Backup of Moro Reflex: What is it and How Can Swaddling Help?

You take your baby for the first pediatric evaluation and, among other things, your pediatrician checks for the normal baby reflexes, including the presence of Moro reflex: an important indication of a normal and developing nervous system in your newborn. Everything is normal and you don't give this Moro reflex much thought, until it starts waking up your baby mid sleep and the troubles with sleeplessness begin. 

In this article, you will learn: 

How to Identify Moro Reflex
5 Common Triggers of Moro Reflex
How long Moro Reflex lasts
How to calm a baby experiencing Moro Reflex
Why Moro Reflex Occurs
What the absence of Moro Reflex means
What to expect after Moro Reflex 

Identifying Moro reflex

All newborns are born with a number of normal baby reflexes. Moro reflex, also known as startle reflex, is one of them. You may have noticed your baby suddenly "startling" while sleeping before. This is the Moro reflex (startle reflex) at work. 

Moro reflex definition: a reflex reaction of infants upon being startled (as by a loud noise or a bright light) that is characterized by extension of the arms and legs away from the body and to the side and then by drawing them together as if in an embrace (Merriam-Webster). 

When the Moro reflex is evoked, the baby has a two phase reaction:

Phase 1 - The baby will experience what can be best described as a sensation of free-falling, where the baby reacts by lifting and stretching their arms. She may even let out a sharp gasp.

Phase 2 - The baby will curl the arms and legs closer to their body into a slight fetal position.

There is no way to prevent Moro reflex from occurring - in fact, it's actually healthy for your baby to have Moro reflex, as it shows their little nervous system is properly developing. However, this can be particularly troublesome during sleep time, as it may wake your baby up from sound sleep. 

Triggers of Moro Reflex

Moro reflex is triggered by any sudden changes in sensual stimulation. There are many such triggers, but the common ones are:

1) A loud noise.

2) A sudden touch.

3) An abrupt change in the intensity of light.

4) Any event that puts the baby off balance - such as a drop in altitude (when being placed into a crib, taken out of a bath tub for example).

5) A change in the direction of the baby's body.

Some of these triggers may be so minor, that you won't notice them. However, to your baby who, up until now, has been used to living in the womb, even the smallest of changes can evoke this startle reflex. 

How Long Does the Moro Reflex Last?

Moro reflex is most prominent in newborns. But this startle reflex gradually gets better and typically completely disappears by month 5 or 6. Typically by week-6 your baby's neck muscles get stronger and their overall balance and ability to support themselves starts to improve.  This is the beginning of the improvement of Moro reflex.

AGES & STAGES OF MORO REFLEX

So to sum it up, Moro Reflex starts at birth and ends at 4-6 months. This is incidentally around the same time when your baby starts is strong enough to roll over. So it is a good practice to start swaddling at birth and end it around 4-6 months. With time, this baby reflex will disappear. 

How to Calm a Baby Experiencing Moro Reflex?

Your baby is still getting used to the outside world which is very different compared to the tight space inside the womb. So when experiencing Moro reflex, try drawing your baby's stretched arms and legs closer to their bodies and hold them in place until they calm down.

A swaddle restricts the baby's movements and helps draw their extended limbs back. Swaddling also helps recreate the womb environment, which can help soothe babies while experiencing this startle reflex.

This is why swaddling is practiced around the world as a common way to calm infants. For those who may not know, a swaddle is a fabric that wraps around baby’s body like a cozy cocoon. 

Real Mom Review “She slept better immediately in the Zen Swaddle. The startle reflex always woke her up before that but he Zen Swaddle kept her arms tucked like she needs. I recommend this to all my new mom friends!” -Allison M. 10/11/2017

Traditional swaddles are simple square blankets that require complicated tucking and folding to get a snug fit. The Zen Swaddle, however, uses secure fasteners for an easy, adjustable fit that won’t come loose, keeping your baby’s tiny limbs in place so they don’t startle awake.

Swaddling works best to calm Moro Reflex if it is introduced at birth. Consistently making swaddling part of your bedtime and/or naptime ritual early on will help create the association that once the swaddle is on, it’s time for sleep. Most babies are swaddled until 4 to 6 months old, so it remains an effective technique to calm Moro Reflex until it disappears.

Even when traditionally swaddled, it’s common for babies to stir from Moro Reflex. He/she may cry out for you to hold the and soothe them back to sleep. Introducing self-soothing to your baby will help them learn to get back to sleep on their own, even after they experience an episode of Moro Reflex. Because the Zen Swaddle is lightly weighted to mimic your gentle touch, its consistent use helps teach babies to self soothe as they get older. The added gentle pressure acts as your touch and helps keep baby calm, so even if they stir, they can fall right back asleep on their own.

To learn more about the other advantages of swaddling, check out our Benefits of Swaddling article. To see techniques on how to swaddle like a pro and keep baby safe while doing so with the super easy to use Zen Swaddle see this page on how to swaddle.

Why Does Moro Reflex Occur?

Would you believe that the Moro reflex is present to protect your newborn in these early stages of development? As a newborn is unaware of cause and effect yet, this reflex acts as an alarm that is triggered when a baby receives excessive or sudden information via the senses.

The first phase of the response (as described in the previous section) helps the baby react to an unpleasant stimuli. The second phase helps them cling to whatever is close, on many occasions their mother, as a way to protect themselves from falling.

These two responses instinctively protect a child from whatever danger is associated with the stimulant. This is described in detail in this article.  At birth all babies have a nervous system that is still developing. One sign of their developing nervous system is that until 4 - 6 months of age infants startle easily as they experience a whole new world of sensations that were absent in the womb.

Absence of Moro Reflex or Startle Reflex

The absence of the Moro reflex, either on one or both sides, may signify problems in a baby’s nervous system. This can be checked and addressed by your pediatrician during scheduled visits. Should you see an absence of this reflex in between visits, you should bring it to your pediatrician’s attention immediately.

At birth your pediatrician checks for the Moro reflex among many other reflexes your baby is born with. See how this reflex is checked in this article by MedilinePlus, a National HealthCare Library.

If you are curious about what other reflexes your developing baby is born with, visit this article by U.S. National Library of Medicine detailing the different types of newborn reflexes.

What To Expect After Moro Reflex

While you’ll see Moro Reflex decrease from 4 to 6 months old, you’ll also notice your baby has more control over his/her movements and can roll over and back as they approach the 6 month mark. While you can continue swaddling to help soothe them even after Moro Reflex ends, once your baby starts learning to roll over it is no longer safe to swaddle. This is the right time to start transitioning over to a sleeping bag. We recommend the Zen Sack^™, because it’s gentle weight in the center helps to mimic your touch and gives extra comfort to a babe who is already used to the security of a swaddle.

Take a look at the 6 signs of when to stop swaddling and check out our swaddle transition plan to help guide the way when the time comes!

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