swaddle series — why would a moro reflex be overactive in a newborn?

swaddle series — why would a moro/ startle reflex be “overactive” in a newborn?

mamas and papas, let’s start by giving yourself permission to follow your baby’s cues and trust that your baby is communicating to you what is most important in any given moment ♥️ 

when we are waking constantly, we are typically expressing a lack of perceived safety in our world.

our baseline of safety perception can be dictated by how we experienced our world in utero, as we navigated the birth process, and throughout our transition earth side and into our bodies.

our degree of safety perception will mirror that of mom’s. how is mom navigating this season? how is mom healing from birth? did mom find birth traumatic? does mom need more support than she has access to at this time? 

if we are waking constantly because we do not feel safe in our bodies, we will have a greater need for co-regulation. this can look like additional time spent skin on skin (this is the *real* master healer), co-sleeping is heavily encouraged (think biological imperatives of survival — more on this in the soon), and potentially some nervous system focused bodywork for babe (added bonus of mom can receive care as well). 

we learn and integrate what we have taken in during our day through two things: rest and movement.

if we are not feeling safe because we feel stuck, locked down, and unable to move, are we really getting deep rest or are we just “conceding” and shifting into a state of collapse?

neurologically, when given the safety, space, and support to do so, the startle will become more and more mild, as baby is able to work through how he or she is able to perceive greater safety presently, as so demonstrated in the fullest form by mama.