15th October 2002
SWADDLING BABIES MAY REDUCE COT DEATH RISKS
Swaddling babies may reduce the risk of cot death, according to a new study.
Research in the US has shown that babies who are swaddled, or wrapped tightly in cloth before being put down to sleep, are more likely to sleep on their backs - a position that is known to reduce the incidence of cot death. Swaddling was used almost universally before the 18th century, but studies over recent years have suggested the practice might lead to breathing problems, and could also overheating and damage a baby's hip joints.
The research, at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri, involved 37 infants aged 19 days to six months and found that the younger the babies were, the more quickly they went to sleep once swaddled. Their breathing rate increased slightly, but they did not experience any reduction in oxygen levels - and they could still flex their hip joints. If the swaddle material was thin they did not become overheated, said researchers.
Swaddling during the first year of life is still common in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South America and Asia, and in cultures that practice swaddling, where babies normally sleep on their backs, there is a lower incidence of cot death or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Where to next?- Find out the facts about cot death.
- Find out about sleep solutions for your baby.
- Take a look at ways you can reduce the risks of cot death