The Great Surprise About Using Swaddling to Calm Colic

The biggest myth parents have about wrapping is that it’s supposed to quiet their fussy, crying baby. Wrong! Swaddling by itself doesn’t turn on the “calming reflex” (which – when done properly – is like an off-switch for crying and an on-switch for your baby’s sleep).

This point often confuses inexperienced parents. In fact, many new moms and dads lose patience with bundling because initially it makes their babies struggle and scream louder – not less!

So why is swaddling the first step of calming? Because it does calm some babies and it prepares all babies for parents to do a few more of the 5 S’s (like “shushing” and “swinging”), which almost always soothes fussiness by triggering the calming reflex.

Think of it this way: What’s the first thing a mother does when her hungry toddler clamors for food? Set the table to serve the meal. Yet doing that often makes her scream louder, as if she’s yelling, “Hey, would you please hurry and put some spaghetti on the table!” However, you are determined to put it on a plate with a fork and napkin before letting her eat, so you buzz through her preparations despite her protests.

In a similar way, swaddling “sets the table” for the feast of calming you’re about to serve. It’s the critical step before the actual “shhh”ing and jiggling begin. So don’t worry if your baby struggles more right after you’ve wrapped her snugly. Once you begin “feeding” her the other 4 “S’s” from The Happiest Baby DVD, you’ll be able to meet her needs completely.

Tags: Colic