All About the Super Soothing Swaddle Bath Trend That Parents of Newborns Are Loving

@thelabormama/TikTok; @jennsotransparent/TikTok

My son spent his first earthside days in the NICU. So a lot of our firsts took place at the hospital. I held him for the first time in the NICU. He latched for the first time in the NICU. And when the nurses told me that I could bathe him, I was excited for the opportunity.

It would only be a sponge bath. Still, I imagined a sweet, soothing, and even therapeutic experience for the both of us. My son didn’t feel the same way. He was tiny at the time, but he made sure to let me know he was not pleased with the bath. Had I known about swaddle baths back then, things might have gone differently.

Swaddle baths have numerous benefits.

According to the medical Journal of Pediatric Nursing, swaddled bathing has numerous benefits. The temperature of infants who received a swaddle bath rose more quickly after the bath than those who had been traditionally bathed. The stress score was lower than the traditionally bathed infants and the crying time was also significantly less.

You bathe the baby by unwrapping and re-wrapping with a blanket.

@nurse.carly How to do a swaddle immersion bath for your newborn! #newborn #newbaby #babytips #newbornbaby #newborncare #newmom #bringingbabyhome #bathtime ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

Swaddle baths, during which a baby is wrapped in a blanket as she is being washed, allows the child to stay warmer during the bath. The wrapping also ensures the baby is calm and relaxed, feeling a bit of pressure on her body as if she's still being held.

After the baby is submerged, you work your way down the body, taking each limb out of the blanket to clean it and then wrapping it back up when you’re done.

Nurses perform this with NICU babies and have expanded the practice to 'well' babies, too.

@thelabormama Are you swaddle bathing yet? This is really something you may want to try with your baby. Research on this bathing method is pretty solid, and it shows that there are great benefits to it. Many hospitals utilize this for their NICU babies, and are now also doing it with their “well” babies. Swaddle bathing can lead to: - Less stressed babies (less vital sign changes) - Less crying - Quicker return to normal temperature after the bath - Increased maternal satisfaction - Better “experience” for mama While you don’t need to bathe baby everyday, it’s really nice if when you do bathe them, the experience is pleasant, fun, and one you both enjoy. My babies were always SO chill during these baths - they truly seemed to love the weight, warmth, and snugness of that layer around their bodies. As you bathe baby, follow the same rules you always would. - Never leave baby alone. - Keep the room and the water the right temps. - Start with a clean cloth on face and eyes. - Wash the body clean to dirty. - You can do head/hair last and/or after baby has been removed from the tub and is in their towel. If your baby is brand new, double check with your provider about whether or not you can get the cord stump wet. While evidence shows you can, some providers still prefer you sponge bath until the cord stump falls off. Have you done a swaddle bath? Try it - tell me how it goes! ⏬ #babyprep #babypreparation #momtobe #firstpregnancy #impregnant ♬ original sound - Lo | Labor + Postpartum RN

One postpartum nurse on TikTok said this practice started with NICU babies, and now, increasingly it is done with all babies. Plenty of parents are trying this with their newborns at home — and the proof is in the pudding.

These babies seem to be completely content. With a newborn in the house, there will be plenty of times when your baby will have to cry. But if you can eliminate at least one crying session, then everybody wins.

New parents can definitely benefit from this method.

@jennsotransparent My baby loves the swaddle bath! The idea is to pull one limb out at a time, wash, rinse, then put it back in the swaddle #fyp #rainbowbaby ♬ original sound - Jenn Young

I wish I had known about this when my baby was born. Thankfully, with the internet, new and expecting parents can know of the wonders of this parenting hack. And they won’t have to worry about a little meltdown. Or even worse, a squirmy baby wiggling out of their arms.