDS by about one third: however, the babies were sleeping on their stomachs, sides and backs, and of different ages.
Of course, the risk of SIDS was the highest and greatest in babies sleeping on their stomachs, which has been shown in other studies of ASIDS. It was less for babies sleeping on their sides, and least for babies sleeping on their backs. The risk increased with the age of the baby.
Anna S. Pease, the lead author and research associate at the University of Bristol, acknowledged that this follows the concerns and findings already that side or stomach sleeping are unsafe for newborns and young babies, and that it is important to put babies to sleep on their backs.
We grandmas put our own babies to sleep on their stomachs as infants as that was the practice at that time. We were told that if they spit up they would not choke if they were on their stomachs. We had little information and did not have the internet. We must have been a lucky generation. Now the studies are not only in abundance, they are at our fingertips in the media outlets everywhere. The new practice is to make sure that infants and babies sleep on their backs. We grandmas must appreciate the new information available, the new concerns, the new studies, and follow whatever the parents of our precious grandchildren direct. We can still buy the swaddling blankets and show the parents of our grandchildren how to use them safely.
Those of us who are grandmas do not want to hear “swaddling” and “sudden infant death syndrome” together at any time for any reason, but must we should also let the parents of the grandchildren know about the new study . . . and keep swaddled newborns on their backs.
With little joy,
Mema
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