Can I leave my babies arms free even though swaddling?

Most swaddling experts encourage tucking both arms in to avoid twitching (moro reflex) and facial scratches from those sharp tiny nails. Even so, leaving one arm free may well make your baby a lot more comfy and most parents try this as they are weaning their newborn off swaddling.

The hand-to-mouth reflex is a natural action that your baby is used to doing and it was probably doing inside the womb. You’ll be able to leave each arms free, but it defeats the purpose and might mean that it truly is time to stop swaddling.

Another study printed in the Turkish journal of Pediatrics found swaddling to be helpful in keeping babies asleep for longer periods.  

Daytime sleep and wake periods of ten swaddled infants were periodically recorded by their mothers. The babies were swaddled above the waist for the first four days of the second, third and fourth months of life. During the next four days of the same months, the same infants were monitored with no swaddling. Comparison of the two sleep situations (swaddled and unswaddled) demonstrated that the increase in the total daytime sleep was statistically significant when the baby was loosely swaddled above the waist.

Give swaddling a try and see if it will benefit your newborn!