How Long to Swaddle?

Both of my kids were swaddled until around 6-7 months of age. It definitely engages their calming reflex so we did it as long as they needed. See Dr. Harvey Karp's "Happiest Baby On the Block" dvd on Amazon for more info.

When it seemed too warm or when the girls were too big, we swaddled them, but to where their legs were free and the swaddle went between their legs and around their arms. That seemed to work well. If they did get cold, we just draped a blanket over their legs.

Also, I am a twin, and I believe my twin and I shared a crib for quite a while...we wanted to be near each other. Just a thought.

Not sure about the swaddling, but you do need to make sure you prop the babies up somehow in the crib for the reflux. There are a couple of specially designed infant pillows out there for that or I've read suggestions to prop up the mattress and use an infant sleep positioner.

My boys were like baby hoodini's when it came to swaddling - I would wrap them as tight as I could like little buritos and 5 minutes later they were out! So, I asked my pedi and he told me two things. 1. If they are trying to get out - they don't like it and so it is not soothing to them - so stop. 2. He said that swaddling to long can actually stunt their develpoment because they aren't able to use their arms and legs as they normally would. He also said that for some babies it can actually work against the parents because it makes it harder for your babies to self soothe at night which just means longer nights for Mom and Dad. As far as the crib is concerned, start napping them in the crib and gradually put them in all the time. It really doesn't take long. I am going through that now with my sixth month old. I think it took about 4 or five days. Now we are great!

K.,

I am on board with swaddling them as long as you can. I would just keep my house cooler if necessary to make sure that they are comfortable. I swaddled my sweetie until she was about 7 months or so. I also used all the Harvey Karp ideas from Happiest Baby on the Block...GREAT BOOK! Crib training was no big deal. I kept her in her cradle until she was getting too big to fit, then transitioned her to the crib(still swaddled) and we had no problems at all. By the way if you don't have a "Miracle Blanket" and you decide to keep swaddling, I HIGHLY recommend it. It will keep them tucked in nicely, and they are a nice light cotton material ...so you can just swaddle them in their diapers, or a onesie if you want. This blanket is BEYOND amazing...We loved it! Best of luck to you and your sweet new bundles of love!

K.

K.,

Dr Karp the expert on the 5 S's and calming babies says "for at least 3 months and many babies need swaddling up to 8 months to help them stay asleep feeling secure". I have used it to help parents with newborns to 1 year olds. The criteria that I use is if they can get out of the swaddle and sleep with the blanket around them, it is time for a new swaddling tool. If they can arch thier backs and roll while swaddled you either need to stop swaddling or get a blanket that holds the arms securely at the sides.

I have the miracle blanket that I like to use because it is lightwieght material and you can leave the legs out so that it doesn't get hot. It doesn't use velcro or snaps and it keeps constant gentle pressure on the tummy to help with gas and sleep issues. Also it is one size fits all and it cannot, even with a 1-2 year old ever ride up around the face if it is put on properly.

I hope this helps.
K. @ The Nestingplace

We swaddled my little boy with the SwaddleMe wraps, which worked very well for him, until around 3 months old. Around that time, I noticed it was inhibiting his natural desire to roll over on his side, and I feared that the swaddling was not allowing him to develop properly. Also, I have read that you have to be careful not to swaddle too long so you don't mess up their hip development, but that point is debated.

Anyway, we weaned him off of the swaddle by swaddling him with his arms out, so atleast he had the snug feeling around his chest and tummy, and after a couple of weeks we dropped that without any fuss from my son. Now we have transitioned to the Halo Sleep Sacks, they seem to allow him to have some mobility to roll on his sides while also providing a little bit of snuggle.

My daughter decided for herself when it was time to stop swaddling (probably about 6-8 months). When it got really hot down here, I just put her in a diaper, and bought a really light swaddling blanket (Babies R Us has them). When the baby was ready to stop the swaddling, she just started working her way out of the blankets. I'd go in to check and find both arms & legs out of the blanket with her sleeping peacefully. I've always let my daughter tell me when it was time to do things, and tried not to worry what the experts say. As far as the reflux goes, I don't have any experience with that, but I'm sure some of the other moms will. Have fun on your trip.

I have the Miracle Blanket and had heard how great they were so I was expecting "a miracle". ha. My son got right out of it like any other blanket. Worth a try if you decide to keep swaddling b/c the material is nice but if they are getting out of their swaddles now they will probably get out of this. I heard to stop swaddling when they are able to get out of it. My son isn't two months yet and I have stopped swaddling him b/c he just kicks out and keeps sleeping so what's the point. Also I think it helps them get over their startle reflex, he can now wiggle and move and keep sleeping through it instead of waking up at every little twitch. No experience with reflux but maybe this would help: http://onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=424... .

I quit swaddling mine when they outgrew the smaller blankets that we used at first....not intentionally, that's just how it worked out. I always put them to bed swaddled then (even in warm months) even if I knew they would kick out of them. I think as long as they are wearing light sleepers that being swaddled won't make them too hot, especially if it's with a light blanket...and as young as your girls are. THe swaddling, even if they only stay that way for a short time, does help soothe babies to sleep and keeps them from startling themselves awake before they are sleeping hard. Good luck!

you should swaddle them until THEY decide not to...

Try to find a swing to borrow for the week you're gone OR buy a wedge so they can be swaddled and at an angle too.

In the summer time, you can swaddle them in just a diaper and a super thin blanket or a super thin SwaddleMe. The SwaddleMe won't be as hot as a blanket...

Hi K.,

I did not have a baby with reflux, but it my understanding most parents that have babies with reflux have them positioned slightly up-right to minimize the reflux. One idea that might allow your babies to sleep in their crib (or get use to it...especially since the swing only last 4 mo. in my house until my son out grew it) is to place a pillow or phone book under one end of the mattress. This allows one end of the mattress to be elevated (place head on that side). It worked really well when my son was sick with a cold because it allowed mucus to drain instead of sit in his nose/throat. Just an idea ~ no science behind it. Regarding swaddling, I swaddled my son with a square waffle blanket (partly because he out grew the true swaddling blankets very fast). The blanket allowed him to be wrapped nice and secure to help him fall asleep, but throughout the night he would move/wiggle and work his way out of the swaddle without waking up. Based on my conversations with other mothers that swaddled using a swaddling blanket for 4+ months, my son had a very easy transition from being swaddled to not being swaddled. Where as their children could not get to sleep without the feeling of being swaddled, so it resulted in some sleepless nights until their children got use to not being swaddled (lasted a few days). My recommendation would be to let your babies transition slowly to not being swaddled (directed by their actions [4+ months]) ~ (1) swaddle blanket, (2) waffle blanket (material a baby can breathe through), (3) waffle blanklet just over your baby indicating it is time for sleep. In the second phase if you find that your babies love to sleep with their arms above their head, then swaddle them with their arms out and body wrapped or if they love to kick their legs out, then swaddle them with their legs out and arms wrapped. To this day my son sleeps with his hands next to his head and has done that from day one, so when it came to swaddling it got to the point I stopped fighting him and allowed his arms to work out of the swaddle and we all slept better. Good luck with your two little ones!

Hi K.---
I have a baby that will be 4 mo on the 15th and we still swaddle him. He also has reflux, and is on Zantac. I don't know if it helps soothe him, or if it just a habit. But he will not sleep unless he is swaddled. Also, my baby (against everything you read), sleeps on his stomach. If I lay him on his back he wakes up screaming. I don't know if you are willing to try it, but I have been doing it since he was 6 wks or so. I hope you get some good ideas before you go out of town.

E.

My 4-month old gets her arms out of her swaddle, so we swaddle her with her arms out. She sleeps longer at night when we do this. I keep it cooler in my house at night so she won't get too hot, and the rest of us sleep under blankets even though it's summer! I don't know if this is an option for you, but we have a Fisher Price travel swing that easily folds up. We just took it out of town with us last weekend. I'm not sure what it's called, but we got it at Target.

Hi K.,

My daughter had reflux as well. She had to sleep on a special wedge to help with the reflux, along with adding thickener to her milk. As for the swaddling, she outgrew being swaddled around 4 months old. That was the point where she finally was able to kick herself loose of the swaddle, so we discontinued swaddling at that point and it never seemed to make a difference for her anymore.

As one of the other mothers suggested, make sure yall prop up the babies somehow. Either with books on one end of the crib or with a special pillow. But they'll need to be angled somehow to avoid aspirating any fluids and choking while they sleep.

Good luck and have a great trip!

-Char

I am sorry to say this but I agree with your husband. Swaddling helped me through many, many night of sleeping issues. We swaddled our daughter until she was 6-7 months old. She is gets hot very easily but we never had an issue swaddling her. I would just dress the babies in lighter clothes if heat becomes an issue. Good luck in your travels.