Swaddling – what is it and why does it work

You may have heard of swaddling and there are lots of products out their especially for swaddling, but what is it, what’s the theory behind it and does it work?

What is swaddling?

Swaddling is when you wrap up a baby firmly from the neck down in a thin, light blanket with her or his arms tucked against her or his chest. Obviously  you don’t want to restrict their breathing or crush them, but a key factor is that the blanket must be quite firm and doesn’t easily unwrap.

The idea is to calm the baby and make them feel safe and secure.

What’s the theory behind it

It is believed that being tightly bound reminds the baby of the restricted space in the womb – the place that was safe and warm and lovely, before the baby entered the big wide (scary) world. It’s also said to help stop them thrashing around agitating themselves, and it can stop them being disturbed by the little twitches they make when they’re asleep.

Does swaddling work?

Swaddling is not a modern, fly-by-night trend, it’s an age old technique that’s been used since before people started writing books on babycare. Many people swear by it. However, some experts have raised concerns about some of the negative effects of swaddling, and others say it simply doesn’t work for them. At the end of the day, each baby is different, so you won’t know whether swaddling is going to help calm them until you try it.

If you have a newborn baby, why not drop by Personalised Baby Gifts? We have more articles with tips on parenting, from travelling with a baby to choosing a baby’s name. And once you’ve chosen your baby’s name, why not have it embroidered onto their bib, or printed on a personalised clock for the nursery.

Top Three Newborn Gifts

Trinket boxes for firsts

There are a variety of trinket boxes and certificate holders you can get for keeping baby’s first tooth or first lock of hair safe forever (much nicer than a jiffy bag in the kitchen drawer!). Trinket boxes can be engraved with the name and date of the new arrival and certificate holders can come with commemorative plaques.

Bibs and Linen

A practical gift, bibs and linen can be personalised with embroidery to show the newborn’s name and even date of birth or a message. Parents will be grateful for the extra bibs, muslins and linen, which are useful as well as beautiful gifts.

Newborn photo session

Time flies so fast and these precious moments are gone forever. There is a very short window for newborn photography, but the adorable photographs will be cherished forever. Or, if the parents are too exhausted, most photography vouchers can be used later, when the baby is more bubbly and responsive.

At personalised baby gifts we have hundreds of products specially selected for newborns and babies. Most of our items can be personalised free of charge.

Tops Tips for Travelling with Your Baby

It can be daunting to think of travelling with your baby, with all kinds of paranoias rising up, about forgetting Sophie the Giraffe, or what it they start wailing and you can’t quiet them and everyone’s staring…

But it’s important for both babies and parents to get out of the house, not just to avoid going stir crazy, but for physical and mental development of the little one. By seeing different things, smelling different smells and experiencing the wide world while feeling protected and safe in the important early development stages you can ensure they are confident and well-adjusted in the world as they grow up.

Travelling with a baby on public transport

It can be quite daunting to get on a bus, train of the tube with a baby, but it can be done, with a little thought about the factors and how best to handle them.

The key here is travelling light. It’s all the accessories that will encumber you and be a cause of obstructions and stress. If at all possible, try to avoid using a buggy, as these tend to be bulky and hard to fit in the narrow spaces of public transport. Also, someone has to hold the baby while you collapse and open it up again. Better to use a body sling, which will keep your hands free, baby close and safe near your body (and feeling extra secure there) and adds the minimum of weight and bulk.

Similarly, only bring the essentials. It can seem like a lot of things are essential, but most things can be bought on demand if you’re in relative civilization, and in many cases you can make do. For example, will a blanket double as a changing matt, and can you simply use a cloth and water instead of wet wipes?

Travelling with a baby by car

The advice is opposite if travelling by car. You have the space and luxury to be able to overpack and bring anything you think might come in useful. The main concern here is keeping the baby from crying the whole journey and turning you into a ball of stress – not good for driving. Try to plan the journey for when they are going to be asleep or at least drowsy. The movement often encourages sleep (in some adults too!) and a sleeping baby is a quiet baby.

Also, make sure you get to know your car seat well. The majority of car seats are not fitted properly, reducing their safety levels. Read the manual and seek advice if you’re really struggling, but make sure it’s in correctly.

Personalised Baby Gifts have a range of products for all babies and children of every age, including clothing, pllowscases & towels and beautiful trinket boxes.

Top Ten Most Popular Baby Names 2013

These are the most recent set of most popular baby names in England and Wales, according to the Office of National Statistics.

So do you run with the crowd or forge your own route?

Most Popular Girls' Names

1	Amelia
2	Olivia
3	Lily
4	Jessica
5	Emily
6	Sophie
7	Ruby
8	Grace
9	Ava
10	Isabella

Most Popular Boys' Names

1	Harry
2	Oliver
3	Jack
4	Alfie
5	Charlie
6	Thomas
7	Jacob
8	James
9	Joshua
10	William

These names show a  definite preference for classic sounding names, the kind of thing you might expect your grandmother to be called (though we haven't gone quite as far as Margery or Dorothy yet), or to find in an old romance novel.

Both the prince's names appear, though Kate or Katherine is absent from the girl's top ten, even though it's been a solid favourite throughout the centuries.

Soundwise, names ending in 'a' are prevalent amoung the girls' name and almost half of the boys' names begin with a 'J'.

Practical tips for picking baby names

It could be one of the most important decisions of your life - after having the baby of course... So what do name your little bundle of joy?

You may have a shortlist already, but here are a few tips to help you avoid making any naming blunders that will haunt you for a very long time...

Say it out loud

It's amazing how different things sound out loud as opposed to written on paper. Say them all out loud and see which ones get crossed off in a hurry! It may be worth getting friends and family to try saying the names out loud as well, to see where people might pronounce it wrong - and find out if it's going to get on your nerves - or even cause embarrasment!

Think about what it might be shortened to

One mother I know gave all three of her boys names with three syllables that could each be shortened to two, or even one. She figured she'd give them the option of choosing how formal or informal they wanted to be. Think about what your potential names could be shortened to, and whether you like them in that format.

Try it with your surname

Trying out various names with your surname highlight issues in rhythm or tongue twisters or even unintended words hiding between them. If you're going to give the child a middle name as well, then try saying it out loud with all three parts. This is particularly important if your surname is King, which is open to all kinds of potential disasters...

Once you've chosen the perfect name, why not get it printed or embroidered onto one of our fantastic personalised baby products!

Can a child be brought up genderless?

A couple from Toronto caused a storm last year, when it was reported in newspapers that they were refusing to reveal the gender of their four month old baby - Storm (see what I did there?).

Only they and the child's two older brothers know whether Storm is a boy or a girl, even the grandparents were being kept in dark.

Many people reacted badly to the story, lashing out and claiming it was harmful to the child, and would affect its mental development, some even saying it's tantamount to child abuse.

But the parents argue that the complete opposite is true - that by attempting to combat gender stereotypes, their child will grow up more free to make her or his decisions about who they are - rather than being slotted into whatever standards traditional society would have them follow.

“If you really want to get to know someone, you don’t ask what’s between their legs,” says the father.

Their two older children have been brought up without typical pink and blue pressures, and as a result choose to have long hair, worn in braids and to often wear skirts and bright colours that are usually frowned on for boys, such as pink and purple.

Raising a child without putting a pink or blue stamp on its head from even before it's born is becoming more common than you might think, with couples in Sweden and England doing the same.

For gender neutral products for babies - visit our personalised baby gifts store!