What once was an excellent technique used for calming newborns, is now claimed to be dangerous to the growth of infants!
This technique, which people once called “swaddling,” was used for calming purposes with newborns. Parents would wrap their child in a blanket and make sure their arms and legs were tucked in so that they weren’t very mobile when trying to nap or sleep.
The reasoning for this?
The immobility allows them to feel comforted more and secure. This technique, while it is effective has recently been proven to be a problem with infant growth as they get older.
The problem with swaddling exactly is that it can affect the joint development in a child’s body. It is mostly common in the hip joints. Babies arms and legs are supposed to be let free when they’re young. Obviously not every child who is swaddled as a young newborn is going to grow up and run into these issues, but results are clear that most of these children who were, need surgery or other options to correct their joints at some point in life.
The video below, is very informative about the issues with this no good technique.
H/T Little Things