Wrapping your baby

Parents who choose to wrap their baby, swear that wrapping helps to settle them. This is because the wrap contains her, much as she was in the womb before birth, and so makes her feel secure. The wrap will also stop her from startling herself when the 'moro' reflex occurs.

When should I wrap my baby?

You can choose to wrap your baby from any age. Wrapping may be used throughout the first year of life - although it should be loosely wrapped once your baby can roll over - to help her relax and settle to sleep. Choosing to wrap or not depends more on whether it helps soothe your baby, rather than how old your baby is. Some babies find it stressful to be restrained, while others find it comforting to be held by a wrap for many months. Some babies do better if they have their arms out - particularly if they're a thumb-sucker - while others like their arms wrapped in. Some babies find the wrap so connected with sleep that the process of wrapping them can almost send them to sleep.

The wrap

Wraps are usually made of muslin or light cotton, and their proportions usually measure about 1.5 metres x 1.0 metres Don't try to use a bunny rug as a wrap because you will find that it will be too square and too short to be of any use. A bunny rug will also make your baby too hot because, while you may worry that the wrap material is not warm enough, when you place your baby in bed there will also be a sheet and/or blanket over her to keep her warm.

When should I stop wrapping my baby?

Generally it's recommended to start loosening your baby's wrap with the plan to remove it totally once she starts rolling over.

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This article was written by Ella Walsh for Kidspot. Sources include Karitane.