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Swaddling - wrapping the child to restrict movement - is an ancient practice that was practiced by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Jews.
People believed that swaddling prevented deformities of the legs and spinal column and that it strengthened the skin of an infant. In many countries, for example, Russia, Turkey, and China, swaddling is still commonly practiced.
In the literature, several advantages of swaddling have been described: it is said to reduce excessive crying and encourages the infant to sleep longer. It can help infants in coping with painful or stressful procedures. Because it is easier to place swaddled infants to sleep in a supine position, it could reduce sudden infant death syndrome.
However, serious negative side effects have been reported as well, Hyperthermia has been reported to be a risk of swaddling, especially when the head also is covered or when a child is having an infection. One study demonstrated that infants...