Swaddling Advise

You'll know when it's right for your baby! My sons were both wigglers and stretchers - so swaddling just didn't last long for them - my oldest stayed swaddled for about 2 months, and my youngest only for a week. We transitioned him into the blanket sleep sacks, and that worked much better for him - and he stayed in those until I couldn't find any that fit anymore. He's 6 months now, but the length of a 12 month old...LOL.

Once my daughter started to roll over I started transitioning her from being swaddled, between 3-4 months. For a while I just wrapped her from the waist down to get her used to it. She did fine with that. By 4 months she wanted to sleep on her tummy anyway.

My first son only liked being swaddled for a couple months, but my second I swaddled until he could roll himself over. He couldn't sleep any other way. My advice would be to swaddle as long as she tolerates/likes it. I got some of those swaddle-me blankets from a friend and they worked pretty well. Good luck!

My 1st DD was swaddled till she was almost 6 months even though she was sleeping on her belly. We weren't sure we'd ever be able to stop swaddling. My 2nd DD we stopped about 8 weeks when she started sleeping on her belly. I would say you can stop whenever you feel comfortable with her sleeping on her tummy. I started by not swaddling at nap time and then after a week of just naps we stopped at night too.

My son was a wiggler, but loved to be swaddled, he would wake up when he wrestled himself free. So we started using the Kidpottamus "Swaddle Me" blankets! They work great and they have 2 sizes to accomodate larger babies. My son was 6 months old before we stopped swaddling and he was a great sleeper. I highly recommend these blankets and you can get them at Toys R Us for about $10. You'll need them once she starts moving around...

Every child is different. My daughter didn't like swaddling for very long, but my son liked to be swaddled for almost a year, he would break free but still like to be wrapped up for bed. It doesn't hurt them to be swaddled, so do it as long as they want it, it is just a security thing, don't take it away, lest they start clinging to something else to be comforted.

We swaddled our son until he was 6 months old! I thought he was going to be heading to Kindergarten with his swaddle blanket! =)

Just make sure to quit cold turkey once she starts rolling over.

I agree with Jennifer R. If it works why stop?

I took care of a little one that I ended up swaddling she was at the time 6 months old or so....She actually slept in my crib longer than at home(mommy and daddy didn't swaddle her just took her to bed with them) She almost had to be forced to be still to be calm enough to sleep...don't know how she's doing now as she's homw with daddy, but it did do the trick for me , so however long you need to it's okay..

Love swaddling! I swaddled both of my boys up until around 9 months. They loved it, and slept great.

I agree with all the other moms. I kept my daughter swaddled with her arms in until she started to roll over, around 5 months. Then I would swaddle her with just her arms out. It seemed like she knew that swaddle meant it was time for bed. She just slowly transitioned out of it and now I use a sleep sack for bedtime (except in the extremely warm weather) and she is a teriffic sleeper. Good luck.

I stopped swaddling my son when he was about four months old and was very clearly uncomfortable. He had started waking himself up trying to get comfortable.
So, whenever swaddling stops working for her is when you should stop.

2 out of 3 of my girls both needed and loved being swaddled. My middle daughter was about 9 months when we stopped and my youngest was over a year! It was the only way my youngest would go to sleep!
If it works and is not harmful...why stop.
Blessings, K.

I honestly don't remember when I stoped swaddling my daughter. If I were you I'd keep swaddling your daughter. She's only 11 weeks, that's still young. I think when I stopped swaddling my daughter I did it gradually. First by keeping her arms out and then making the blanket looser and then kind of just wrapping it around her lower body and then tucking the sides under her. You could also try sleep sacks if you haven't already. Good Luck. Hope this helps a little bit.

I feel when they kick free of the blankets, then you can move on to the next thing... I forgot the name, but it zips them in like a little bag and the arms are free. So I always had my son in a long-sleeved sleeper for bedtime. He was very warm in this as it was made from fleece. They are able to move around enough and flip over if they want. Hopefully, someone will remember the name, as my son is five - so it's been some time!
But I swaddled until he kicked out of the swaddling, so he stayed warm.

Hi M.
My kids were both between 4 and 5 months old before they didn't want to be swaddled. I would keep swaddling her until she doesn't want to. It's great she's sleeping so long at night. I wouldn't mess with it:)
Chris

I don't remember my daughter's exact age when we stopped swaddling, but I just know that we kept swaddling her until she was strong enough to wriggle her way out of it! If she sleeps better swaddled, then keep it up!

you will not have to swaddle forever. as her nervous system develops she will not need it.. right now her arms and legs flail around she scares herself.. soon she will be able to control those arms and use them.

soon she will be able to find her thumb and suck on it..

I probably swaddled my duaghter for 4months..

my son never needed it he was always content.. and he was a summer baby so we didnt worry about him getting cold.

I agree with everyone else. Keep swaddling her until she starts fighting the swaddle and struggles to get her arms out. Even then, you may still need to swaddle her lower body and let her arms remain free. You'll experiment and figure out what works best for you and her.
Another poster mentioned the next step in "blankets", but couldn't think of the name -- it's a sleep sack and now you can get them in fleece or knit. It's a wonderful invention and comes in sizes from infant to toddler.