How to Swaddle a Baby: Step-by-Step Guide

Swaddling means wrapping your baby snugly with their arms by their sides. Many parents find it helps settle a newborn, because it calms the startle reflex (the sudden jerk of the arms that often wakes young babies) and stops little hands scratching their face.

This guide shows you how to swaddle a baby step by step, with a traditional blanket or with a velcro swaddle wrap, and how to do it safely.

Before You Start

• Use a thin, breathable fabric such as cotton or muslin.
• Check the room is 16–20°C and think about what your baby wears under the swaddle. The swaddle counts as a layer.
• Lay your baby on a flat, safe surface.

How to Swaddle a Baby With a Traditional Blanket

1. Spread a square blanket on a flat surface in a diamond shape, with one corner pointing up.
2. Fold the top corner down a little to make a straight edge.
3. Lay your baby on their back with their shoulders just below the folded edge, so the fabric will stay below their shoulders.
4. Hold one arm gently down by their side, bring that side of the blanket across their body and tuck it underneath them.
5. Fold the bottom corner up loosely. Leave plenty of room so their legs can bend up and out at the hips.
6. Hold the other arm down, bring the last side across and tuck it under.
7. Check it is snug at the chest, with room for a flat hand between the blanket and your baby, and that there is no fabric near their face, head or neck.

Traditional blankets can work loose as your baby wriggles, and getting the folds right at 3am isn’t easy. That’s why many parents switch to a velcro swaddle wrap.

How to Swaddle a Baby With a Velcro Swaddle Wrap

A velcro swaddle wrap is shaped to fit your baby, with soft velcro wings, so there is no folding and it stays in place.

1. Open the swaddle into a “T” shape and place your baby’s legs inside the bottom pouch.
2. Line their shoulders up with the top of the wrap and lift the front velcro flap.
3. Fold the left wing over and fix it to the velcro on the middle tab.
4. Fold the right wing over and attach both tabs to the velcro.
5. Adjust the fit so it is snug at the chest and loose at the hips, with room for kicking legs.

Watch our swaddle video or see our step-by-step velcro swaddle wrap instructions with photos.

Safe Swaddling Checklist

If you choose to swaddle, follow UK safe sleep advice from The Lullaby Trust and the NHS:

• Always on their back. Put your baby down on their back to sleep, in their own clear, flat cot or Moses basket.
• Nothing above the shoulders. Keep the swaddle below your baby’s shoulders so their face, head and neck stay uncovered.
• Firm at the chest, loose at the hips. Leave plenty of room for the hips and legs to bend up and out.
• Don’t let them overheat. Never add a hat, and check your baby’s temperature by feeling their chest or the back of their neck.
• Be consistent. If you swaddle, do it for every sleep, day and night, from the early weeks.
• Stop when they start to roll. Stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows signs of trying to roll over.
• Not when unwell or bed sharing. Don’t swaddle a baby who is unwell or has a temperature, and never swaddle a baby who is sharing your bed.

When Should I Stop Swaddling?

As soon as your baby shows signs of trying to roll over. For many babies this is around 3 to 4 months, but every baby is different. A baby sleeping bag is a good next step, and our baby sleeping bag guide explains which one to choose.

Want to know more? Read everything you need to know about swaddles.