2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I took a baby care class last week (this is our first) and the woman said not to use baby wipes for the first few weeks! Has anyone head this before??? She suggested using a washcloth and bowl of water.

She also showed us how to swaddle with the arms out!! And to NEVER put a baby to sleep swaddled! Even for a nap.

I am so confused. I never heard that about wipes before and my friends all swaddled to help their newborns sleep.

any advice???

TIA

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

The whole wipes thing is purely your judgement call. Wipes MAY contain thing that will make the all so sensitive skin of a newborn irritated. I used sensitive wipes with all 3 of my kids from birth and never had a problem.

I always swaddled with arms in. I always put the kids to sleep swaddled... well when they let me swaddle them :) I don't understand the swaddling with the arms out though, almost defeats the purpose of swaddling

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I have heard about the wipes thing but I didn't do it. I even brought my own sensitive wipes to the hospital with both of my kids.

With my dd we didn't swaddle. My ds we swaddled from the day he came home, naps and bedtime. I guess the blanket could be a suffocation or strangulation hazard.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

Our baby was in the NICU for the first 5 weeks so we didn't use wipes on her then. we took a soft paper towel and wet that and used it. they never told us to do this at home, we used the sensitive wipes and she barely had a diaper rash.

she was swaddled w/her arms in. she didn't sleep swaddled, but when she was up she was. again, we were never told to keep her arms out.

good luck

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

1- my hospital used cry dryer-sheet-like wipes and had a water sprayer.....take them home with you!
I think I used a washcloth, maybe twice, then moved onto sensitive wipes.

2-I have never heard of the swaddle thing. If they do it in the hospital, why can't you? Maybe because there's always a nurse in the nursery?
Unless your baby rolls over from birth, swadlling with the arms is fine, in fact, it has been a godsend for us!!!!

We use a postitioner so he couldn't roll over even if he wanted to......

Good Luck!!!!!

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I was told the same about wipes at my lamaze class. I used wet bounty towels for a few months, i just felt wipes were a bit too harsh for so young. Personal decision.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I delivered at LIJ and inside the cart they bring the baby in they had these disposble washclothes...those things rock and I took a huge supply. That's what I used for the first 2 weeks....a warm cloth to wash his diaper area off and then a dry one. After that we moved to wipes.

But really it's your call...whatever you want to do is fine...wipes and clothes both get the job done. I would recommend the non-scented, sensitive ones to start with but even that isn't necessary.

For 2 weeks DS let me swaddle him and I put his arms in...the hospital did it that way too...he always came to me like a little burrito.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I used "sensitive" baby wipes instead of the damp paper towels.

I swaddled my DD until she could wiggle out of it and obviously didn't like it anymore.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I used damp paper towels for a few weeks.

I swaddled - arms in- for 6 months.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

1/ wipes: I did not use wipes for 1 month. Recommend by our peds and hospital. Just a thick paper towel with warm water.

2/ Swaddle: we did not swaddle his arms and neither did the hospital either. He hated his arms swaddled anyway. The nurses advised us not to also.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

wipes can be sensitive to the newborn babies skin. I tookt he cloths home from the hosp. after i ran out I got the VIVA brand papertowels and cut them and used them they are super soft..I did this for 3-4 weeks. it worked out fine a little annmoying to wet all the time but it didnt bother me.

Swaddeling all depends on the child.. my DD never really liked it at bedtime. She liked it in my arms ect. I used a sleep sack when she went to bed instead

Congratulations and best of luck on your 1st Baby

FM me if you have any other questions

Message edited 3/20/2008 10:19:19 AM.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I can understand the wipes issue. However, we used wipes with both DC, and never had a problem. They've never really had sensitive skin, so it wasn't an issue for us.

Swaddling with the arms in has been done for thousands of years (painting of native Americans, cave paintings, etc. all show babies swaddled with the arms in) Stony Brook hospital taught us how to swaddle with the arms in. I do a lot of casual research on a lot of things child-related, and haven't heard anything about why you wouldn't want to swaddle with the arms in....

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

We had to use wet papertowels for a few weeks with my son. He was a 34 week preemie so there may be a difference.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I used the wet paper towels for longer then I needed to - I think 4 weeks or so.

I also swaddled with the arms in. That's how they do it at Winthrop. He would have never slept with his arms out.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I also used the sensitive baby wipes on DD since day 1. She was fine.

They swaddle at the hospital, so I'm not sure why she would say not swaddle them arms in. Did she give a reason? My DD was swaddled, arms in, for the first 6 months of her life!!!

She seems fine so far (she's almost 16 months)

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I knew about the wipes thing but only used water while in the hospital but as soon as we got home I used wipes.

I never swaddled DS at all. He never even liked being swaddled in the hospital.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I was told wet papertowels or a washcloth, and used them for about a week. But after a week of that, I decided to try his wipes (sensitive, no perfumes) and see how he reacted. He was fine, and since they are much easier, I stuck with them.

I never heard swaddling was bad--many doctors actually recommend it, including our ped. Also, swaddling arms in tends to work better since they tend to startle themselves when they wave their arms around, but this depends upon your baby.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

They gave us wipes to use in the hospital and we have been using them since day one.
As for the swaddling, we put DD to bed swaddled every night and have not had one problem.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

For the first week or so we used the soft gauze pads from the hosital with warm water, then went to sensitive wipes then to regular wipes.

As far as the swaddling, I swaddled my DD almost all the time. It worked wonders. I guess maybe they're recommending not to swaddle because the baby may get overheated? Being overheated increases the risk of SIDS so maybe that may be the reason for their recommendation? But as long as the baby isn't overdressed and you're using a cotton blanket to swaddle I don't think it is a problem.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

for the first few weeks i used warm water and cotton makeup pads.. my kids always got a rash even from the sensitive wipes.. but thats different with every baby

and my kids HATED to be swaddled, but again thats different with every kid

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

They told me NOT to use wipes in the beginning also. I used clothes. But then I used the Pampers Sensitive Wipes

Swaddling with the arms inside is KEY

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I used wipes.. And I swadeled with arms in.. Its what your baby wii like :)

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

Posted by Charly

They swaddle at the hospital, so I'm not sure why she would say not swaddle them arms in. Did she give a reason? My DD was swaddled, arms in, for the first 6 months of her life!!!

She seems fine so far (she's almost 16 months)

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I used what the hospital gave us and then wet viva paper towels cause they are so soft . I kept them and a bottle of water next to the changing table. At about 4 weeks I started using sensitive skin wipes.

I never heard not to swaddle a baby with their ams in. They do it in the hospital and my baby was swaddled until 5 months before I thought it unsafe.

Re: 2 questions for all the moms! from a mom-to-be

I used wipes. Didn't have a problem.

I never swaddled my kids.