Did you swaddle your baby?

There has been some debate on the issue of swaddling since the appearance of Kate Middleton craddling newborn Prince George, who was wrapped in a white blanket.

 

While many cooed over the little prince, British grandmother Valerie Butcher wrote an angry letter to a newspaper over an experience her daughter had with her four-week-old son.

 

Valerie revealed that her daughter had been reprimanded at a local clinic for wrapping her son in the same way Kate and Will had wrapped George. Her daughter also had a note put in her file saying that because she swaddled her newborn, she was “willing to put her baby’s life at risk”.

 

Many mothers swear by swaddling as a way to get young babies to settle and sleep, claiming it makes them feel warm and safe, while also restricting arm movement.

 

However it has also been linked to cot deaths, raising babies’ temperatures and also orthopaedic issues.

 

There is not enough conclusive evidence available to say there are definite benefits or risks to swaddling babies and mothers and infant experts remain divided on the issue.

 

What do you think? Did you swaddle your baby? Did you see any benefits? Do the possible risks make you reluctant?