My question is about the care of babies during the Tudor period. I know that they were "swaddled", but what exactly did this entail (besides tight wrapping) and for how long was this done? How were the calls of nature attended to? What was standard practice in the nurseries of the well born regarding the general care and feeding of infants?
The swaddling of babies was a universal practice until the early 18th c. The baby was dressed in a shirt or other small garment and bandages were wound over it spirally the length of the baby’s body, this could be cloth or for those who could afford it then lace. A bibbin or small cap was placed on the baby’s head and its physical needs were catered for with a tailclout, a version of a nappy. Not 100% sure but think I read that the child was swaddle while being fed and when was placed in their cribs for sleep. They were removed so the child could move arms and legs when they were awake. I would think that as the baby became more active the less time they were swaddled
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