When my son Jacob was born, he loved to be enclosed in blankets. He wasn't happy unless he had a blanket close to his face. I have always heard that swaddling a baby is very calming to them, as it mimics the womb. However, I never could swaddle correctly. My babies always wiggled out of whatever I did to them. So, I gave up trying. One day, I was at church and I was having a casual conversation with another lady. I was holding Jacob and he was fussing and not calming down at all. Well, this lady asked me if I had ever swaddled him. Of course, I told her yes but that he NEVER stayed inside his swaddle! She is an EXPERT at swaddling and offered to show me. So, she did. He calmed down instantly...and didn't escape! I went home determined to swaddle Jacob. I would swaddle him as tightly as I could and then put him in his bassinet with a folded receiving blanket tucked under each side of the bassinet mattress to hold him in place. Even then...he still wiggled loose. But, I did notice that he was able to sleep comfortably while he was swaddled.

If you are like me and can't swaddle a baby to save your life, then this next product is sure to be a favorite! I am VERY excited to share SwaddleKeeper with all of you today!

SwaddleKeeper was developed by Kim Stolte, a Registered Nurse who is a Labor, Delivery and Newborn nurse. Here is how she created the SwaddleKeeper...

"I have been a Registered Nurse and working in Hood River for 13 years as a Labor, Delivery, and Newborn Nurse. I have also been teaching Childbirth Education Classes during that time. While teaching parents how to swaddle and calm their newborn, I show the video by Dr. Harvey Karp called "Happiest Baby on the Block". Dr. Karp teaches that a newborn can be comforted if she is treated more like a fetus then a newborn. A fetus' life is composed of a snug environment (swaddling), loud background noise of the mothers blood pumping, water swooshing around and muted noise from the outside world (white noise), constant movement (swinging), sucking on hands or tongue (pacifier, breastfeeding or hand sucking). Replicating this environment after a baby is born is very comforting for the newborn. (happiestbaby.com)

As I watched the parents' expressions while watching the video, the parents would look most intently at the swaddling technique taught by Dr. Karp. His technique is effective, but complicated for a new parent. If the parent didn't have a big enough blanket (especially as the newborn grew) then the swaddle would come undone. That is why I invented the Swaddle Keeper, an infant blanket sleeper that is easy to use, and makes great gifts for new mothers and fathers who want to keep their baby happy and calm."

I'm glad she mentions Dr. Karp as I was made aware of his work during my birthing classes. I too, was one of those moms whose eyes were glued to the swaddling segment of the video. However, as Kim says...swaddling is HARD. Especially if you are a first time mom. Wanting to do everything right is such a burden and if you can't swaddle, then you really feel like you aren't doing everything you can to help your baby sleep.

The SwaddleKeeper is a very one-of-a-kind product. It is simple and very easy to use. My son is too big to demonstrate this on, but there really is nothing hard about using it! It looks like a baby blanket when laid out flat but the nice thing about it is that it has a newborn head support that is extra padded and a little stiffer than a single layer blanket. I LOVE this!

For this review, I was sent the SwaddleKeeper Sleep in a Box Baby Sleep System. I have to interject here that this would be an amazing gift for a first time mom. It has EVERYTHING that she will need! This kit contains:

~SwaddleKeeper swaddling blanket

~Quiet Baby sleeping sign (soo cute!)

~Recipe for longer naps

~When to call the doctor; quick reference guide

~Access to Kim's sleep blog

~Newborn Care DVD

~Feeding and Activity Log

~Parent relaxation mask and ear plugs

I think my favorite part of this kit, aside from the SwaddleKeeper swaddling blanket, is the relaxation mask and ear plugs. It is hard sometimes to relax when you have a newborn. This really enables you to shut everything out and get some much needed rest. I am a HUGE fan of earplugs...maybe not when the baby is really tiny...but when you are trying to train the baby to sleep through the night when they are a bit older. That is when I pull out my earplugs. The sleep mask is made from scraps that are left over from making SwaddleKeepers so there really is no waste!

SwaddleKeepers come in many different colored fabrics and you can choose from either organic cotton or flannel. The colors are GREAT too! You can also order a Baby Shower Gift Basket that includes a blanket and a SwaddleKeeper nestled in a cute basket with free gift wrap...for only $49.95. This gift would be a fantastic gift for any first time mom and would DEFINITELY be worth the money.

SwaddleKeeper is on Facebook as well as Twitter...so be sure to follow them there and be alerted of new products and information!

So, in my opinion...as a mom, the SwaddleKeeper is such a fabulous product. I know how hard swaddling is and anything that can help me in that area is a welcome addition to my life as a mom. The price is great ($29.95 plus$3.00 shipping) and the long term benefits will far outweigh the cost. SwaddleKeeper also makes a wonderful gift and is definitely something that I am going to keep on my radar for a baby shower gift! Try one today...you (and your baby) will be so glad you did!

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. I did receive a free SwaddleKeeper Kit for review purposes. All quotes are from the SwaddleKeeper website and email. All thoughts and opinions are mine.