Why Babies Love Stretchy Wraps
Often considered to be one of the favourite places for newborns to take a snooze, there's plenty of reasons why mums and babies alike love stretchy wraps.
Not only do babies like to be swaddled, but new parents tend to be big fans of the practice thanks to its soothing benefits. As the concept of swaddling is designed to mimic life inside the womb where the baby has lived so snuggly for the past nine months, it’s for this reason why the practice is done all over the world.
While the burrito-like format helps a baby to feel comfortable, safe and secure, swapping also helps to stop little arms and legs from flailing about, reduce a baby’s startle reflex, and aid them in getting better quality sleep. Although the concept remains relatively the same between each product, parents have a wide range of options to choose from when it comes to ways to swaddle their baby, with one of the most popular being stretchy wraps.
Four Reasons Why Babies Enjoy Snoozing In Stretchy Wraps
As the name would suggest, stretchy wraps are made from one long piece of fabric that affixes your baby to your body by ‘wrapping’ it around you both. Once you manage to get your head around the actual process of putting one on, stretchy wraps are great for squishy newborns as the closeness mimics the feeling of being in the womb and can offer comfort to a restless or colicky baby.
Stretchy wraps come in a one-size-fits-all design and are easy to use for new parents as you can tie them on before putting your baby in the wrap. Much like shopping for a breastfeeding cover, the main things to pay attention to is the quality of the material to ensure that your baby can breathe and that the fabric won’t irritate their skin for long periods of time in the wrap. If you aren’t already converted to the idea, here’s what the research says about their benefits.
Helps Reduce SIDS - While the cause of SIDS is unknown, researchers believe that SIDS is associated with problems in the ability of the baby to arouse from sleep, to detect low levels of oxygen, or a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood. Despite this, the 2007 Journal of Pediatrics found a decrease in the incidence of SIDS among children who were swaddled.
Soothing And Comforting - Considering how overwhelming the world would seem to a newborn baby when compared to the comfort, warmth and closeness of the womb, swaddling through the use of stretchy wraps not only mimics this feeling, but also ensures that the familiar smells of mum or dad are nearby as well.
Promotes Sleep Continuity - To encourage your baby to have stretches of high quality sleep, research has also found that swaddling increases a baby's total amount of sleep as well as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) or light sleep compared with when they were not swaddled, as this process stops the startle reflex from waking them up mid nap.
Improves Motor Skills - Infants have shown improved neuromuscular development, less physiologic distress, better motor organisation, and more self-regulatory ability when they are swaddled. While the process should cease once the baby learns how to roll, stretchy wraps can help encourage motor skills during the period where swaddling is required.
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to babywearing and swaddling devices, and different styles will suit different people for different reasons. While it might take some trial and error, a high quality stretchy wrap can significantly enhance the experience of both the parent and the baby using it - but where can you find one?
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Zoe Sage came from a genuine desire to ease into the transition to motherhood and breastfeeding because - let’s be honest - motherhood is no joke. Owned and operated by a young mother of two, Zoe Sage is all about offering incredible products that actually reduce stress levels instead of increasing them.
From organic swaddles, silicone feeding sets and our signature Five In One Multi Use Mama Cover, we’ve got the essentials of motherhood covered alongside free shipping over $100, a thirty day returns policy, and of course, flexible payment options like ZipPay and Afterpay.
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