I would add to Laurie Wheelers comments: Why not suggest a halfway mode, with the baby wrapped onto the mother? The deep-rooted ideas underlying tight swaddling (yes, I've seen it in Russian newborns) are diverse in different times and places, and may concern keeping warm, making limbs straight and other ideas. In some cultures, it has involved "shaping" the head in an unnatural way. William Cadogan wrote against swaddling in his much quoted 1748 Essay published in England. He recommended and designed clothing which allowed the limbs to be free. (He's also worth a read on his description of the then-current pre-lacteal feeds, which he deplored, and the very early complementary foods.) Cultural practices can change, and respect and tact are excellent tools in facilitating this. The ancient use of pre-lacteal feeds because of the suspicion of colostrum (as it was considered to look like pus) has been common in many cultures, was recommended by influential Graeco-Roman medical authors 2000 years ago (Thorley & Sioda, 2016) and continued in England till the end of the 1820s (Smith, 1979), despite the criticisms of Cadogan and others. The practice changed and no longer was colostrum withheld. The preference for artificial feeding of infants in Iceland on cow's milk and cream, practiced for generations, also changed. Culture has the same aim as we do - that is, to do what is perceived as "the best" for the baby, even if a practice is flawed. So a starting point is agreeing that the aim is the same, and then explaining the why and wherefore for change. I can provide references if anyone wants to contact me privately. Dr Virginia Thorley, OAM, PhD, IBCLC, FILCA Cultural Historian of the History of Medicine Private Practice IBCLC Ipswich, Queensland, Australia *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome