Velcro And Zip-Up Swaddles

When you’re expecting a baby, it can be overwhelming to search through all the advice you are given to find the best way forward for your family.

Soon-to-be grandmothers and grandfathers will give well-meaning advice (often whether you asked for it or not) about how they used to do it with their children, but a lot of this advice is outdated and considered bad practice by modern standards.

Not that anyone intends to give you bad advice, it’s all very well-meant, but when you announce a baby is on the way it can feel like everyone is suddenly an expert on child-rearing, and they’re all professing different opinions.

It can be maddening! Where do you go for up-to-date information and advice on what you actually need for the new arrival?

Even the advice you get from midwives and doctors can differ from one medical professional to another.

Fortunately, we have done some of the research for you. You’ll find everything you ever wanted to know (and probably a bit more besides) about baby swaddles with different fastenings in this informative article. 

We’ll also give you the lowdown on how safe they are to use for newborn babies and any associated dangers and alternatives.

Swaddles are a particular sticking point for a lot of self-professed baby experts. In many parts of the world, they aren’t recommended due to the risk of the baby overheating.

In other parts of the world, it’s considered neglectful to keep newborns unswaddled.

So who’s right? Well, at the end of the day, yours is the only opinion that matters. It is up to parents to make an informed decision about what they choose to do with their own children.

Having said that, it is very important to note that all babies are different and what works to soothe and calm one, will make another scream louder.

It’s also worth pointing out that whatever decisions you make about the safety of your baby before you get to finally meet them, are allowed to change when your circumstances do.

We’ve personally known parents who swear they’ll never use a swaddle, only to give birth to a very fussy baby who just wants to feel encapsulated to feel safe.

The baby would not stop crying until they were tightly swaddled by a passing nurse, who suggested an experiment.

Thank goodness for next-day delivery. They had one delivered the day after, and they never judged another parent who decided to use a swaddle or a pacifier or who choose to bottle-feed again. 

Each baby is unique, and we can only take their cues as best we can finger them out.

Firstly, let’s look at some of the swaddles on the market at the moment.

Then, we’ll answer some frequently asked questions about baby swaddles and see if we can debunk some myths with current advice and statistics. 

Traditional Swaddles 

These are essentially large muslin squares that you use to wrap the baby up into a neat bundle. That’s the theory, anyway. If you do decide to swaddle your baby, then it’s not advised that you use a blanket to do this.

This can lead to overheating and increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Large muslin squares are the best material to use to swaddle because it’s cool and extremely breathable. Some examples of these are: 

Pros And Cons Of Traditional Swaddles

Pros

• Breathable and lightweight muslin swaddles are widely available. (do not get thick swaddle blankets)
• Inexpensive, depending on the brand.
• Multi-use- you can use them as regular muslins while not in use as a swaddle, they can be used for nursing covers, burping clothes, or play mats.

Cons

• They can be very tricky to get the hang of. You’ll be surprised at how much physical strength and practice it will take to make the swaddle tight enough that the baby can’t unwrap themselves by accident.
• It is difficult to ensure that the material is tight enough not to move over the baby’s face while they sleep. This can cause difficulty in breathing and lead to a lack of oxygen. Once you get the hang of it, it’s much less of a worry, but because they are square, it’s just a little tricky to mold them to Baby’s body shape precisely without having excess fabric gathering around the neck or face. 

Velcro Swaddles

These are a modern invention and are fairly easy and quick to fasten.

This is especially useful if Baby needs a clean diaper in the night, and you have to unwrap them, undress them, change them and then reverse all the steps so get them ready for bed again, Velcro is a way to save yourself some sleep. 

It’s also easier to maneuver in the dark as you can feel it. Keeping the room semi-dark is a must if you want your little angel to go back to sleep this side of the morning. Here are some examples of Velcro swaddles.

Pros And Cons Of Velcro Swaddles

Pros

• Inexpensive - they are widely available and are generally low in cost.
• Firmly swaddles your baby with tricky wrapping techniques.
• Easy to use and adjust.

Cons

• If they are thicker than muslin, there may be a slightly increased risk of your baby overheating.
• If your baby outgrows the 0-3 month swaddles before they are ready to move out of swaddles, you will have to buy more. 

Zip-up Swaddles

Zip-up Swaddles come in many forms and varieties. Sleepsacks or grow bags are often used for infants who don’t mind having their arms loose for bedtime.

They are considered to be safer for babies than loose covers because it is harder for the cover part to accidentally cover the baby’s face.

Having said this, some newborn babies don’t quite get the same benefit of a traditional or Velcro swaddle that hugs them tightly to make them feel safe and secure. 

You may also need different swaddles for different times of year too, as they are sometimes measured in togs like comforters.

Tog ratings tell you how thick the blanket part of it is. You’ll need to make sure it’s not too warm or too cool for your baby at that specific time of year.

Pros And Cons Of Zip Swaddles

Pros

• Two-way zippers are a must for easy changing.
• A safer alternative to loose covers.

Cons

• Overheating risk- These are great for older babies, but newborns don’t have sweat glands yet and their ability to regulate their temperature is extremely limited. It’s up to you to make sure they are not too hot or too cold.
• Not a firm swaddle - the Dreamland one was a good combination of swaddle wrap and sleeping bag, but often zip-up ones are not as good at wrapping the baby to make them feel secure.
• Huge range of prices - $20-$90 is a big range.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is A Swaddle?

What to expect describes swaddling as an “ancient method for wrapping newborns in a thin blanket or cloth. 

It’s adorable (who doesn’t love a baby burrito!), but it also serves the all-important purpose of helping your sweet pea stay calm and sleep more soundly”. 

Essentially, anything that wraps your baby in a sort of bundle shape is a swaddle. Swaddles can help to calm a newborn baby because they emulate the environment they were used to in the womb.

Swaddles can make your baby feel less vulnerable and frightened of the big, open world they’ve tumbled into.

Are They Safe?

NCT is an English organization that helps soon-to-be parents prepare for their babies.

They are considered to be a reputable source of information for parents and have this to say: “Swaddling your baby carries some risks. It’s potentially unsafe if your baby is not swaddled properly.

There’s also a risk of your baby overheating if they are wrapped in too many blankets, in covers that are too heavy or thick, or if they’re wrapped too tightly.”

They advise that swaddling while breastfeeding is not a good idea, as babies can get hot quickly during feeding. They also state that research shows that swaddled babies feed less frequently.

Whether that is because breastfeeding is also a method of calming a distressed baby and swaddled babies are already calmer is not known.

Still, make sure you are feeding your baby as often as is recommended by professionals to avoid a deficit of nutrients.