Why does Luke tell us that Mary “wrapped [the baby Jesus] in swaddling cloths” (Luke 2:12)?

The ancient custom was to wrap the arms, legs, and body of the baby with long strips of cloth to provide warmth and security. Parents in those days also believed that wrapping the child helped his or her bones to grow straight. Luke’s point in mentioning the wrapping cloths, however, is that Mary treated Jesus the way any mother would treat a normal newborn. Physically, He looked like any other child, and His parents treated Him as such. God did not provide Him with royal robes or other fancy clothing, but simply directed Mary and Joseph to welcome Him as they would any other beloved child. (The absence of swaddling cloths was a sign of poverty or lack of parental care [Ezekiel 16:4].)