A guide to swaddle products

You can use a simple square blanket to swaddle your baby, but many newborn swaddle products exist to make swaddling easier. Here’s our guide to common types and brands.

Swaddle with Velcro fasteners

This is the most common kind of newborn swaddle. Fabric ‘wings’ wrap around your baby and attach via Velcro. The Halo SleepSack Swaddle, Zippy Swaddle, and SwaddleMe Original all offer this kind.

Swaddle with arms up

Some babies prefer to sleep in an arms-up position. Your baby won’t scratch or startle themselves with this kind of swaddle because their hands are covered in fabric. Swaddle Up is a brand offering this style.

No-wrap swaddle

Some swaddles, such as the SwaddleMe Pod, don’t require any wrapping. You put your baby inside the sack and zip it up with their arms inside.

Swaddle blanket with pouch

There are also swaddle blankets without zippers and velcro that still have more features than a traditional swaddle blanket. The Miracle Blanket and the Swado has a foot pouch, arm pockets, and wings that you wrap and tuck around your baby.

Swaddling with legs free

Some swaddles—such as the Ergobaby Swaddler and Anna & Eve Baby Swaddle Strap—allow for a baby’s hips to be open and their legs free.

Safe swaddling tips

1. Swaddling can increase the chances your baby will overheat. Keep the room cool, dress your baby lightly, and watch for signs of overheating, including sweating, damp hair, flushed cheeks, and heat rash.
2. Make the swaddle tight, but not too tight—you don’t want your newborn to break free or wriggle out, but you also don’t want to restrict their breathing.
3. For healthy hip development, ensure that your baby’s hips and knees can bend up and out (frog leg position).
4. Follow your baby’s cues. Some babies don’t need or want to be swaddled.
5. Keep your baby’s crib bare: no stuffies, bumpers, or extra blankets.
6. Always place your baby on their back to sleep.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says to stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows signs of trying to roll over, which can happen as early as 2 to 3 months. If you see your baby reach for their feet when on their back, roll from their back to their side, or turn their face toward the floor when on their side, it’s time to stop using a swaddle. If you expect your baby to start trying to roll soon, try these 3 tips to transition to swaddle-free sleep.

Note: Please note any manufacturer safety updates for the listed products before purchasing. This list is not intended to be an endorsement of any particular product; Lovevery does not receive payment of any kind from the brands listed in this post. 

Learn more about the research

Moon, R. Y., Carlin, R. F., Hand, I., & Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. (2022). Sleep-related infant deaths: updated 2022 recommendations for reducing infant deaths in the sleep environment. Pediatrics, 150(1), e2022057990.