While attending a meeting through work
recently the subject of infant swings came up.
At our daycare center we utilize swings for comforting babies, but we
are only allowed to keep the baby in it for 20 minutes. If the baby falls asleep in the swing we are
required to move him to his crib unless we have a doctor note to let the baby
sleep sitting up due to acid reflux or other stomach issues.
The infant specialist from the local YWCA,
who was our speaker, told us we should only utilize the swings for three
minutes at a time. She stated that
babies don’t like the swing. She
suggested we swing our heads back and forth and see how we liked it. My mouth dropped open. Now, this is my personal opinion, but that is
the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.
As an adult, swinging makes me nauseous, but as a child I could swing
all day.
According to “Why Use Infant Swings”,
swinging imitates movement in the womb and this is why babies often fall asleep
in the swing. Our YWCA speaker suggested
that babies fall asleep when swinging, especially if they’ve been crying,
because of the “Primitive Withdrawal”
defense mechanism. The babies are under
so much stress from the swing that they just fall asleep. I’ve worked with babies for years and I don’t
think I’ve ever personally seen this mechanism happen.
According to LiveStrong.com “Why
Babies Cry Before Sleeping”, “Because
your baby cannot yet communicate with you verbally, crying serves as a method
of communication… However,
crying is not a perfect communication tool because your baby may be letting you
know he is either tired, ill, frustrated, hungry or full. Babies cry before
sleeping for the very same reason---to signal to you a change in behavior.” “Is
it Ok for a Baby to Sleep in the Swing” states that 30 minutes is a good
amount of time to let a baby sleep in a swing.
Our state’s Department of Children and Family Services requires babies
are to be moved every 30 minutes unless asleep in their crib.
In my
opinion, swings are great baby care tools when used with supervision and safety
in mind. Yes, babies can be injured when
using swings. The Consumer Product
Safety Commission is working on new safety rules for infant swings
including requiring swings to have a five point harness system. I think that is a great idea. In a daycare setting, as it should be in a
home, babies should have proper supervision and the use of an infant swing can
be a great help in keeping baby happy.
Sources:
What Are Defense Mechanisms Anyway? Psych Cents
Rachel Nelson, Why Babies Cry Before Sleeping,
LiveStrong.com
Erin Carson, Is it Ok for a Baby to Sleep in the Swing, LiveStrong.com
CPSC On
Safety Blog
No comments:
Post a Comment