Swaddling Bulletin: May 10, 2016

If you have hopped on the New York Times or other news sources, you may have read the headline "Swaddling Infants May Increase Risk of SIDS". It is not very often I am one to dissect a news headline and article for my clients, but this is one I will. It is a great study but it has a fear-mongering headline in the media.

The goal of the study that came out in Pediatrics was to conduct an individual-level meta-analysis of SIDS risk and infants swaddled while sleeping.

The results are not surprising. The risk of SIDS increases for babies while they are swaddled when they are on their TUMMIES. Yes. Not rocket science. And also on their sides. And the risk increases with the age of the baby. None of this is really shocking.

As a newborn care specialist and postpartum doula, I take great care to balance AAP recommended safe sleeping practices with the goals of my clients. Many of them share a common goal: to help get everyone in the home more sleep.

Check out our post on the How's and Why's of Swaddling.

Dr. Pease, one of the researchers, suggests that parents start to think about what age they should stop swaddling. I completely agree with Dr. Pease. I gently recommend parents stop swaddling their babies once they even become close to rolling over.

Great study. Fear-mongering headline in the media.