Most parents experience nights when a baby can’t sleep. It’s upsetting, and can leave everyone in the family feeling frustrated and powerless. To solve this problem, many contemporary parents are turning to an age-old technique—swaddling. To the uninitiated, a swaddle might look like just a simply a piece of fabric, but for baby it recreates the womb-like environment they’ve just emerged from. And aside from helping calm fussy babies, several international studies have indicated that swaddles can help reduce the chance of SIDS, keep baby in the supine position, and, perhaps most importantly, help baby sleep.
There are many swaddles on the market but we’ve done the work for you and narrowed it down to our top five so you, too, can get some much-needed Zzz’s.
1. The Ollie Swaddle
The Ollie Swaddle is made from a moisture wicking fabric and uses a Velcro closure to secure baby. The expandable fabric gives baby the right amount of resistance while keeping baby from coming un-swaddled. The bottom half of the Ollie Swaddle ties up, making it easier for parents to change diapers without having to unwrap the whole swaddle.
2. Comfort and Harmony Peanut Convertible Swaddle
A swaddle that doubles as a sleep sack is exactly what the Comfort and Harmony Peanut Convertible Swaddle offers. This swaddle has a zipper to simply zip baby into the swaddle, taking all the guesswork out of a traditional swaddle. Button enclosures on the arms allow baby to move their arms freely in lay-and-play mode.
3. Ergobaby Swaddler
To keep your Houdini baby from escaping the swaddle, the Ergobaby Swaddler is a must. This swaddler is made from 100 percent cotton knit fabric and offers a simple, yet very effective, swaddling method. An arm pouch and hip positioner ensure a snug and escape-proof fit while the leg pouch allows for easy diaper changes without having to unwrap your baby.
4. Munchkin Swaddle Angel Blankets
Is it a swaddle blanket or a trendy sarong? It’s both. The Munchkin Swaddle Angel Blankets are large swaddles that can be used as stroller covers, swaddles, or a sarong for mama. The center of the swaddle is lightly padded making it also ideal for lay-and-play or tummy time.
5. Aden and Anais Swaddles
Aden and Anais makes gorgeous printed muslin swaddles that are super soft for baby while also being design worthy for parents. These large swaddles use the classic swaddling technique and have multiple purposes: a nursing cover, play surface, scarf, burp cloth, and stroller blanket. The brand has no shortage of themes and prints to fit your fancy.
