The 9 Best Swaddles for Newborns That Are Easy for First Time Parents

reviewed mark Medically Reviewed by Gina Posner, M.D., F.A.A.P.  | February 7, 2024
best baby swaddles

QUICK SUMMARY

The best swaddle is the SwaddleMe Original Swaddle, according to parents in the What to Expect community, because of how comfortable it is for baby and how easy it is to use.

Best Baby Swaddles

Like most new parents, I constantly felt as though I was chasing sleep when my sons were newborns. And, like so many parents, I desperately tried to encourage my babies to sleep more soundly by attempting to replicate the impressive swaddling technique of the nurses in my maternity ward — but I found it difficult without having the right baby swaddle on hand.

Swaddling is an ancient practice that allows babies to keep their arms down and inside a thin wrapped blanket. Although you certainly don’t have to swaddle your newborn, many parents find that this technique can help babies stay calm during the first few weeks of life. 

"Newborns have reflexes for the first few months that make their arms move,” says Jen Trachtenberg, M.D., a board-certified pediatrician based in New York City. “They startle themselves and wake up, so by having them inside the swaddle, it keeps them calmer longer and less likely to wake themselves up by flailing their arms.”

Although you can swaddle with a basic receiving blanket, many parents prefer a special swaddle blanket made specifically for the job. Not to mention it takes a lot of the guesswork out of the swaddling technique. These special swaddle blankets and sacks have fasteners, snaps and/or zippers to make the job easier; especially when you’re running on little sleep.

How we chose the best swaddles

Because baby’s safety while sleeping is incredibly important, I started my search for the best swaddles by speaking with four pediatricians about how to safely use a swaddle, as well as what features to look for when buying a swaddle: 

Per their guidance, along with the safe sleep guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), every swaddle considered is: 

  • Made of lightweight fabric
  • Not weighted

A good swaddle also needs to be easy to use and secure. To see which swaddles check these boxes, I looked at feedback from the more than 1,700 parents who voted for their favorite swaddle in the 2023 What to Expect Sleep Awards. As a mom of two who swaddled both of my children, I also used my own first-hand experience testing out different types of swaddles. With expert guidance, parent feedback and my own experience with swaddles, I narrowed down my list to these nine best swaddles for babies.  

Why Trust Us?

What to Expect is the world’s most trusted pregnancy and parenting brand for a reason. Our product recommendations are based on expert parent insight, advice from medical professionals and feedback from the millions of parents and parents-to-be in our community. Our editors adhere to the highest research and reporting standards and our team of vetted OB/GYNs, pediatricians and other health professionals ensure our recommended products are safe and effective for you and your baby.

Best Overall Swaddle Blanket

SwaddleMe Original Swaddle

best swaddles swaddle me
Buying Options
Pros
  • Velcro close holds well
  • Easy to use
  • Preemie size available
Cons
  • This style doesn’t grow with baby
  • Should be retired when baby starts to roll

Material: 100 percent cotton

Size range: 0-3 months

Hands out option: No

Why We
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Community
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Why We Love It

The SwaddleMe is a winner of both the 2023 What to Expect Sleep Awards and 2022 What to Expect Mom Must-Have Award, which makes sense when you read community reviews. What to Expect parents say this simple, 100 percent cotton swaddle is easy to master, since you simply fold over the wings and use the hook-and-loop closures for a customizable fit. The foot pouch can also be pulled down for diaper changes.

“These were great for the newborn days where we were still figuring out how to swaddle with blankets but wanted her wrapped up snugly,” says Jeanne Beacom, What to Expect’s senior campaign reporting manager. “They were easy to put on and take off, especially for the middle of the night diaper change and feeds.”

The swaddle is roomy enough to provide plenty of comfort and room for natural movement, but also keeps baby’s startle reflexes in check with the cleverly designed Velcro "wings.”

Parents also love how well-made the SwaddleMe swaddle feels and how incredibly affordable it is: You get a pack of three for a little over $30, when many swaddle products on this list cost that much for one.

SwaddleMe swaddles are available in a few different stages: This is their Original Swaddle, which is designed for newborns who have not yet shown signs of rolling. Once your baby reaches the 3-month mark, you should transition him to the brand’s Room to Grow swaddle, a transition product which allows you to wrap baby with both arms in, one arm out or both arms out. After that, SwaddleMe has a sleeveless wearable blanket that baby can wear between 6 and 12 months with both arms out.

Community Reviews
  • “SwaddleMes are cost efficient and easy to use. They have Velcro so babe stays put.”

  • “We have used SwaddleMe with all three of our kids. Our newborn son wears one to bed every night. We love them.”

  • “SwaddleMe! Total lifesavers! LO sleeps in one every night and never gets out!”

Best Convertible Swaddle Blanket

Halo SleepSack Swaddle

best swaddles halo
Pros
  • Inverted zipper for easy changes
  • Arms in or out
  • Cozy and breathable
  • Lots of colors
Cons
  • Velcro isn’t the quietest

Material: 100 percent cotton

Size range: Preemie, Newborn, Small and Medium

Hands out option: Yes

Why We
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Why We Love It

Halo SleepSack Swaddles are a popular pick among What to Expect parents and editors alike. “I like hybrid swaddle sleep sacks because they are easy to Velcro and secure your baby,” says Dr. Resnick.

A big selling point is this swaddle’s versatility: When your baby is a few weeks old, you can use it as a traditional swaddle by pinning down baby’s arms with the Velcro flaps. Once your baby shows signs of starting to roll over, you can transition them to the “hands out” position so baby can use his fingers to self-soothe, and then the “arms out” position which allows little ones to get used to the feeling of a regular sleep sack.

“Because it had the option to use the swaddle just around their core with the arms out, it was great for when they started to roll and I needed to take that one arm out,” says Karen Sly, What to Expect’s Director of Finance and mom of a 3-year-old and 6-month-old.

I used these SleepSack Swaddles with both of my babies and like Karen, I loved that they could be used beyond the newborn swaddle stage. Some swaddle products need to be retired as soon as your baby shows signs of rolling, but since you have the option to leave baby’s arms out, you can get a little more use out of these. 

Parents love the extended use, and that it’s  infinitely easier to wrap a baby in a SleepSack Swaddle than a traditional swaddle blanket. Many find that it’s also much more secure.

The zipper is inverted so you can change diapers in the middle of the night without taking the entire blanket off, and the 100 percent cotton fabric is soft and breathable. I found that the SleepSack Swaddles washed very well over time, although the Velcro flaps can become a little warped and turn up at the edges if you put them in the dryer.

Some parents say the Velcro flaps can be a little noisy, which can be frustrating if you’re trying to change baby’s diaper in the middle of the night. Both of my sons were very deep sleepers as newborns, so this didn’t bother me, but if you have a light sleeper you may prefer a swaddle product with snaps instead.

Community Reviews
  • “The Velcro Halo SleepSack Swaddles are a godsend. Once you feel you don’t need to swaddle the arms you just leave their arms out and you Velcro just normally over the chest so it’s a 2-in-1. My son had an awful startle reflex — and no regular swaddle would keep him confined. He slept perfectly in the Velcro sleep sack and they are way easier than trying to do a swaddle.”

  • “Get the swaddle sleep sacks. You can remove the swaddle wings or just swaddle the body and keep the arms out!”

  • “The Halo SleepSack Swadle is amazing! It allowed my son to be swaddled and not break out of it. He was big and strong and would always rip his hands out of [other swaddles] and wake himself up.”

Best Traditional Swaddle Blanket

Aden + Anais Essentials Swaddle Blanket

best swaddles aden and anais
Buying Options
Pros
  • Soft fabric
  • Beautiful patterns
  • Multiple uses
Cons
  • Not as secure as some of the other products on this list

Material: 100 percent cotton muslin

Size range: N/A

Hands out option: No

Why We
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Why We Love It

Aden + Anais Essentials Swaddle Blankets are a traditional swaddle blanket, which means there are no bells and whistles: Just a straightforward 47 x 47-inch blanket made of the most beautifully soft muslin fabric and available in an infinite number of truly gorgeous colors and sweet prints.

But while they may not boast any special features, Aden + Anais blankets are excellent, and not just for swaddling. I was lucky enough to be gifted a few sets at my baby shower when I was pregnant with my first son, and found myself using them over and over again — then bringing them back out of storage when I was pregnant with my second. 

I generally struggled to swaddle my sons with a traditional swaddle blanket, but the Aden + Anais blankets were, in my experience, the easiest to use. They’re the perfect size to create a snug wrap, and something about the slightly textured fabric seems to help the wrapped edges grip a little better. Although I didn’t feel comfortable using swaddle blankets at night (I worried my own swaddling technique wasn’t strong enough), I’d use my Aden + Anais blankets during naptime when I could keep an eye to make sure the fabric didn’t become loose.

But these are more than a swaddle blanket. They’re so soft, lightweight and cute that I’d bring them pretty much everywhere during my sons’ first year. I used them as on-the-go diaper changing mats, lightweight blankets for the stroller and car seat, and little picnic blankets in the park. They roll up neatly so they’re easy to pack and take with you, and they wash and dry beautifully. My sons are now 1.5 and 3.5, and I still have a few of these floating around the house — they’re too pretty to give up!

Community Reviews
  • “A&A are amazing. We use them for everything!”

  • “I've had both A&A and other brands and the A&A are bigger, softer, and hold up in the wash better.”

  • “I loved our Aden + Anais swaddles with my daughter. I really liked their burpy bibs, too. Good quality, soft, breathable fabric. I am picking up a few more for this LO.”

Strongest Swaddle Blanket

Miracle Blanket Swaddle Wrap

best swaddles miracle blanket
Pros
  • Soft
  • Very secure
  • Keeps baby swaddled
Cons
  • Not super easy to get on at first
  • Needs to be retired at the 3-month mark

Material: 100 percent cotton

Size range: N/A

Hands out option: No

Why We
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Why We Love It

Parents of babies with Houdini-like powers tend to love the Miracle Blanket, which has a foot pouch that helps contain the legs, but also allows for a bit of movement. Although getting it on isn't quite as brainless as some of the other products on the market (What to Expect parents note that it’s not quite as easy to wrap as the Halo SleepSack Swaddle, for example), it's easy to master once you've tried it a few times. 

Unlike some other swaddle-style sleep sacks, which use snaps or Velcro, the Miracle Blanket cleverly stays put because the arm flaps are held down by the baby's body. There are no fasteners, zippers, buttons or snaps. It's made from 100 percent cotton fabric that just gets softer and cozier with each washing.

With this product, babies can either be swaddled with arms down by their sides, or with their hands up near their mouths. It delivers a snug, secure fit for little ones who have not yet started to roll, but does need to be retired once your baby shows signs of rolling (the manufacturer recommends switching to a sleep sack by 14 weeks).

Community Reviews
  • “We used and loved the Miracle Blanket! It’s almost escape-proof and I think it helped my daughter sleep longer stretches and sleep in her crib.”

  • “My LO wasn’t ready to transition out of her swaddle so I spoke to a sleep consultant and she recommended the Miracle Blanket Swaddle Wrap. She’s almost 12 weeks and hasn’t been able to break out of it. It’s been amazing!”

  • “My first was huge. She was even breaking out of the nurses’ swaddles in the hospital. She was born big and strong! Ha. We only used muslin blankets for about a week postpartum, then went to the Miracle Blanket swaddles. While they aren’t quite as easy to learn how to put on as the Velcro ones, they were a bit bigger and worked wonderfully for us.”

Best Swaddle Blanket for Arms in Front

Woombie Convertible Baby Swaddle Blanket

best swaddles woombie
Buying Options
Pros
  • Arms in at the chest or out
  • Two-way zipper
Cons
  • Not all babies like having their hands in front of their heart

Material: 95 percent cotton, 5 percent spandex

Size range: 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months

Hands out option: Yes

Why We
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Why We Love It

Woombie’s Convertible Baby Swaddle is another transitional swaddle product, which means it can be used by your baby in multiple sleep stages. It's easy to use and can be positioned as either a traditional swaddle with arms wrapped, or as a wearable blanket in the "arms out" position. To switch to arms-out mode, simply have to unzip the “wings” that cover the arm holes.

The slightly hourglass shape was designed to give gentle pressure (but no added weight) around your baby's tummy, which may help replicate the feeling of being cozy in the womb. Parents say the fabric feels soft, breathable and has the lightest bit of stretch (the fabric has 5 percent spandex).

Note that unlike some other swaddle products, this one is designed to keep your baby’s hands in front of his heart, a position that some little ones find very soothing. But a few parents do note that if you switch to this swaddle after previously using another type, your baby may dislike it if he’s already used to having his hands in a different position (such as at his sides or up).

Community Reviews
  • “Love my Woombie! Worked great for both my oldest and now my youngest. It’s great because she can put her hands where she wants them.”

  • “We use the Woombie and baby sleeps better with it. It does allow him to move his arms around and you are supposed to put them across baby’s chest so he can touch his hands and self-soothe as opposed to strapped down at his sides. The fabric is stretchy and breathable.”

  • “Mine loved the Woombie and I loved the reverse zipper for diaper changes without having to completely unswaddle.”

Best Swaddle for Winter

Halo SleepSack Swaddle, Ideal Temp

best swaddles halo ideal temp
Buying Options
Pros
  • Made with the brand’s Ideal Temp fabric to regular body temperature
Cons
  • Colored trim can stick to Velcro

Material: Cotton blend

Size range: Newborn (swaddle), Small (sleeveless sleep sack), Medium (sleeveless sleep sack), Large (sleeveless sleep sack)

Hands out option: Yes

Why We Love It

Swaddling your baby in the winter can be a stressful task. On the one hand, you want to keep your little one warm, but you also want to be mindful of overheating, which has been linked to an increased risk of SIDS. Some fabrics, such as fleece or padded materials, might be too heavy and hot.

If this swaddle looks familiar, that’s because it’s exactly the same as the original Halo SleepSack Swaddle, with one notable exception. It’s made with the Halo’s Ideal Temp fabric, a cotton blend with the brand’s IntelliThread fibers, which claim to help absorb, store and release heat. Many parents find this swaddle does a good job making sure their baby doesn’t get too hot or too cold. And unlike some other swaddle products, the material is warm but still on the thin side, which the AAP says is safest.

One more slight difference from the regular Halo SleepSack Swaddle is a colored trim, which some parents complain about because it can occasionally stick to the Velcro on the inner flap.

Best Swaddle for Summer

ErgoPouch 0.2 TOG Baby Sleep Sack

best swaddles ergobaby
Buying Options
Pros
  • Transitions from arms in to out
  • Two-way zipper
  • No Velcro
Cons
  • Some parents dislike the stretch

Material: 95 percent organic cotton, 5 percent elastane

Size range: 00 months, 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months

Hands out option: Yes

Why We
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Why We Love It

Like many of the other swaddle products on this list, ErgoBaby’s ErgoPouch allows you to take your baby from the arms-in swaddle position to having one and eventually two arms out as he gets bigger. It has both the popular two- zipper as well as easy-to-use snaps to transition baby’s arms in or out. Unlike some other products on this list, there’s no potentially-noisy Velcro, making it a good pick for lighter sleepers.

The brand has swaddles available in a number of fabric weights, and this one (0.2 TOG) is the absolute lightest, making it an ideal choice for the warmer months. Also good: This swaddle product is a top pick among the What to Expect Australian parents community, who are used to hot summers. Many say the ultra lightweight fabric is excellent for warm nights. 

Community Reviews
  • “Personally I use ErgoPouch purely because the quality is better and I go through them a lot, especially early on.”

  • “ErgoPouch have a great one for hot weather — TOG 0.2. Also great quality!”

Easiest Swaddle to Use

Happiest Baby Sleepea 5-Second Swaddle

best swaddles happiest baby sleepea
Buying Options
Pros
  • Easy to put on
  • Ultra soft material
  • Grows with your baby
Cons
  • It doesn’t work with the Snoo

Material: 100 percent cotton

Size range: Small, Medium, Large

Hands out option: Yes

Why We
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Why We Love It

The Happiest Baby Sleepea 5-Second Swaddles come from the makers of the Snoo, but you don’t need to invest the bassinet in order to use them. (In fact, this swaddle product actually is not compatible with the Snoo, so if you have that bassinet, you’ll want to look into one of the brand’s Snoo Sacks.) And there’s a reason why this product calls itself the “5-second swaddle”: It’s incredibly easy to get on a baby, including those little ones who simply hate being swaddled. 

This swaddle keeps baby wrapped up with the help of inner arm bands and a leg flap, and Velcro keeps the wrap secure. (Though parents appreciate that the Velcro is on the quieter side so as not to rouse sleeping babies.) There’s also a helpful two-way Zipper and clever mesh panels to prevent overheating. Parents rave about how buttery soft the cotton fabric is, and say it washes well over time.

What’s more, there are snaps on the arms, making the Sleepea a transitional swaddle product: Newborns can use it with their arms pinned down, then you can undo the snaps to let babies approaching the 3-month mark sleep with their arms safely out.

Community Reviews
  • “Happiest Baby Sleepea swaddle — trust me I’ve tried them all.”

  • “We went through them all and it’s by far my favorite!”

Best Hands Up Swaddle Blanket

Love to Dream Swaddle Up

best swaddles love to dream
Buying Options
Pros
  • Design allows babies to sleep with arms up
Cons
  • Limited color options
  • Some parents say it causes baby to knock their pacifier out

Material: 93 percent cotton, 7 percent elastane

Size range: Newborn, Small

Hands out option: No

Why We
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Why We Love It

If your little one seems partial to the arms-up sleep position, a Love to Dream Swaddle Up is worth trying. As its name suggests, this blanket lets you swaddle your baby with his arms up, a position that many infants love. With their arms up, instead of pinned down, some little ones will touch their face, which they may find soothing. The cozy cotton fabric, which has just enough stretch (7 percent elastane) and allows for a bit of movement, also helps control the startle reflex to minimize wake-ups. 

Another benefit is that the arms-up position makes it easier to breastfeed, and some moms find that they can pick up baby to nurse without having to fully unswaddle him the way you do in other types of swaddle products.

One downside to consider, some parents say, is that the arms-up sleep position can make it more likely that your baby will knock his pacifier out while drifting off to sleep. For those babies who really love their pacifiers and rely on them to fall asleep, it can be frustrating and make it harder for them to doze off.

Community Reviews
  • “We have a Love to Dream and it’s amazing. LO moves so much in his sleep, it keeps his arms secure so he isn’t flailing about or waking himself up. It was such a great purchase!”

  • “My little guy loved his hands near his face. So we’ve found the Love to Dream one to be a good one.”

  • “Love to Dream is great. My guy sleeps really well in it. He does self-soothe and rub his face a lot though. He always knocks his paci out. It doesn’t matter for us as he doesn’t need it to sleep but if yours does it might not be the swaddle for you.”

What to look for when buying a swaddle

When shopping for baby swaddles, these are the most important factors to consider:

Type: There are two main categories of swaddles to choose from. The first are traditional swaddle blankets, sometimes called receiving blankets. Swaddling with a blanket requires a few steps, however, and this type of swaddle also tends to be less secure, especially as your baby gets a little older, stronger and more wriggly at night. 

The other option you’ll come across are swaddle-style sleep sacks and wearable blankets, which are designed to give your baby the snug, secure feeling of a swaddle but are much easier to wrap, thanks to clever features like snaps or Velcro flaps. But, you may need to experiment with a few of these styles to find one with the right features for you and your baby. For example, many parents prefer sacks with zippers or Velcro to buttons and snaps because they can be opened more easily, while others prefer to avoid Velcro, which can be noisy and potentially wake up light sleepers.

Age appropriateness: It’s very important to look at the age range when considering swaddles and sleep sacks, as they may only be used for a specific period of time. For example, swaddles that pin down a baby’s arms should only be used until your baby shows signs of rolling over (usually between 3 and 4 months, and sometimes as early as 2 months). After your baby outgrows a swaddle blanket or swaddle-style sleep sack, he can move on to a wearable blanket-style sleep sack.

“You don’t want to swaddle arms once they are able to roll, you want the arms free,” says Dr. Posner. “Swaddles are used when babies are tiny, but once they’re rolling, you want to transition to a sleep sack or use a swaddle with arms out.”

Material: Swaddles can be purchased in a variety of materials, but the AAP says a thin blanket is safest. You should skip any materials that are too thick or heavy, which could cause your baby to overheat; instead, look for soft, breathable, thin fabrics such as 100% cotton or muslin. 

When searching for swaddle products, you might come across the term “TOG,” which stands for Thermal Overall Grade. This is a measurement of warmth in sleepwear products; a lower TOG rating means a lighter weight fabric.

FAQs

To swaddle with a traditional swaddle blanket, follow these steps:

  1. Spread your baby’s swaddle blanket out in the shape of a diamond with one corner pointing up on a flat surface (such as the middle of your bed or the carpet). Fold the top corner down about six inches.
  2. Place your baby face-up on the blanket. His head should be above the folded edge of the blanket, with his body extending straight down toward the bottom corner.
  3. Straighten your baby’s left arm. Take the left side of the blanket and wrap it over his left arm and chest. Tuck the blanket underneath his right arm and back. At this point your baby’s left arm will be covered but his right arm will be free. (Know that if your baby seems to prefer having his arms free, it’s fine to leave one or both arms out of the swaddle.) “Make sure the hips can move and the blanket isn't too tight,” says Dr. Resnick. “Ideally, you should be able to place two to three fingers between the blanket and the chest.”
  4. Fold the bottom corner of the blanket up over your baby’s body and tuck it under the first fold, under his chin. Straighten your baby’s right arm and pull the right side of the blanket over your baby’s body and tuck it under his left side.
  5. Loosely twist the bottom of the blanket and tuck it underneath your baby to secure it.

When swaddling a preemie baby, consider bringing his hands together on his chest in front of his instead of straightened at his sides. This position can be more comforting for preemies.

The AAP also has excellent swaddling instructions and guidelines. If you're giving birth at a hospital or birthing center, the maternity nurses will help you swaddle your baby so she stays asleep longer, but it's worth asking one of them for a quick, hands-on lesson so you can be sure you're able to replicate their techniques at home. 

 

First, it’s important to note that you don’t have to swaddle your newborn. “Some babies hate to be that snuggled and that’s okay, too,” says Elizabeth Murray, D.O., F.A.A.P., a pediatrician at the Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester. “If your baby likes it, then use it in those first few weeks.”

You should stop swaddling your baby once he shows signs of starting to roll over, which usually happens around the 3- to 4-month mark but could occur as early as two months. Once babies can roll over, swaddling is no longer safe. That’s because if your little one were to roll onto his stomach while swaddled, his arms would be pinned down and he wouldn’t be able to use them to flip himself over.

Even after you retire the swaddle, though, your baby is still too young to sleep with a blanket. Many parents start using a sleep sack at this stage, since these wearable blankets add an extra layer of warmth and help babies transition away from their swaddles.

 

Some parents may mistakenly think that a tighter bundle is better, but this isn't the case. "When swaddling, it's important that baby's legs are not stretched out straight and wrapped too tightly, as this can cause problems with the developing hips. Make sure that the legs and hips are able to bend and move a bit," says Dr. Trachtenberg. If you’re using a swaddle-style sleep sack, make sure that it fits your baby properly and allows room for the legs to move.

Swaddle blankets shouldn’t be too loose or too tight. A too-loose swaddle could come unwrapped while your baby sleeps, and potentially could cover your little one’s face.

Once you’re finished swaddling your baby, make sure it’s snug but not too tight. You should be able to place two to three fingers between your baby’s chest and the blanket.

 

Although swaddling offers undeniable benefits, including helping your newborn feel safe and secure at night, the practice has not been linked to a lower risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). In fact, the AAP says that there are some steps to take to make sure you’re doing so safely.

  1. Put baby on his back. Always put your baby to sleep on his back on a firm, flat surface and monitor him to make sure he doesn’t roll over in his swaddle. This is the safest way for all infants to sleep, but it’s even more critical when a baby is swaddled, the AAP says. That’s because some studies have shown an increased SIDS risk if a swaddled baby is placed on his stomach to sleep, or rolls over onto his stomach.
  2. Baby should be in an empty crib. It's essential that the swaddle blanket is the only thing in the crib with your baby. "Never use padded inserts, pillows, heavy blankets or loungers that are not approved for sleeping, as these items increase the risk of SIDS, strangulation and suffocation," says Dr. Trachtenberg. Your baby should also sleep in his own crib, bassinet or a playard — never your own bed.
  3. Avoid weighted swaddle products. You may also come across some swaddle blankets, sleep sacks or sleep suits that are marketed towards infants and have additional weight built into the material. In 2022, the AAP released updated safe sleep policy recommendations, which included a new warning to avoid weighted swaddles and blankets, which aren’t safe for babies. Weighted sleep sacks and swaddles are unsafe for two reasons, explains Dr. Resnick. “One, the weight on the chest can constrict chest movement and lung expansion, causing possible respiratory compromise and distress,” he says. “And two, they can be a suffocation hazard if your baby rolls from back to front while wearing one and is then unable to lift his head or roll back over.”
  4. Make sure your baby doesn’t get too hot. Because swaddling can make it more likely for babies to overheat, don’t overdress your little one for sleep (that includes skipping a hat and mittens, which babies don’t need). Keep an eye on your baby, and if you notice damp hair, flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or sweating, he may be too hot.