If your baby is swaddled, keep them swaddled throughout their night feeds. Or if your baby is older, keep them in their sleeping bag. If you need to do a diaper change before or during their feed, re-swaddle them again or put them back in their sleeping bag as soon as they are changed.
Ideally, keep baby out of the swaddle while nursing so they're stimulated, awake and alert to take in a full feeding of breast milk. Swaddling may overheat baby. Overheating creates extra sleepiness and may make baby less likely to wake to feed or finish a full feeding.
But according to the Contemporary Pediatrics guide, Swaddling 101, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), many babies can stay calm with no swaddling at all. The guide however, suggested that fussier babies can be calmed with the help of a swaddle.
Keep your baby upright after feeding
Instead of laying your baby down flat after feeding, keep them upright for about 30 minutes so gravity can help them digest their food. Otherwise, they're more likely to spit up.
5: Side-lying position
Ideal for relaxed night feeds and breastfeeding in bed or on the sofa, side-lying can also be more comfortable than sitting if you've had a caesarean or stitches. You and your baby need to lie on your sides next to one another, belly-to-belly.
While holding your baby upright for 30 minutes after a feeding may allow for some of the feed to leave the stomach, the majority of the feed remains in their stomach after that time. When you lay your baby down, their immature LES could still open, causing them to spit up.
You don't have to swaddle your newborn at night but it absolutely helps. I've worked with lots of parents who say their newborn doesn't like the swaddle.
Use a thicker crib sheet
You can buy thicker crib sheets for the winter. These will provide some warmth in the crib at night without the risk of having any loose blankets or sheets in the cot. I would recommend always going for 100% cotton sheets which are breathable and help regulate your baby's body temperature.
Once you have stopped swaddling, baby should sleep in any type of pajamas. Footed sleepers, two piece pajamas, or a even a onesie are perfect. Babies overheat easily, so always err on the side of baby being cooler rather than warmer. I recommend sleep sacks only when a parent feels they are needed for warmth.
Unswaddle during day feedings
Newborn babies are notorious “snackers.” One way to help them stay awake during day feedings and get a little more awake time is by keeping them unswaddled.
You should stop swaddling your baby when they start to roll over. That's typically between two and four months. During this time, your baby might be able to roll onto their tummy, but not be able to roll back over. This can raise their risk of SIDs.
The short answer is that swaddling must stop when your baby can roll. While every baby is different, some little ones start rolling as early as 2 months. The longer answer: In general, babies do best when swaddling lasts until they're 4 to 5 months old…but that won't work for early rollers.
You can begin weaning at night first and work on naps later if you have been swaddling for naps in addition to nights, and your baby is not yet rolling but you sense it's around the corner, . If your baby is rolling, it's time to start weaning him off the swaddle, one arm at a time, right away.
Your newborn baby will sleep better and sleep longer if you put them to sleep while swaddled. Swaddling prevents newborn babies from startling themselves awake with random arm movements.
Can you burp a swaddled baby? You can burp a swaddled baby. But, just like your baby needs their whole body to feed, it's also helpful if they have access to their full body to burp.
Bedding and Clothing Without Swaddle
Weather dependent, your baby might be warm enough in a babygrow, or in colder weather, in an approved bodysuit and sleep bag. If necessary, a single cellular blanket is the best option for an extra layer.
To give you a better idea if they are warm or cold, feel the skin on their tummy and back. Their skin should feel warm and not too hot or cold. Your baby's behaviour will give you an insight into how comfortable they feel.
First is the developmental window of vulnerability. SIDS is most common at 2-4 months of age when the cardiorespiratory system of all infants is in rapid transition and therefore unstable.
What to do Wait about 20 minutes or so — until your baby has fallen into a deeper level of sleep — before trying to transfer her to a crib or some other sleeping surface. Why it works When your baby first falls asleep, she's really just dozing. If you try to set her down, she'll wake up quickly.
Try to have a regular bedtime and routine
A regular series of events, for example a bath, story then milk in a dark room, can help a baby to calm down ready for sleep and sleep longer at night (Mindell et al, 2006; St James-Roberts, 2012; Staples et al, 2015).
In the upright or koala hold, your baby sits straddling your thigh, or on your hip, with his spine and head upright as he feeds. You can do this hold with a newborn if you give your baby plenty of support, and it's also a convenient way to feed an older baby who can sit unaided.
During the newborn period, most breastfeeding sessions take 20 to 45 minutes. However, because newborn babies are often sleepy, this length of time may require patience and persistence. Feed on the first side until your baby stops suckling, hands are no longer fisted, and your baby appears sleepy and relaxed.