I often wonder what it must be like for a little newborn to enter the world. I'm sure that it must seem terrifying and perhaps cold in the great sea of light outside the womb.
Perhaps that's why some newborns have bouts of fussiness during the first few months of life. It can be a test of patience for bleary-eyed parents, exhausted and overwhelmed by the 24/7 care required for their new little life.
Fortunately, there are some things that seem to help calm newborns - especially things that mimic the comfort of the womb - like swaddling.
We swaddled our Little Beauty from day one...and it did seem to help her to sleep longer and less fitfully. She was our "little burrito."
There are many ways that you can swaddle. You can use good, old-fashioned receiving blankets (see video demonstration here). Or you can buy a blanket specifically designed for swaddling to make the process a little bit easier (easier is good when it's 2 a.m. and you can barely see straight).
Katerina Trani - a clinical social worker, mother of three, and one of the inventors of The Loving Baby Swaddle Blanket - had this to say about the Loving Baby Swaddle Blanket, "it is a blanket with over 3 years in research and design. We have incorporated several safety design issue within the construction of the blanket to address GERD, hip dysplasia, suffocation, chest and stomach restrictions, shoulder and arm placement, and neck support to name a few. It is simple to use, comfortable, cute, and does not come undone."
The Loving Baby website also gives some tips about why to swaddle and how to swaddle.
WIN IT! One lucky winner will receive a Loving Baby Swaddle Blanket. To enter, simply leave a comment and your e-mail address on this post prior to Saturday, December 15th, at midnight. The winner will be announced and contacted via e-mail on Sunday, December 16th. * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.
* UPDATED * The winner is #10 Brooke. Congratulations!
cute....we can use an extra one.
My first two loved the swaddle. I'm hoping the third will, too!
taureau AT yahoo DOT com
I have a friend who would so benefit from this! Please count me in!
I would love this!!!
This looks like a good product. I'm curious up to what size of baby it will work for.
rshetterly@gmail.com
This looks like a great product. I"d love to win.
amyjohnallen at bellsouth dot net
Great giveaway.
SeekingHim@gmail.com
Would be great for my friend!
yes please!
I'm going to need this in a few days. fabes7477(at)hotmail(dot)com
My little gal loved to be swaddled but with a regular blanket she always seemed to wiggle free!
mccammacks(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
very nice! would love to win :)
Hi Stephanie! Even though my baby is already 2, I'll enter because Erica and Sierra could probably use this!
mrsaharper@hotmail.com
What a great thing to have on hand!
This would be so much easier than doing it with recieving blankets!
This is so fantastic--and cute!!
krgarcia8@aol.com
great contest again!! please enter me. thank you
I'd love to enter!
jenniferdthompson(at)gmail(dot)com
please enter em thanks
what a great idea to make a new baby fill more relaxed and at ease with there new life.
I love it!!
kings.3@comcast.net
This is great!! Thanks!!
What a great idea.
I love this! I would love to try this out on one of my friends whose pregnant.
I'd love to use this for my son, who is due this spring. From what I hear, swaddling recreates the feeling in the womb, so this would be great!
Looks like it is easy to use and soft! kirkleyak(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
I have to (sheepishly) admit my hubby is better at swaddling with a blanket than I am...maybe I can redeem myself with this one! gumbi1313@msn.com
what a great giveaway! I would love to win this!
ashley_tignor(at)yahoo(dot)com
My newborn LOVES being swaddled! Id love to get this blankie!
dansan826 at yahoo dot com
I would love to give this to my daughter who is expecting in four weeks. Thanks!
(cokelushATgmailDOTcom)
I love swaddling - it works so well and makes babies so happy!
What a great idea...how I have tried to no avail to swaddle with my blankets here!! Thanks!!
stbaisch@yahoo.com
Baby #1 on the way & would love the BEST blankie around! Cute too!
pick me please :)
Oh, please enter me! With a new baby on the way in 2008, this would be perfect! Thanks!
cbdulrich[at]yahoo[dot]com
My best friend is due with her daughter in early spring and this would be an awesome gift to be able to give her!
This would have been perfect for the babies. I would love to try one of these blankets.
Wish I had it with my first 2 but at least my third would be able to use it! :) Thanks for hosting such a useful giveaway!
I love swaddle blankets - I couldn't live without them, and this one is the best I've seen so far! maraco36@yahoo.com
I would love to win this! I have never swaddled a baby before and DS is due in February, maybe I can practice before he gets here!
THANKS
royaldixie@charter.net
oh, maybe this would stay better than her other one, she had Houdinied herslef out of it too many times to count!
Hope I win.
megankortepeter@hotmail.com
You have the BEST giveaways! I think this would take care of the I'm-screaming-because-I-worked-my-way-out-of-my-swaddle-and-it-ticks-me-off wail that can be so upsetting for you both.
normanfam at gmail dot com
This is fabulous!
I have seen these, and I think the concept is super! I love this little swaddler!
sharvey at connections-etc dot net
Oh how I would love to win this for number four on the way! I am planning to swaddle but don't yet have any blankets.
My email can be reached via my blog info. Thanks!
I didn't have these when I had my twins, this would be perfect for my new one due in March!
I swaddled my first all the time, such a life saver! We just used normal blankets though. This blanket looks awesome! I'd love to try it out on our next baby!
How nice! Man I feel old, I always had to use the good old receiving blanket. lol. However, I now have a niece who demands being swaddled, this would be fantastic! Thanks for the giveaway!
I had one and loved it. Would love to give it to my friend who is 8 months along!!
What a great idea! Regular receiving blankets are too small for swaddling once they pass the newborn stage.
I got pretty good at swaddling our daughter with a receiving blanket, but my husband never quite figured out how to do it tight enough. Maybe a blanket like this is exactly what he needs for the next little one.
We were big fans of the Ultimate Swaddling Blanket with our daughter. It would be interesting to try this one out with baby number 2 who will be here soon.
please enter me- i'd love to have this for my baby on the way!
If I won this it would go to my friend who is having her first baby. I got the Miracle Blanket as a gift, but this looks just as good! Please randomly select me!!
wonderful!!
oh yes... a must have!
I wish I'd had some of these when my kids were tiny! Ah well..It would be perfect for my best friend!
What a great blanket! Count me in, please.
I wish I had had one of those a few months ago... ah well I could give it to my cousin and dream of having another baby! :)
Im blogging you now
http://contestaddict.blogspot.com
I would love to try the Loving Baby Swaddle Blanket. When my daughter was born, I tried to old fashion way, but I could never get the blanket to stay tight. This would be great!
Count me in please!
"Happy Holidays!" Please enter me in your wonderful contest! It would come in very handy. Thank-you, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
What a great blanket to have in your parent arsenal- esp at 2 am=)