Snug as a Bug in a Womb

I'm a BIG believer in swaddling. When I see a baby asleep in a crib with arms and legs just left out to flop, my fingers itch to wrap that baby up in a snug little bundle. Both of my kids were swaddled until they started kicking out of it (about 4 months). Swaddling is a fairly new rebirth, if you will, of a very ancient tradition. As a matter of fact, America is just about the only country that hasn't done this for the last few hundred years. I have a couple of reasons why I love the swaddle. One, it makes the babies feel secure. If you were cruising the first 9 months of your life in a warm, cozy, nicely upholstered ride like a uterus and then you are yanked out into the cold, big space of your new life, you would feel pretty freaked out. Swaddling allows the baby to feel warm and cozy again. They like the straight jacket, it feels like home. For my second reason, a little visualization is needed. Have you ever seen a lizard lose it's tail? Here's Mr. Lizard and all of a sudden, he gets startled and, whoa, "Hey, man. Where did my tail go?" Then he looks behind him and sees it flopping around all by itself. You know that has to be a bad day for the lizard. Well, babies are sort of the same. They have about as much control over their arms and legs as Mr. Lizard has over his tail flopping around. So, when they sleep, their little arms can flail and flap around, hitting them in the face and waking them up from an otherwise peaceful sleep. So, if you are a new mom, or about to be one, be kind and swaddle that baby. My mom makes the best swaddle blanket for cold weather babies, but I have to say Aden + Anias is my very favorite for summer swaddling. They are Australian mom's that couldn't find the same kind of swaddle blanket in the States that they had back home in Australia. Check them out at http://www.adenandanias.com/. I found these gauzy blankets after the birth of my second child and really regretted not having them for the first. They are breathable enough that the baby won't get sweaty head, but are substantial enough, especially folded in half, to keep them warm. They are huge blankets, too, which will help with a growing baby. As matter of fact, these are also pretty good multi-taskers (you know how I love multi-taskers)! I still use mine for throwing over a car seat if Kara is asleep, throwing over the stroller to keep the sun out or her eyes, and on the ground for outdoor play time. They are thin enough to fold into almost nothing in your diaper bag and come in the cutest designs. If you are about to have a baby, or know someone who is, these will be well used and well appreciated. Momma happy.

LOCATION ALERT: If you live in the Dallas area and just have to have one of these right now, there is a store in Richardson called Peppermint that carries these blankets. See http://www.peppermint.com/ for directions.