In short, usually swaddling your baby is safe. Related: How long does the startle reflex last? That’s why it’s important to understand how to swaddle, what situations may make it unsafe, and when to stop swaddling altogether. And that’s true, if it isn’t practiced correctly. You may have heard that swaddling has the potential to be unsafe. As you can imagine, startling may jolt a baby enough to wake from slumber. This reflex is present at birth, lasts until between 12 weeks and 6 months of age, and causes baby to startle with loud noises or large movements.
Some studies call this a type of “motor restraint,” which is just a technical way of saying that it restricts a baby’s movements so they don’t set off their moro or “startle” reflex. The key to a good swaddle is keeping it snug. And its impact on babies has been studied for decades or more. Wrapping babies to sleep has been around since ancient times. Some 90 percent of babies in North America are swaddled in the first weeks of life. The rest of their body is comfortably snug inside the blanket, which may help the youngest infants feel like they’re still inside the womb. In its most basic form, swaddling involves wrapping baby securely in a blanket so that only their head is peeking out.
