Swaddling a Baby is the traditional practice of wrapping your baby in a lightweight blanket or sheet, to help them feel safe and secure. It is a technique used in many cultures across the world, to help the baby adjust to life outside of the womb.

Have you ever wondered, can I Swaddle newborn with muslin? Well, we will explain everything you need to know in this article, which we hope you find useful.

How do you swaddle a baby?

To swaddle your baby safely, follow these instructions below:

1. Choose a muslin cloth, lightweight blanket, or thin sheet, as your Swaddle Wrap. This should be square-shaped.
2. Lay down your swaddling blanket on a flat, safe surface, like the floor.
3. Arrange the blanket in a diamond shape. Turn the top point of the diamond down and smooth it out.
4. Put the baby down gently on their back on top of the blanket.
5. Put the baby’s right arm down gently by their side and wrap that side of the blanket up over their right arm and across their front over to the left.
6. Tuck the blanket snugly underneath their left side.
7. The idea is to wrap your baby gently but firmly, so they feel snug and secure without restricting their legs from falling into a natural frog-like position. Always make sure their neck and face are uncovered.
8. Bring the bottom corner of the blanket straight up and fold it upwards towards the baby’s shoulders, making sure it does not cover your baby’s neck or face in any way.
9. Place your baby’s left arm down by their side and wrap the blanket up over their left arm across their front and across to the opposite side of their body. Tuck it behind their right side.

Why is swaddling a baby a good idea?

To swaddle your baby safely, follow these instructions below:

1. Choose a muslin cloth, lightweight blanket, or thin sheet, as your swaddle wrap. This should be square-shaped.
2. Lay down your swaddling blanket on a flat, safe surface, like the floor.
3. Arrange the blanket in a diamond shape. Turn the top point of the diamond down and smooth it out.
4. Put the baby down gently on their back on top of the blanket.
5. Put the baby’s right arm down gently by their side and wrap that side of the blanket up over their right arm and across their front over to the left.
6. Tuck the blanket snugly underneath their left side.
7. The idea is to wrap your baby gently but firmly, so they feel snug and secure without restricting their legs from falling into a natural frog-like position. Always make sure their neck and face are uncovered.
8. Bring the bottom corner of the blanket straight up and fold it upwards towards the baby’s shoulders, making sure it does not cover your baby’s neck or face in any way.
9. Place your baby’s left arm down by their side and wrap the blanket up over their left arm across their front and across to the opposite side of their body. Tuck it behind their right side.

• Tucking the baby’s arms into the swaddle wrap stops your baby’s arms from flailing, which can wake them up during sleep.
• It reminds the parents to put the baby to sleep on his back.
• A swaddle blanket can aid with temperature regulation, as it stops the baby from feeling too hot or too cold.
• Swaddling keeps the baby’s arms by his sides, which stops him from rubbing and scratching his face.
• A swaddle wrap can also be used as a breastfeeding cover, as it hides the mum’s chest area and the sight of the baby feeding- to give the mother privacy.

What is a muslin?

A muslin square is a soft piece of cloth. If you have a little one, there are so many ways that you can use a muslin.

You can use a muslin for many purposes, including:

• Swaddling your baby to sleep.
• As a breastfeeding cover, to give the mum privacy and comfort while the baby feeds.
• As a baby bib.
• For wiping dribble and spillages.
• As a burping cloth.
• As a washcloth for the baby’s bath.
• To place on the floor during tummy time, so the baby can roll over and explore their surroundings, without you worrying about spillages or accidents on your carpet.
• As a teething item, when the baby starts teething.
• As a makeshift baby sling.
• To add a layer between the changing mat and the baby’s skin (and to mop up any leaks or soiling).
• To pat the baby’s bottom dry, after changing a nappy.
• To provide the baby shade from the sun, in a pram or in the car window.
• To place over the baby bouncer, to prevent spillages.
• You can also use muslin squares as reusable nappies, which is what they were originally invented for!
• Why not use a muslin cloth to play peek-a-boo with your little angel, they will love it!
• You can also cut your muslin cloth into smaller squares and use them around the house to clean surfaces.
• Muslin is also used in cooking, to wrap meat and drain soft cheeses.

Can I swaddle newborn with muslin?

So, can I swaddle newborn with muslin?

Yes, you can use a muslin cloth to swaddle a newborn baby. Muslin is thin, lightweight, soft, breathable and comfortable. Hence, muslin is an excellent choice for a swaddle wrap.

You should never use a thick, heavy blanket to swaddle your baby. This would cause the baby to overheat. Also, the excess weight can impede the child’s breathing and pose a suffocation risk, which is very dangerous.

Should newborn babies be swaddled all day?

No, a baby shouldn’t spend all day wrapped in a swaddle blanket. The baby should spend some time outside of the swaddle, so she can move her arms and legs.

You should give her the opportunity to use their hands to touch objects like toys, which will encourage her to develop motor skills.

Using the swaddle wrap for naps and bed-time only will help your baby associate it with sleep. So, when you start swaddling your child, this will signal to the baby that it is time to wind down and go to sleep.

To keep your baby safe when swaddling him or her, follow these tips:

• Never cover up the baby’s face and neck, as the swaddle wrap can obstruct their breathing if this happens.
• Choose a thin, lightweight swaddle wrap. The material should be breathable and comfortable on the skin. A hypoallergenic material like cotton is an excellent choice.
• The swaddle wrap should not feel too tight, especially around the hips. It should be snug, but comfortable.
• Make sure the baby doesn’t wear too many layers of clothing underneath the swaddle wrap, to prevent overheating.
• Make sure the baby has enough room inside the swaddle wrap to stretch and flex his legs.
• If the baby’s skin feels hot or sweaty, them remove the swaddle wrap or a layer of clothing, so they can cool down.
• Stop swaddling your baby when they start to roll over. This usually happens at around 3 to 4 months old, but some babies can roll over earlier than this, while others may take longer. It can be very dangerous and even deadly if a baby rolls over while swaddled, as they can suffocate in their sleep.

Where can I buy a swaddle wraps?

At Mama Jewels, we have designed our products to make your routine with your newborn baby as comfortable as possible.

To learn more about our swaddle wraps and muslin products, click here to read our blog articles on:

• What is a breastfeeding cover?
• Top 5 breastfeeding gifts

We offer Swaddle Wrap Breastfeeding Covers, which are ideal for wrapping your baby to sleep.

Use this product to swaddle your newborn baby snugly, to give them a blissful rest.

This is a must-have item for breastfeeding mothers, as it provides an airy space and acts as a barrier, to provide privacy for the intimate moments of nursing or pumping milk.

Made from bamboo and organic cotton, our Swaddle Wrap Breastfeeding Cover slips nicely over the body, feeling roomy and comfortable, like a one-shoulder top. The material is lightweight and breathable, so your little one won’t feel overwhelmed or overly hot under the fabric.

We know how wriggly and fussy babies can become during breastfeeding, which is why our Swaddle Wrap Breastfeeding Cover is also perfect for eliminating visual distractions from the baby’s environment.

What’s more, our Swaddle Wrap Breastfeeding Cover creates a protective barrier for any nursing mums who experience spraying or leaking from their breasts, due to an overabundant milk supply.

Our Swaddle Wrap Breastfeeding Cover is available in these stylish patterns:

• Pastel Flower swaddle wrap
• Natural Leaf swaddle wrap
• Terracotta Leaf swaddle wrap
• Monochrome swaddle wrap
• Mustard Swirls swaddle wrap
• Mustard Dots swaddle wrap

We also offer Muslin Dribble Bibs, which are practical, ultra-absorbent and wonderfully soft against a baby’s delicate skin.

Our muslin bibs are less bulky than traditional bibs, making them perfect for smaller babies.

Made from 70% Bamboo and 30% Organic Cotton, the bib is machine washable and features a double popper fastening at back.

Click here to shop our:

• Bandana Muslin Dribble Bib (Mustard Gold Swirls)
• Bandana Muslin Dribble Bib (Mustard Gold Dots)

About Mama Jewels

Mama Jewels is an independent gift box company, selling planet-friendly and vegan-friendly artisan gifts, to help make the transition to motherhood easier and more comfortable for pregnant mums and new mums.

Visit the Mama Jewels website here.

Shop our gift hampers, baby toys, breastfeeding gifts, baby teething toys, letterbox gifts and vegan skincare collection here.

Read more articles about pregnancy, parenthood and gifts for new mums and mums-to-be on our blog.

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Contact us at 07720 890552 or at [email protected] if you would like to get in touch with us.

We hope you now have the answer to the question ‘can I swaddle newborn with muslin?’