Recently I had the chance to photograph a 4 week old baby girl. Completely prepared for a very awake, possibly fussy baby, I was surprised when sweet little Ava immediately settled into a deep sleep after being swaddled, and stayed asleep during the entire session! I guess she must really love being swaddled.
Here are a few tips for swaddling newborns that I have picked up over the years:
- Instead of swaddling them on a bed or other flat surface, use your lap. You can scoot their little bottom all the way up to your stomach, effectively trapping their busy little legs from kicking out of the swaddle before you’ve had a chance to secure it.
- Use a slightly stretchy fabric.
- Gather arms and legs to the center and use one hand to hold them in place while using your other hand to position the blanket. Always keep one hand on those limbs until the swaddle is finished.
