Swaddling is an age-old practice used to keep infants calm, but research suggests it could cause crippling hip deformities.
The practice of swaddling babies was once common throughout the world, but started to die off. A "resurgence in popularity" has prompted concern over the risks swaddling imposes on the baby, a British Medical Journal (BMJ) news release reported.
The technique involves wrapping a baby tightly in a blanket or swaddling clothes so their legs are straightened out and arms are immobile.
The once waning popularity of the practice has bounced back because of its "perceived calming effects." Swaddling is believed to calm crying and colic in very young babies. Now nine out of 10 U.S. infants are swaddled in the first six months of their lives. In the U.K. the market for swaddling clothes went up a staggering 61 percent between 2010 and 2011.
Researchers believe the technique can cause hip misalignment, which could lead to problems such as osteoarthritis and hip replacements down the road. The abnormalities could occur from the baby having their hips pushed forward by the tight swaddling.
A Japanese educational program urged grandmothers not to swaddle their children, which caused the instances of hip displacement to drop by half.
One in five babies are born with hip displacement as a result of genetics or other underlying factors. In many cases these problems correct themselves with time, but swaddling could delay this healing.
Professor Nicholas Clarke, of Southampton University Hospital said swaddling could be safe as long as the baby's legs were not held straight, and could bend "up and out at the hips." This allows the hip joints to develop naturally without restriction. Clarke warned the baby's legs should not be wrapped tightly or pressed together.
Commercial swaddling clothes should include a "loose pouch or sack for the babies' legs and feet, allowing for plenty of hip movement," Clarke suggested in the news release. Clarke also urged healthcare professionals to warn parents of the risk factors associated with swaddling.
