Is My Baby Too Old to Be Swaddled?

When I asked my daughter's pediatrician about weaning from swaddling, he told me to start by having her sleep with one arm out of the swaddle. Also, have you tried a sleepsack? They're cozy, yet not a full swaddle. Maybe one of these things would work for you. Good luck!

Hi,
I swaddled my daughter when she still was six months old. She grew out of gradually. I actually would just wrapped her arms up like I was swaddling her and gradually it fall away and she gradually stop liking to be swaddled. So, your daughter will probably stop on her own time. I have learned this through out my daughter growing up, that she will do it in her own time not mine.

Dear D.,

I am a 41 year old mother of 4 kids 9 and under. My youngest is my only son and he is a very normal 4 year old. I swaddled him til he was about two!!!! I suppose he'd have slept fine without it but he did love having his favorite blanket wrapped right up against his cheeks...and I loved his little face all warm and smiling!!! I can't remeber how it ended, he probably just got to wiggly for it!

If there is one piece of advice I have it's this - "If it works why fix it?"

Relax - I wouldn't worry about having to wean from swaddling next year. Your baby needs this right now, it is comforting to her and routine for her. Baby's change all the time and may not even want to be swaddled come next year. I would face that if and when it happens. My daughter, who is now 6, had a pacifier. I had the same concerns - will she have this until she's 5? will I ever be able to break her from this? She was 2.5 years when one night, laying down for our nighttime routine of story and songs, she took her binky and literally threw it behind her bed. She told me "No binky!". Right now I would just enjoy that your daughter sleeps well when swaddled and trust that she will let you know when she is ready to move on! Good luck!

I dont feel there is any age limit to swaddling. Even an adult likes to be wrapped up in a warm blanket watch a movie now and then. My daughter is 19mo old, when I lay her down in her crib, I lay the blanket down first, then I lay her on top of it and wrap her in it. I have just always done this and see no need to change it. She isnt swaddled like an infant, her arms are kept out, but I think they way I do it comforts her. I'm sure when she gets to a bed things will be different. Your baby is very young, I'd keep swaddling her to keep her warm and happy!!! Best of Luck.

I don't feel she's to old, but since you would prefer to not swaddle her much longer, maybe as she goes for a nap or bedtime try to loosen the blanket a little more each time until she doesn't feel the need to be swaddled and then maybe she'll just find comfort in having the blanket nearby. Babies at this age tend to roll around the crib during the night time anyway and don't normally stay swaddled all night long. Hope that helps.

Enjoy swaddling her!! :) I have a 2 1/2 y.o. boy who is getting so big and independant! Just enjoy having a little baby while she's still a little baby. :) My other thought was this; maybe she's too cold once you put her down for bed without swaddling?

My daughter was swaddled for about 6 months too. I started breaking her of that by not swaddling her during her naps, but I still swaddled her at bedtime since she was used to it and it was comforting. So after a few days or week or so of her sleeping through naps without being swaddled, I started not swaddling her at night, and eventually she adjusted to not being swaddled at all. Good luck!

Hi D.,
Swaddling is great and my son who is 3 months old loves it as well. I say go with your assumption (mother's instinct!) that she won't want it anymore eventually. I feel that there is no harm in still swaddling a 6 month old. She still needs that extra TLC to help soothe and calm herself, so I see no problem with swaddling if she loves it and sleeps better. I'm sure that is something she will grow out of, and if not, it's not the worst habit to have in my opinion!
Best,
M. Ferioli, Lenox MA

I think your baby will let you know when she doesn't like being swaddled anymore. I would just keep on doing what makes her happy. : )

Hi D.,

I think at this point I would stop the swaddling cold turkey as you don't want her to have a false sense of security. She needs to learn to self sooth. There is a product I used on both of my children that I thought was fantastic, it is multifunction. They sell them at babies r us, they are literal blanket sleepers, not like the pj's. It solves the swaddling and loose infant blanket sleeping issue. As infants shouldn't have loose blankets in there crib. She should feel warm and cozy similar to swaddling. Worked for me, hope it helps you as well.

Hello, I had almost the SAME EXACT question yesterday, my daughter is 6 1/2 months old, and we still tuck her in tightly with her blanket- if we don't, she rolls on her belly and just screams until we adjust her, then rolls over again and screams. I asked my pediatrician friend who has a son the same age, and she said he has the same issue, so she is still swaddling him. She said they will try going another month or so before trying to go without. But basically, her advice was to go with what works. Eventually, they will get too wiggly to stay in it anymore, and will decide when to quit. Hope that helps!

If your baby likes to be swaddled, then let her! She will un-swaddle herself at 6 months if she wanted to...They are independant enough at that age.She feels safe and secure and thats fine! you are doing a good job keeping her that way! Good job mom!

Don't worry - she will outgrow it once she starts moving around more on her own, crawling etc. If being swaddled comforts her, I'd go ahead and do it. Maybe gradually loosening the swaddle will help if you are concerned. Having you and your daughter get a good nights sleep is much more important. Sounds like you have a cuddler who just likes to be very cozy. Best of luck, J.
P.S. I'm a mother of 2 and grandmother of 3.

I know you've already gotten a ton of responses, but I wanted to add to the reassurance! This also concerned me when my daughter was 8 months... and she's 17 months now and I'm still swaddling her. And you know what, she loves it, and it helps her sleep, and in the grand scale of things, that it helps her sleep (and consequently, me too!) makes it worth it. She is not suffering from it in any way and often unswaddles herself in the course of the night. We have had to invest in some bigger blankets (I've actually just bought remnant fabric and serged the edges) so that she CAN be swaddled... I'm trusting that she'll eventually grow out of it.

yup. swaddle her till she doesn't want it. thats what I'd do. She may be one of those people who likes to roll up in her blankets :)it gives her a greater sense of security .

Hi D.... Our 14MO was the same way - she would only sleep well if she was tightly swaddled. I can't remember when we stopped - it wasn't intentional, I think she just became too squirmy for it. I wouldn't worry too much about it - I guarantee you won't be swaddling a two year old!

I feel like there has been an article or tv segment floating around that has brought this into question: no less than 5 people have asked this question in my circle of mamas lately.

At any rate: I had a child who was swaddled until she was 8 months old. In some cultures, kids are swaddled for a year (and longer). This child is now approaching her third birthday and does not need to be swaddled. Believe me, when they tire of it, they will let you know! ;-)

Hi D.-
I swaddled my son for what seemed longer than usual too... about 4 1/2 months or so. A trick that worked for me was leaving one arm out when I swaddled my son. Do that for a few days to a week, then leave both arms out, then just swaddle from the chest down, then waist down... Hope this helps! :) (Some people say that it helps to have a 'transitional object' too... like a blanket or something to help ease the change).

I swaddled my son til he was over 7 months old. The only reason I stopped is because he decided he didn't want to be swaddled any more. Once he was able to break out of the swaddling and seemed comfortable, that is when I stopped. I would have continued to swaddle him for as long as he needed it as he would not sleep any other way!! I would not worry about your daughter. She will let you know when she is ready to be out of the swaddling.

D. we swaddled our son until he was about 5 months old and I have heard/read about babies being swaddled until 8-9 months. I would follow her cues. What we did as my son seemed to want to move more in the swaddle was first keep one arm out....then eventually both arms w/ just his lower half swaddled. Eventually he reached a point when he was kicking out of this and we transitioned to a sleep sak. I hope that this is helpful. It ended up being a smooth transition doing it one limb at a time :-)

Never mind, I can see all of the responses now, thank you.

Hello- I dont have any answers but I am in the same situation with my 5 month old son. If he isnt swaddled he wakes up the second I put him down. Im not sure how to view the advice that you get, can you let me know if you get any good tips please?

Thank you -
D.

My son loved to be swaddled and I kept him swaddled until he was about 9 months old. She'll let you know when she's ready to stop being swaddled, don't worry! :)

I think 6 months is still a little baby to me. If she wants to be swaddled and feels more comfy that way, then continue. She is still young and babies and young toddlers go thru so many diffrent stages that she will probably outgrow it on her own.

I swaddled my son til he was too big for the swaddle blanket and was busting loose. He was always a terrible sleeper and that was my only relief. Do what works for you and keeps you sane! (I think my son was 9 months old before I stopped swaddling)

I would think it would be fine. At some point she will probably just like to have her covers tucked very tightly around her. Enjoy your beautiful girl. ESC

Oh, I still swaddle sometimes and my daughter is 20 months old. It is so comforting to them. She'll let you know when she doesn't want it anymore.

My son is really big for his age..He is 7 mos. and 23 pounds almost 30 inches long...We had to stop swaddling him after about 4.5 mos...We were terrified because he was the best sleeper when swaddled... It was a transition in the beginning but then he got used to it and he is fine now. Believe me it was difficult for me because he started flipping over and sleeping on his tummy but, the doctor told me that was fine because if he flipped over he could flip back...She may just go through a short transition before she enjoys sleeping without the swaddle....Good luck and be patient. My son seems so comfortable now without a swaddle and he sleeps 12 hours at night w/2 or 3 naps a day.....All the best..