Swaddling - Elk Grove, CA

I had the same problem with my son! He dearly loved being swaddled and lucky for me he was small so I was able to do it, but there came a point around 5 or 6 months when he started to get too big to swaddle and like you mentioned too strong to stay swaddled. It was a nightmare because he could not sleep without being swaddled. His hands would immediately go to his face and he'd wake up screaming. Right about that time my mom gave me a sleep sack and what I ended up doing was I swaddled him, then put him inside the sleep sack so when he got out of the swaddle he was still inside the more loosely fitting sleep sack. He still woke up but not as frequently as before I used the sleep sack. At this time I also made him take naps using just the sleep sack on him with his arms out. He didn't like it, but he eventually fell asleep and I think that helped him get used to the idea. After about a week, maybe two tops he was sleeping unswaddled. Good luck from a mom who has been there!

I bought a miracle blanket and swaddled my baby til she didn't need it anymore (about 6 months old). She was able to sleep by herself at that point. Try that.

http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Miracle-Blanket-Pink/dp/B00...

My son was the same way, and he took about a week to get used to not being swaddled. The key is not going in to her room and letting her get herself back to sleep. The first two nights will be terrible, but after that, it gets better. I had a friend who suggested putting something in my son's crib that smelled like me that he could switch his security to. I put a small square blanket (6" x 6") in bed with me for a few nights, and then put it in his crib with him and after 2 or three nights, he was sleeping soundly again. Good luck!

The problem is that a 5 month old really is a bit too old to be swaddled. You could try to put her down with a favorite blanket or lie down with her for an hour or so. That way when she wakes up, you can soothe her back to sleep. Eventually she will get accustomed to sleeping without being swaddled. Also try to wrappping her up snugly in a blanket, without the "swaddling" technique. Hope this helps! ~C.

I've been using a miracle blanket with my 4-month old and recently started swaddling from the chest down to wean him off of it. We went through one week with less sleep, but he's able to sleep normally now. Good luck!

My son is 3 mos and around the end of month 2 started to break out of his night time swaddle. I too use the Halo Sleep Sacks, but never tried both them and the swaddle. Anyway, i believe the swaddle kept him snuggly and thus prevented him from waking up frequently (limited the herky jerky movements). He would start off the evening fine with a swaddle (too tired to fight it), but after the early early morning feedings, he would bust out or fight to be swaddled. Visiting family over the holidays forced us to try different sleep tactics. Oddly enough, his car seat ended up being his bed of choice. After returning to SF, I gave up on the swaddle and just laid him in the crib again. However, he would wake up frequently - oftentimes right after lying down when he was clearly zonked out to begin with! So, we opted for the car seat again and for the past week we have just gone with it. I feel odd putting my child to sleep in his car seat, but he clearly likes it as he now sleeps from 8:30/9pm to 4am without a peep! Plus it gives me extra sleep at night. I think it is the snuggly factor. He feels cozy in his car seat. it restricts the sudden arm movements just like the swaddle did. So... you might want to try it. After talking to others, i learn this is fairly common. Good luck!

My son is the same way, he is 3 months old. If I do not swaddle him he will not sleep at night. I also noticed the same thing, that somehow he was able to let himself out of the swaddle. So I decided to purchase a bigger swaddler (I think it's called Kiddopotamus (sp?) from Babies R Us) which allows me to pull it completely to the side to ensure a nice, but not too tight swaddle. This has led to less frequent morning wake ups to flailing arms. =)

Hi A.,

Our daughter did the same thing at about the same age too. So we wrapped in her in a bigger blanket which worked for a little while. It was just time for her to be able to move freely.We had a few wake up times after nut soon she got used to being able to move around and boy does she move around now...She does a full 360 before a night is through. Blessings~

Hi A.,
As a Happiest Baby on the Block educator, I know that sometimes babies need the swaddling for sleep long after 3-4 months. But, when a baby is mature enough to no longer need the swaddling they can be easily weaned as described in the book...first have one arm out of the swaddle...if the baby sleeps well...the swaddling is no longer needed. It's just that many of them are not ready to be weaned at 3-4 months and may need many more months to reach that level of maturation. Your baby may need a bigger blanket or another special swaddling blanket like Swaddle-Me.

Best,
H.

I noticed a lot of people saying that she shouldn't be swaddled this old. That's what I thought too so I asked my doctor and he told us as long as our son was physically developing ok that it was fine for as long as baby could tolerate it. I know all doctors say different things and even on the swaddling blankets it says to stop at a certain age, but I don't want you to feel bad.

As for suggestions on stopping I've heard of people either pinning or sewing the armholes of the sleep sacks closed so the arms stayed down. We used the miracle blanket and started just swaddling one arm down during naps. It seemed to help a bit. I know nothing else is supposed to be in the crib but my son has an Ookie, which is a little blanket doll thing and if we put that for his hands to hold onto so they wouldn't wake him up. It worked wonders but I didn't sleep well, checking on him to make sure it didn't cover his face or that he was able to move it. Good luck and just know they CAN sleep unswaddled, I was convinced my son would be swaddled until he was 5 years old. ;)

Does she like to soothe herself buy sucking on her hands? When my daughter started sucking her thumb I had to change the way I swaddled her. I started swaddling her from the chest down, first with just one arm out then eventually with both. Now I take a square flannel blanket, fold it diagonally and lay it over her at her chest. I then tuck it under her tight from her chest to just above her hips. This way she can suck her hands and move her legs but still have that comforting swaddled feeling.

Most babies can't stand to be swaddled after three or four months - so she is a bit old for it, and certainly behaviorally ready to be grown out of it. Put her in her sleep sack, and if she has yet to start rolling, use a baby positioner to make her feel as if she is still somewhat swaddled.
If she sleeps in a crib, you might want to consider going back to a bassinet if she isn't to large - the smaller space of the bassinet makes them feel more comforted as opposed to being in the center of a huge crib.

I could be wrong, but I thought swaddling was basically recommended for the first three months when they are newborns. How about trying a sleep sack? It's not as tight as swaddling but would still provide that cozy warm feeling.

Hi A.,
My Daughter who is now going to be Three on Saturday was the same. Always wanted to be bundled tight. She went to her Crib at 8 weeks and I continued to swaddle her tight. She always slept through the night as long as she was swaddled. She grew out of it as she began to move around more at night. I simply continued it as long as it was necessary. It didnt last. My advise would be to swaddle her so you both can get some sleep. She will soon grow out of it..

Good Luck

M.

I havent read the responses so forgive me if I repeat. I had the same prob. I stated with a kiddopotomus swaddle )its velcrow)and had one arm out during naps only. Then once she got used to that I had one arm out and night. Then I tried 2 arms out for naps only. Then I used a sleep sack for naps, then she wore it all the time. Once she got used to having 1 arm out, it was a quick transition. She is 8 months and still uses the sleep sack. Its like a waerable blanket. Good luck

Hi A.,
I hate to tell you, but by 5 month baby should not be swaddled.
She needs to learn how to sleep without being restricted. Of course, at first she will be a light sleeper since she is not used to have her arms and legs free to move, but probably within a week she will settle down.

I swaddled my son for every nap and at night. He grew fast and in turn out grew all his blankets. Summer hit and swaddling all of him was not practical plus he also unwrapped himself. I adjusted by laying out the blanket in a rectangle, putting him in the middle at the top so midway down his back was where the blanket hit, so when wrapped up the blanket was about two inched below his arm pits. Then I pulled the left side over and tucked him in tight and then layed over the other side like a burrito. This worked because he wanted his feet covered and the blanket was long enough. I still do this now but not tight(he is 16 months old) and when I put him in his crib I actually unwrap him and gently put the blanket back over him otherwise he rolls over and can't adjust easily if to tight. You will find what works for your baby..good luck.

naturebaby.com is a company in new zealand that makes these incredible organic cotton sleepsacks. i think they call them coccoons. we love them.

as for swaddling at 5 months i'm not sure it's in her best interest in terms of gross motor development. she needs to be able to kick and move and strengthen her body to prepare for tasks like sitting, crawling etc.

have you tried cosleeping? she might snuggle with you and stay asleep that way?

I know this is "terrible" advice - so they say these days, but my daughter did the same thing (waking up when she unswaddled herself.) It was really annoying because she's wake up after about an hour, but didn't need anything (not poopy/wet, not hungry.) So when she was about a month old (desperate for some sleep) we started lying her on her stomach to sleep and nap. I know they suggest that its bad to do this (higher incidence of SIDS,) but both my husband and I were raised sleeping on our stomachs. Ava is 4 month old now and sleeps like a champ. Her longest stretch of sleep has been 14 hours straight - I know we are blessed - but she typically sleeps 8 - 9 hours a night and naps a lot during the day.
I should also mention she sleeps in those Halo Sleepsacks (over her pj's,) on just a fitted sheet - no loose blankets. I also leave the fan on in her room so there's plenty of air flow. They think that SIDS might be caused by a build of carbon dioxide so I keep things away from her face.
If you are comfortable with it - you might want to try it - if you haven't already.
Good Luck

From my experience it's just a matter of time for her to become acquainted of the no-swaddle approach. If I recall, our son stopped tolerating the swaddling d/t the wiggles around 4 months. Even before then, I would swaddle his legs only and leave his arms out b/c he always seemed to wiggle them out anyways. All babies grow out of the swaddle phase at some point and well, despite her only sleeping 20 minutes when not swaddled, she will sleep longer when she becomes used to something new.

Our son has been sleeping in his crib, jammies only since 4 months old. It took some trial and error and for him to develop and become settled in a new position, and well, become more and more of a settled baby in his new world. We are now nearing 12 months and we are extremely fortunate in having a baby who sleeps soundly.

Good luck!

I had the same problems, but at 4 months decided to unswaddle my son. I am only doing this at bedtime now and it did take him some getting use to. I use the sleep sacks as well. Another suggestion would be to put your daughters arms in the sleep sack. (not through the arm holes) This is what my sister in law did to get her daughter use to being unswaddled and it is working for her. It does take time, but I heard, now is a good time to do this. (between 4 and 6 months) I still swaddle my son for nap time, so that is the next challenge for me. Good luck!

When our daughter outgrew swaddling (which they all do) we used a sleep sac. It is like a little sleeping bag with arm holes that zips over pjs. She can roll around all she wants and stay warm. Best part is you no longer need a blanket, so no risk! The brand we use is "Halo", but there are others. The "Halo" one stays nice a fresh after washing. I love it so much I always give it to my friends who are having babies... Good luck!

5 months is too old for swaddling IME/IMO, precisely because they wiggle and move around so much at that age. You might try tucking the blanket good and tight around her when you put her down. Maybe that will give her the security she is looking for. Good luck!