Swaddling 101 - Because a Happy Baby is a Swaddled Baby

If you listen to your parent friends (as you should) you might have heard that you should watch hospital nurses like a hawk so you can learn their top secret swaddling techniques. But after hours of labor or major surgery that's easier said than done. After all, you've just had a baby; it's more fun to look into those baby blues than to watch the nurse in action. But what's a new mom to do when she gets home and can't remember how to swaddle her howling infant?  Well, she comes here because I'm going to give you step by step swaddling instructions. With pictures too! Are you ready? Welcome to Swaddling 101.

1) Start with a large square blanket. 40x40 is a good size to start with. (Sadly those millions of cute little receiving blankets are way too small, but they make great burp cloths.)

2) Lay your blanket flat with a straight side (not the tip) towards you.

3) Fold over the top inch or two of your blanket.

4) Place your baby, face up, on the blanket so her neck lies along the top edge of the fold. (This is Bebe Do. He's very cooperative. And look! Already asleep. Love that in a baby.)

5) Grab the top left (your left) corner of the blanket and pull it snuggly across your baby's chest, pinning her right arm to her side. Slide the corner of the blanket between her left arm and her body and tuck it snuggly under her. You can roll her slightly to the side to make it easier to tuck the blanket under her. Quick note here: Snug is key. You want the blanket to be as tight as possible. Trust me, you can't make it too tight. Unless you're Superman. But you're not. Right?

6) Now that her right arm is secure grab the top right (your right) corner of the blanket and pull it snuggly across your baby's chest pinning the left arm to her side. Roll her body again and bring the blanket all the way around her back and over to the other side. Your baby's arms are both now pinned to her chest.

7) Tug on the bottom edge of blanket and open up the two corners.

8) Keeping the blanket taunt pull the bottom edge up and over the baby's body, bringing it all the way up to the baby's chest. You might want to fold it up a little so that the baby's legs fold up, putting her in a fetal position.

9) Tuck first one corner to one side under her and then the other corner to the other side.

And Voila! A cozy, swaddled baby.

Practice a few times and I guarantee that you'll be as good as those miracle workers.