The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block 2-Book Bundle pdfdrive com

2. Swaddling Keeps Your Baby from Spiraling Out of
Control
Not only does swaddling feel cozy, it also keeps your
baby from whacking herself and inadvertently getting more
upset. (You may have noticed how much calmer your baby
is when she is “wrapped” in your arms.) Before birth, your
uterus kept your baby’s arms from spinning like a
windmill. After her “eviction,” this restriction disappears.
Without the womb walls to prevent flailing, your baby’s
small upsets can quickly switch on her Moro reflex (the
falling reflex) and start her thrashing and crying.

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3. Wrapping Helps Your Baby Pay Attention to What
You’re Doing to Calm Her
When your baby is crying, she experiences a sensation
similar to ten radios playing in her head—at the same time.
Each jerk and startle shoots another alarm message to her
brain, and together those signals make such a racket that
your crying infant may hardly notice you’re there!
Your little screamer desperately needs you to tell her,
“That’s it, I’m taking over now.” And that’s exactly what
swaddling does. By restraining your baby’s movements,
you turn off most of the distracting “radio stations” so she
can tune in and focus on all the wonderful things you’re
doing to soothe her. Wrapping also prevents new twitches
from igniting the crying all over again.
The Great Surprise About Swaddling
The biggest myth parents have about wrapping is that it’s supposed
to quiet their fussy baby. Wrong! Swaddling by itself doesn’t turn on
the calming reflex.
This point often confuses inexperienced parents. In fact, many
new moms and dads lose patience with bundling because initially it
makes their babies scream louder not less!
So why is swaddling the first step of calming? Because it prepares
your baby for the soothing steps you will do next that will trigger
her calming reflex.
Think of it this way: What’s the first thing a mother does when
her hungry toddler clamors for food? Set the table to serve the meal.
Yet doing that often makes her scream louder, as if she’s yelling,
“Hey, just dump the spaghetti on the table!” Of course, you know

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she needs utensils and a plate before she can enjoy her delicious
meal, so you buzz through your preparations despite her protests.
In essence, swaddling “sets the table” for the feast of calming
you’re about to serve. It’s the critical step of preparation before the
actual shhhhing and jiggling begin. So don’t worry if your baby
struggles more right after you’ve wrapped her snugly. Once you
begin “feeding” her the other 4 “S’s,” you’ll satisfy her needs
completely.