Swaddling Problems

Updated on March 09, 2007
M.K. asks from Frisco, TX
26 answers

Our 3 1/2 month daughter loves to be swaddled and sleeps all night as long as she is swaddled. But now she has become too big for us to swaddle in a receiving blanket. She will get undone during the night which then leads to her waking up. Any suggestions????
Is it time to just let her sleep without being swaddled?

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E.W.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter was the exact same way, we had to swaddle her until she was 6 months old!! We bought 20x20 blankets at www.BeyondBabyBasics.com they were great and they send you instructions on the best way to swaddle. We swaddled one way (the way we learned at the hospital) until she was about 3 months old, then we got the blankets and their way held better. At night we would swaddle her and then get the swaddle me velcro blankets and velcro her in the swaddle. (We could only use the velcro on the top she was to long to do the bottom, so she would only had the blanket on her feet). It was a miracle the first time we did it she slepe through the night, and has ever since. I don't know how good of a job I did explaining so feel free to email me with questions.. ____@____.com

1 mom found this helpful
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D.H.

answers from Dallas on

We love the Miracle Blanket too! It is the gift I now give to all of my friends who have babies. It truely is a miracle. The bad thing is that they will eventually outgrow this too. But, if you can get a few good nights sleep with using it, then it is worth it! Just the break that the blanket gave to me and my husband made us feel energized again, and ready to face another day!

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A.O.

answers from Dallas on

my first suggestion is use a larger blank, but if she will sleep without being swaddled i would say let her. I have raised 4 children and two grandchildren (i'm not really that old) but not all of them like to be swaddled but not all of them didn't.

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B.

answers from Dallas on

The Amazing Miracle Blanket is your best bet. You can order it online. Good LucK!

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L.B.

answers from Dallas on

My son is 4 months and sleeps through the night (8-10 hours) when he is swaddled. I use "Swaddle Me" from Babies R Us. My son is in the 90% in height and weight for his age, so sometimes the swaddle me comes undone because he is so big and strong. My husband suggested wrapping him up with the velcro side on his back so he can't undo it. It works great!! He never come out of it! They're Great! The best invention ever!!! Try them, they're made by Luxe Velboa and they're about 15.99 each. Good Luck!

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E.T.

answers from Dallas on

SwaddleMes work GREAT!

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L.

answers from Dallas on

i also highly recommend the miracle blanket - we swaddled baby girl until 6 months and it was AWESOME. none of the other swaddling blankets worked as well. there are a bunch on ebay and i also saw them at Babes in Boyland in Coppell on MacArthur and Beltline.

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D.

answers from Dallas on

Hi M.,

I also have to recommend the Miracle Blanket. I just bought one for a friend at the Nesting Place in Grapevine.
I used it with my son and it was a Godsend! I have just about every gadget and blanket that was out there and the Miracle Blanket is the best! It is so easy to use, especially in the middle of the night. Buy two if you can!
By the way, have you read "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Karp? He is an advocate of swaddling and his book is filled with useful info.

Best of Luck,
D.

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T.F.

answers from Dallas on

try buying a swaddling blanket (baby departments at Wal-Mart, Target & Babies R Us have them) with velcro attachments. They are not expensive and we just loved them. You can get them in any type of blanket from very warm to simply cotton.

If you can't find them or if that doesn't work, try bigger blankets and safety pin them together.

Child development books that I have read recently say that by age 4 mos, most children outgrow the need of swaddling, so there is just the wait-it-out method also if you don't want to buy any more gear. The books say this is due to the first 3-4 mos of life being the 4th trimest and a period of adjustment to life on earth. Swaddling, swinging, swooshing, etc are comfort measures to remind the baby of the womb and by 4 mos or so, they outgrow the need and are more used to life on earth and outside the womb.

Hope this helps!

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C.A.

answers from Dallas on

Hi M.,

My 5 month old still likes to be swaddled as well. I never thought it would go on this long :).

We used a Miracle Blanket (and it was awesome) up until he was 3 months old, and while it most likely would have worked for him longer, I wanted him to be able to work his way out of it throughout the night to hopefully wean himself from swaddling. Because, he's like your daughter, he comes undone and wakes up. And, he's a good sleeper, so I hate to mess with what's working.

I used those big, soft blankets for swaddling, because you're right, receiving blankets aren't near big enough. They keep him swaddled long enough to get into a deep sleep and when we go to get him in the morning, he is usually undone and okay about it. It was a little tough at first, but he's pretty okay with it now and doesn't automatically wake up when he comes unswaddled.

Good luck! C.

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C.R.

answers from Dallas on

We used the Miracle Blanket (see www.miracleblanket.com) for our daughter from when she was a newborn until 7 months. I'm sure she was swaddled for longer than most babies, but she really needed it. We loved the Miracle Blanket because it made swaddling easier and was more fool-proof than a receiving blanket.

Hope this helps...good luck! When will your son be 3? I have a 2.5-year-old daughter who will be 3 in June. She is so much fun! :-)

C.

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M.G.

answers from Dallas on

I've heard several success weaning stories that happened for this very reason. They say to swaddle and each night swaddle a little lower so the top of the blanket is moving it's way from the head down to the neck, next night maybe at shoulders, just a gradual move down each night until the swaddle is off, and they say it works. I haven't tried this. Ours got out of the swaddle after about a month, so we gave up. Good luck!

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S.B.

answers from Dallas on

Have you thought about the sleeping bags? (I forget the actual name - they are those zip-up things that seem to be like sleeping bags that your baby can just snuggle in) - when our son got too big for swaddling, we put him in one of those and it helped with the cozy factor & was a good transition out of being bundled up tight to sleep. Good luck!

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A.L.

answers from Dallas on

There are swaddling blankets that you can by that have velcro on them to keep them in place, though I am not sure what they are called. There are also sleep sacks that are blankets that babies wear. They have cut outs for their arms and they zip up. I have one that we used for my son and loved it because his little body could wiggle the blanket away.

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T.

answers from Dallas on

Hi M.!
My son was had to be swaddled until he was 7 months old and he has been always a big baby.

I bought the "Miracle Blanket" and it was really a miracle and very easy to use. Since we started using it he would sleep longer and better.

It is expensive ($30dlls I Think!) but worth the price. Do a google search because I think that thry only sell it online.

Good Luck!

T.

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M.F.

answers from Dallas on

We simply left ours unswaddled at this point. However, both of ours slept on their tummies (which is against the "rules") and I think that provides the same kind of comfort as swaddling.
You might try the Miracle Blanket.

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K.W.

answers from Dallas on

M.,

I hear this a lot, I do have the swaddle by design blanket which is 42x42, but active kids can scoot down and get the blanket up around the face. I also carry the Miracle Blanket which is the most wonderful blanket for kids and parents on the market. Because of the patented design around the arms and tucked under the back it won't slide up around them and you can leave the feet out for swing straps and diaper changes. One size fits all from premie to 1 year old for some kids.
Please feel free to call me at ###-###-#### for more information.

K.@ The Nesting Place
www.thenestingplace.biz

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K.K.

answers from Dallas on

Hi M.,
here are a couple of suggestions...my children were swaddled til five months old...so we had the same issue. You can try to find a soft,stretchy blanket to use as the second blanket (if you are using two blankets)...it should stretch so that you can tuck it all the way around her. They are thinner but still very warm and great for swaddling...I actually have a couple left that I don't need so if you want them...I will give them to you.

Second suggestion....don't swaddle her legs/feet. Instead of having the blanket go down to her feet and back up, have the blanket go between her legs. Then once she is completely swaddled with her lets hanging out, put another blanket over her lower body and legs.

Good luck, let me know if you want the blankets I have...they are pink I believe.
K.

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M.M.

answers from Dallas on

Nordstrom sells these very large swaddling blankets - I can't remember the brand - but if you go and ask they will tell you. I think they are about $20 and have won a bunch of those "Best" awards.

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C.P.

answers from Dallas on

We used the generic miracle blankets found at Babies r us. They come in small and large. Also around 3 or 4 months we had to wean my son off of swaddling, as he loved it so! We then went to sleep sacks and that worked well for us.

Good luck!

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R.N.

answers from Dallas on

I had your exact problem, except my son swaddled until 7 months! Your options as I found them are:
1. Have a larger receiving blanket made (I did this and it cost about 30 for one).
2. Get the large size kiddapotamus swaddler from babies r us for 9.99
3. There's a 40 x 40 one from Nordstrom that works-think it's called 1-2-3 swaddle from swaddle designs

I would recommend NOT getting the amazing miracle balnket for a child that size. I got one and sold it. It is WAY to hard to get wrapped around so many times w/o waking the child. Good luck.

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S.E.

answers from Dallas on

www.beyondbabybasics.com has an ultra-sized swaddling blanket 48" x 48". The normal size is 42" x 42". We used it to swaddle our son after he became too big for the typical receiving blanket. They have some pretty girl prints.

He transitioned out of swaddling himself. We would do a one arm swaddle then later we swaddled with both arms out.

My husband is owner of the company :)

If you have any questions, please email me, would love to help...

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M.R.

answers from Dallas on

Try the Miracle Blanket.. www.miracleblanket.com

It is awesome!

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S.J.

answers from Dallas on

I had the same issue and found the swaddling blankets at Nordstrom, they are polka dotted and have a tag on them describing how to swaddle. They are the perfect size and come in blue or green, I think. I think one of the books I read said swaddling up to 6 months is fine. Good luck to you!

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H.L.

answers from Dallas on

I swaddled my youngest until he was almost 5 months old! If you want to continue swaddling, you could always make your own receiving blanket....go to the fabric dept in walmart or someplace like Joann and get a yard or two of baby flannel. Then cut it to the size you need. If you or a friend of yours sews, you could hem the edges so that they don't ravel.

K.M.

answers from Dallas on

M.,

I have three words for you(well maybe 6) MIRACLE BLANKET, MIRACLE BLANKET, MIRACLE BLANKET!!!! I swaddled my baby until she was almost 7 months old....this blanket is beyond amazing, and worth every penny and then some. It is virtually impossible for them to get undone. Our little angel just was not happy unless she was swaddled. You can get one at www.miracleblanket.com or I think the baby place(can't remember the name) in Grapevine carries them in their store...I have not found anyone else that stocks them. I ordered mine online and had it express shipped(lol)
Best of luck to you.....I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BLANKET!!!

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