We all have the image of those swaddled babies who suddenly open their arms when mom releases them from their swaddle. Swaddling is an ancestral practice , somewhat forgotten in Europe, before it returned to the forefront in recent years. Today, new parents must choose between the practice of a technique more than a thousand years old and the recent arrival of cocoons, these soft sleeping bags that have appeared on the market and offer complete swaddling, respectful of the baby's developmental needs, stable over time and easy to use. For your baby's well-being, it is necessary to focus on the best practices to allow your infant to spend their sleeping hours in the most optimal and secure way possible.
Ouatine & Cumulus explains where these two practices come from and, above all, the differences that using one or the other can have on baby's development!
The little history of swaddling
A very ancient technique, yet long forgotten in Europe, swaddling involves wrapping your newborn tightly in a blanket or light swaddle to provide comfort and reassurance during sleep. While this practice has remained widely used in many countries around the world since antiquity, it has only recently been making a strong comeback in our country.
In Africa and some Asian countries, swaddling is an extremely established technique that is passed down from generation to generation. This means that each generation reinforces the techniques used to perfectly swaddle the baby, placing them effectively . Unfortunately, in Europe, we don't benefit from this transmission, and despite the growing popularity of swaddling year after year, we often make small mistakes when swaddling the baby.
" It often happens that swaddling is practiced incorrectly at home and lacks safety for the infant. The technique must really be applied correctly so that the baby feels secure and calm. To do this, especially when the baby is awake, he or she must be positioned in flexion, with the hands close to the face, in a position that will remind him or her of the one he or she had in mom's belly ."
Stéphanie, pediatric nurse and founder of Ouatine & Cumulus
Also, make sure to secure the fabric properly so that the baby cannot unwrap themselves during sleep, risking waking up, but more importantly, the fabric could end up covering their face. Your newborn should be well secured for both their safety and comfort.
This position serves to reassure your newborn , but be careful not to completely immobilize him and to allow him to move; this is important for his development. Unlike some swaddling products found on the market, it is important that the baby can keep his hands close to his face to reassure himself. In this way, he will be able to calm himself and develop his oral skills; therefore, it is important not to swaddle his hands with the rest of his body.
And what about the cocoon?
Unlike swaddling, the cocoon is not a technique, but an accessory entirely dedicated to baby's sleep . It serves to define the space around your little one, while offering reassuring contact both at the head and feet. Inside its cocoon, the baby will feel as if it were in its mother's womb : secure and calm. The ideal combination for peaceful and restful nights to support its development.
>> Discover the size 1 swaddles (0 to 6 months)
Placed in its cocoon, your newborn will be naturally supported in a flexed position, with hands close to the face for self-soothing. Using a cocoon also improves your child's future motor skills by developing their symmetry. Even better, the position adopted by the baby in the cocoon, with its little legs tucked up, improves digestive comfort by limiting reflux and the little cramps caused by an extended position, head back and legs stretched out. These discomforts could interrupt the baby's sleep and can be avoided or limited.
By placing your child in a padded cocoon, they feel all the security they need to fall asleep peacefully.
💡To ensure your child feels perfectly comfortable, feel free to add your scent to their cocoon by inserting a cloth impregnated with your scent into the hood. For maximum effectiveness, it is recommended to replace it every 48 hours. This will soothe your baby for faster sleep.
Easy to transport, the cocoon quickly becomes an essential for parents who can use it from the first days of their baby's life, in the maternity ward or at home. A versatile sleeping aid , as it can be used during the baby's sleep, but also during waking hours, it recreates the same secure environment wherever the baby is (in a cradle, playpen or in their stroller). The cocoon is much easier to use than swaddling and is very comfortable for the baby.
At Ouatine & Cumulus, the well-being of babies is our priority, which is why we have designed the most comfortable and secure cocoons for little ones. Several cocoons are available to follow the baby's evolution and development! Want to discover the differences between sleeping nests, sleeping bags and cocoons? Dive into our dedicated article on this subject!
