5 Essential Swaddling Truths Every New Parent Should Know

RIO RANCHO, N.M., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Miracle Industries, LLC. maker of the world-famous swaddle Miracle Blanket®, have launched the website SwaddlingTruth.com in response to bad information, confusion and rumors regarding swaddling a newborn.

"Some emerging products are being marketed as a 'swaddle' when they are in fact lacking the very discernible scientifically-proven attributes that make swaddling safe and effective," says Dr. Rodney Russell who specializes in Neuro Emotional Repatterning and calming infants.  "Not only is this confusing and disingenuous at best, it's potentially harmful at worst."

Michael Gatten, CEO and founder of Miracle Industries, LLC. points out that while some of these products serve the purpose of eliminating loose bedding, they are misleading parents who are missing out on the very real, clinically proven* benefits of a true swaddle. These benefits include a reduction in SIDS (Sudden Infant Death) risk by encouraging back sleeping, soothing of stress, colic and crying, a reduction of the startle reflex (the moro reflex) which can wake babies, longer sleep times, and more.

SwaddlingTruth.com documents the facts based on research making it easier for parents to make an informed decision.  Among other things, there are five essential truths: 

1. MYTH: A wearable blanket or other zip-up sack is just as good as a swaddle blanket to help babies sleep.

FACT:  Medical research showing the incredible efficacy of PROPER swaddling has been done using a snugly-wrapped blanket with arms comfortably immobilized; usually at the sides. Wearable blankets are loose, apply no pressure to the mid-section to mimic the womb, and do not keep the arms snugly inside. Therefore, although they are a safe alternative to loose blankets, they do nothing to help fussy babies sleep.

2. MYTH: Babies need their hands free to self-soothe, develop motor skills, and to flail their arms if they are in distress.

FACT: Babies are not coordinated enough to practice motor skills and/or self-soothe (ie. suck hands) reliably until around 14 weeks. Until then, even if they successfully get their hands to their mouth, their own reflexes will just pull them out again. Swaddling is a substitute for self-soothing during this time (0-14 weeks).  Because of their lack of motor control, baby's loose hands can scratch and hit their faces, causing more arousals and crying.  Babies are very good at crying when there's a problem – so flailing arms can only contribute to making the problem worse.

3. MYTH:  Wearable blankets and other zip-up sacks contribute to a decrease in the risk of SIDS.

FACT: PROPER swaddling has been shown in clinical studies to reduce SIDS by as much as 30%, even over back-sleeping babies without swaddling. Wearable blankets and other zip-up sacks keep a baby warm and eliminate loose bedding to decrease the risk of suffocation only.  

4. MYTH: Tight swaddling can interfere with lung expansion, contributing to the risk of suffocation.

FACT: PROPER swaddling with a snugly wrapped blanket is a safe alternative to loose bedding in the crib. No incident of suffocation due to overly-tight swaddling has ever been reported even with millions of people around the world swaddling every night.

5. MYTH: SIDS is the name used to describe an infant suffocation.

FACT: Suffocation and SIDS are two entirely different problems. Unlike the very obvious causes of suffocation, the root causes of SIDS are not entirely known or understood. One possible contributing factor to SIDS is rebreathing air that stays between a baby's face and loose bedding that has loosely covered their face without actually interfering with breathing. This SIDS risk factor has led many people to confuse SIDS with suffocation. 

*(Ponsonby, A, et al, Factors potentiating the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome associated with the Prone Position. NEJM 1993; 329:377-82) http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/329/6/377

Miracle Industries, LLC. is the parent company of Miracle Blanket®, a proper swaddle design that mimics the womb in a way that nearly always triggers a dream-like serenity in a colicky, fussy, crying baby immediately. Miracle Blanket is available worldwide  through major retailers including Target, Babies R' Us and Buy Buy Baby, as well as boutique stores, hospitals, medical professionals, newborn care experts and online at www.MiracleBlanket.com.

SOURCE Miracle Industries, LLC.