swaddling clothes

• Terme traditionnel désignant les langes en tissu utilisés pour emmailloter étroitement les nouveau-nés ; il est aussi souvent employé métaphoriquement pour décrire une chose à son stade le plus précoce ou le moins développé.

A traditional term for cloth wrappings used to wrap newborn babies snugly, often used metaphorically to describe something in its earliest or most undeveloped stage.

1. Baby wrapping clothsB2formal

   Long strips of cloth used to wrap a newborn baby tightly to restrict movement and provide comfort.

   langes

   • The nurse wrapped the infant in soft swaddling clothes.
   • Swaddling clothes are often used to help babies sleep better.
   • In many cultures, swaddling clothes are a traditional practice.

2. Early stages or restrictionsC1formal

   Used metaphorically to describe a state of being in the earliest, most restrictive phase of development.

   premiers pas (restrictions)

   • The new company is still in its swaddling clothes.
   • The project emerged from its swaddling clothes and began to grow.
   • He felt confined by the swaddling clothes of his upbringing.