Swaddle Arm Placement 101

If you follow us you’ve learned by now that we LOVE to swaddle. One of the main differences in different kinds of infant and baby swaddles is the arm placement. Babies and parents have different preferences, and babies have different developmental needs.

Let’s run through some of the different options and some examples of swaddles that provide those options.

Arms above head or Arms Under Chin Swaddle

Who should use this option:

A preemie, or a brand new baby that can’t have their hands down by their side:

Brand new babies don’t like having their hands stuck down by their sides. When they are first born they are all scrunched up from the womb. You should swaddle your baby in this way usually for the first week or two that they are born, longer if they are premature. 

The way to test is to gently pull their arms down by their sides, if they consistently are resisting- they aren’t ready!

A parent who prefers that their baby have access to their hands

Sometimes parents are not comfortable with swaddling arms down. Maybe their baby has a low birth weight, or maybe they are afraid of their baby sleeping through a feeding time. Sometimes cultural values come into play. We sometimes work with parents who never swaddle arms down for this reason.

A baby who prefers to have access to their hands

*RARELY* a baby will not sleep well with their arms swaddled down. Often we have parents that believe this is the case, but there are other factors at play. Usually it’s because the swaddle is not tight enough.

An older baby who is transitioning out of a swaddle

By 3/4 months, or when a baby is showing signs of rolling back to front, the baby will need to be transitioned out of a traditional arms down swaddle. If the baby still has a strong startle reflex, then an arms-up swaddle may be a transitional option. The love to dream works until a baby is rolling, and the zip-a-dee-zip is safe for rolling babies and beyond.

Arms at Belly Button Swaddle

This is usually another variation of a swaddle for a newborn. If your baby is still fighting arms straight down, but they need their arms away from their face, belly button is the answer!

Usually with arms at belly button babies have some movement with their arms and hands, this can be comforting for some babies, but infuriating for others

Arms Straight by Sides Swaddle

This is the goal swaddle for most babies. Arms should be down by the baby’s sides, but NEVER under the baby. Always check that hands are in a comfortable position. This swaddling position is harder for babies to break out of. And some swaddles- like the miracle blanket, or our “arm trap” swaddle- involve wrapping material around each arm for extra security in the middle of the night.

There is much more to swaddling than just arm placement! You can read more about the 5 S’s here and learn some great tools for soothing your baby.