Sausages

Since the last post it appears that Abigail returned from Mothership Colic and the awful baby left in her place returned home. I attribute this to time and to our new found talent of swaddling.

Yes, it is true, that we stopped swaddling Abigail at day 10 because she always got her arms out. "She must not like swaddling" we assumed. Oh, silly first time parents.

Through all my reading during colic desperation, I came across a common theme. Swaddle...Swaddle...Swaddle...and do it TIGHTLY. Though the nurses did their best to teach us in the hospital, we never seemed to get it right. It was a magical and mystical talent that seemed only to be perfected after dealing with newborns all day long for years. We relegated ourselves to the knowledge that we would never be swaddlers. And here I am, reading that in order to get some relief from Crabby Abby, I must learn how to swaddle and swaddle GOOD.

I looked around for a Mr. Miyagi type character to crack the whip and train me hard on this talent. I am standing on some strange pole near the ocean, carefully balancing Abby and a square blanket. Swaddle on.....Swaddle off....Swaddle left...Swaddle right.
*return from daydream*

Alas, I am on my own and with only these ridiculous pictures in a book showing step by step instructions. First I am insulted by the pictures because they show a baby who is laying on the blanket smiling and not moving. Hello! I am trying to swaddle a screaming, upset, flailing armed baby! Did I miss the step where we got her drunk?

Anyhow, I read all steps and the last pointer: Do it as tightly as possible. Do not be afraid to hurt the baby. If you can fit a finger between the blanket and the baby's chest, it is not too tight.

I try the technique, and though Abigail turned bright red in the face, I got it right. Perhaps the key is cutting off the airway so that they cannot scream? (jokes) Abigail cried at the first fold but by the third, there she was, like the baby in the picture. Calm. Her eyes were fixated on me as if to say "so, what are we doing next?".

The swaddling ensures that Abigail cannot move her arms and for extra security, I tuck her arms in her pants before the swaddle. The lack of movement provides a sort of calm and peace to the brain. Imagine all the thoughts going on in Abby's head at the end of the day..

"I'm hungry. I have to fart. Is that a burp? Would you burp me please!? My left arm is moving. Now my right is moving too! My left one, there it goes again! Oh, great, My left leg is copying my arms! Why won't everything stop moving? I have a wet diaper! Don't lay me down alone! My right arm just hit me in the head! What am I chewing on??"

I imagine that once she is swaddled it is more like...

"I'm hungry. I have to fart. Is that a burp? Would you burp me please?! How did I get you for a mother...."



Since the swaddling, Abby has been sleeping 4-6 hours at a time at night instead of 3 hours, puts herself to sleep if I lay her down awake, and naps happily all alone in her nursery. Praise for swaddling! yay!

And, for those of you who have yet to master the art - here are my step by step instructions and tips:

1. Lay blanket on the floor, or the bed. Somewhere where the entire blanket is flat. Lay the blanket in front of you like a diamond.

2. Fold down the top corner of the diamond about 5 inches.

3. Place baby on blanket with the top of the shoulders laying across the straight line created by the fold you did in step two. Their shoulders should be on the crease of the fold. Head completely above it all.

4. Place baby's arms in pants up to the elbows (this step is optional).

5. Take the left corner of the diamond (the right side of the baby) and fold it over the baby's chest, tummy and both arms. The blanket should be big enough to wrap over and underneath the baby's bottom. Ensure blanket is flat under the baby so he/she does not have to sleep on bumps!

6. Take the bottom corner of the diamond and fold it upwards, over the feet, tummy and up to the shoulder. Tuck it under the baby's left shoulder.

7. Take the piece of fabric directly to the right of the baby's head and pull it TIGHTLY down over the baby's chest. This should leave a large straight piece of fabric on your right (baby's left).

8. This last piece of fabric should be pulled TIGHTLY across the baby's belly/chest, around their back, pulled over the baby's left shoulder and tucked back in front.

9. Ta-dah. You have made your own baby sausage! Keep trying!

Abby is to the point now where when I lay her on the blanket she smiles.