How to Dadda
How to Dadda
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Skills

Wrap a baby

About a minute, once he has done it ten times. The first ten take longer. Difficulty: fiddly

What this is for

A wrap settles bub and keeps them on their back. Dadda will do a few hundred.

Before Dadda starts

Within reach, on a flat surface at waist height:

  • A muslin or light cotton wrap, about a metre across. Not a bunny rug.
  • A singlet and a nappy under the wrap. A light grow suit when it is cool.

No wrap if bub is in a sleeping bag or sharing a sleep surface. A shaped swaddle fastens its own way. Its instructions beat this page. A midwife will watch him do one before he goes home.

The steps

  1. Lay the wrap flat and square on, longer edge left to right.
  2. Fold the top edge down about a tenth, into a lip.
  3. Lay bub on their back down the middle. Head and face clear above the lip.
  4. Arms up: tuck each arm under the lip. Arms down: flat at the sides.
  5. Fold one side across bub. Tuck it tight underneath — bub's weight holds it.
  6. Do the other side the same way.
  7. Leave the bottom loose. Bub needs to kick.
  8. Put bub on their back, face uncovered. Every sleep, wrapped or not.

What goes wrong

  • Legs straight and together. It increases the risk of abnormal hip development. Firm at the chest, loose at the hips.
  • Sides laid over bub, not under. A loose wrap travels up to the face.
  • Still wrapping after the first roll. Arms out, or stop. Rolling or 3 months, whichever comes first, then a sleeping bag.

Dadda's note

Wrapping your baby makes them feel safe, particularly when they are newborn and out of the comfy womb for the first time. They typically like to be wrapped TIGHT. Probably tighter than you will do it at first.

One thing no one mentioned until later: bubbas are typically more comfortable with arms up than arms down. Look at your baby when they're alone, you can probably tell.

— Josh, on HOW-163. Opinion, not sourced.

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