Baby Basics for New Dads, Part 1

Many parents find that mimicking the cozy conditions of the womb soothes fussy or colicky babies. The following instructions are adapted from The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby-From Birth to Age Two, by Dr. William Sears, MD, and Martha Sears, RN.

• Lay a receiving blanket on a stable, flat surface, like the floor. (Thin, stretchy blankets work best. Do not use a puffy comforter or quilt).
• Position the blanket in the shape of a diamond, with a corner at the top.
• Fold the top corner one third of the way down the blanket.
• Place your infant on his back with the head resting just above the top fold.
• Fold the right edge of the blanket over your baby's left arm. Lay the arm diagonally over the chest, tucking the right corner of the blanket snugly under the right armpit.
• Bring the bottom corner of the blanket up over the feet. Tuck the corner into the fold made in the previous step.
• Fold the left side of the blanket over the baby's right arm. Bring the arm across the body (the two arms should approximate an "X" across your baby's chest). Tuck the left corner of the blanket tightly around baby's back.

Et Voila! A baby burrito, cute enough to eat.