Swaddling babies could raise the risk of hip problems in later life because it prevents the joints developing normally, an expert has warned.

The resurgence of parents swaddling their babies is putting children at risk of hip problems later in life, an expert has claimed.

Babies who are swaddled are more likely to develop developmental dysplasia of   the hip (DDH), a common congenital disorder, Prof Nicholas Clarke of University Hospital Southampton said.

The condition raises the likelihood of the child needing a hip replacement in middle age or developing late onset osteoarthritis.

Parents should ensure any swaddling is loose enough to allow their legs to bend up and out at the hips for the first six months of life, Prof Clarke said.

Swaddling, or wrapping a baby tightly in a blanket with their arms restrained and legs stretched out, was historically almost universal but until recently had drifted out of fashion in much of the world.

Retrieved from:Nick Collins, Science Correspondent. www.telegraph.co.uk.  Swaddling babies 'causes hip problems'.28 October, 2013.