Is there an increased risk of SIDS when having my baby swaddled?

Dr. Karp highly recommends swaddling babies and rest assured what you have heard is not true. The American Academy of Pediatrics has not opposed swaddling. In fact, arms down swaddling is specifically recommended in one of their latest books – Heading Home With Your Newborn. Several studies show that correct swaddling with a large, thin blanket may well reduce the risk of SIDS (an Australian study showed that babies who slept on their backs swaddled with arms down were 30% less likely to have SIDS than babies who slept on their backs unswaddled). Swaddling is only associated with SIDS if the baby is overheated or the parent uses bulky blankets that unravel and get around the head.