How to Swaddle a Baby: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide
Updated September 2025 · 6 min read
To swaddle a baby, spread a thin blanket in a diamond and fold the top corner down. Lay your baby face-up with their shoulders just below the fold, wrap one side snugly across their body and tuck it under, bring the bottom up, then wrap the other side across. Keep it firm around the arms but loose around the hips, always lay a swaddled baby on their back, and stop swaddling as soon as they show signs of rolling.
- Wrap snugly around the arms but leave the hips and legs room to bend and move.
- Always place a swaddled baby on their back to sleep.
- Stop swaddling the moment your baby starts trying to roll — often around 8 weeks.
- Use a light blanket and check your baby isn’t overheating.
Why swaddling helps
A snug wrap can recreate the cosy, contained feeling of the womb, which soothes many newborns and can dampen the “startle” reflex that jolts them awake. Not every baby loves it — and that’s fine — but for those who do, it can help settle them for sleep.
What you’ll need
A large, thin, breathable square blanket (a muslin or a purpose-made swaddle blanket works well). Avoid thick or fleecy fabrics, which can cause overheating.
Step by step
- Spread the blanket flat in a diamond shape and fold the top corner down about 15 cm.
- Lay your baby face-up with their shoulders just below the folded edge.
- Gently straighten their left arm, then wrap that side of the blanket across their body and tuck it under their back.
- Bring the bottom corner up over their feet, leaving room for their legs to bend up and out.
- Straighten the right arm and wrap the last corner across, tucking it under.
- Check the wrap is snug around the chest but you can slip two or three fingers between the blanket and their chest, and their hips can still move freely.
The safety rules that matter most
- Back to sleep, always. A swaddled baby must be placed on their back, never their side or front.
- Room for the hips. Wrapping the legs too tightly and straight can affect hip development, so let the legs bend up and out.
- Stop at the first sign of rolling. Once a baby can roll, swaddling with the arms in is no longer safe. This often begins around eight weeks, sometimes earlier.
- Don’t overheat. Use a light layer, keep the room comfortable, and check the back of the neck — if it’s hot or sweaty, unwrap a layer.
If swaddling isn’t working
Some babies settle better with their arms free, or in a wearable sleep sack, which gives the cosy feeling without wrapping the arms and can be used for longer. There’s no “right” answer — follow your baby’s cues and your health visitor’s advice.
Frequently asked questions
How tight should a baby swaddle be?
Snug around the chest and arms u2014 but you should be able to slip two or three fingers between the blanket and your babyu2019s chest, and their hips and legs must be able to move freely.
When should you stop swaddling?
Stop as soon as your baby shows any sign of trying to roll, which often begins around eight weeks. After that, a sleep sack is a safer choice.
Is it safe to swaddle a baby at night?
Yes, if done safely u2014 snug arms, loose hips, a light blanket, and the baby always placed on their back. Stop once rolling begins.
What can I use instead of swaddling?
A wearable sleep sack or sleeping bag gives a similar cosy, contained feeling without wrapping the arms, and can be used well beyond the newborn stage.
Sources
Safety guidance in this article reflects widely published newborn-care advice from bodies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the UK’s NHS. It is general information, not medical advice — always follow the guidance of your own paediatrician, midwife or health visitor.