Swaddling for babies is not recommended- use 100% merino to make a blanket for safer sleep
Michele who is an Auckland midwife sent me this important info for new mothers so please pass this on.
Friday 7 December it is National Safe Sleep Day. The New Zealand Sleep Safety Standards board are trying to STOP swaddling babies when they are sleeping. Swaddling actually inhibits all of baby's natural protective reflex's that it has been born with like:
Startle reflex - resets baby's heart rate, breathing and temperature
Hand to mouth reflex - helps baby establish breastfeeding and strengthens the suckling reflex.
Temperature control - babies use the blood vessels in their hands to regulate their temperature if they get hot.
Push out of danger reflex - If baby gets low on oxygen from having something cover its face it will automatically push out of danger if hands are free.
Babies also need to be able to kick and move their legs due to being born with weak hip joints
So as you can see we are now aware of the dangers of swaddling and would prefer if babies are just tucked in tightly but still able to get their hands free at any time. This is why I send people to your company so they can purchase long pieces of merino that they can use to envelope baby in bed by having it come from under the mattress and then tuck over each side. Babies still feel snug.
Sleeping bags are great so long as hands are free.
I hope you can help support this on your website because we are trying to pass out consistent messages.
If you have any questions about this post for Michele please send me an email and I can give you her email address.
