Swaddling - Giving It Up

We are struggling with the same thing and waited until 4 months and it did not help. We use a sleep sack, but she still wakes up 2-3 times again. I hope you get some good suggestions!

Hi C.,

My son loved being swaddled as well and would sleep so well when he was. I started to worry around 3 months that he was becoming dependent on it, but I liked him sleeping longer, so I just stuck with it. Around 4 or 5 months I would swaddle him with one arm left out of the swaddle to see how he did. I think it wasn't until he was 5 or 6 months old that he stopped needing to be swaddled. I think they have that startle reflex that wakes them up at night. I wouldn't worry about it (although I know I did!) and just try in a month or so leaving an arm out. I also ended up having my son sleep in a sleepsack to keep him feeling like he was still sort of cuddled up in a blanket.

Good luck!

K.

Let a sleeping baby lay!!!!! It sounds like you have a good routine! I would not mess it up. He will let you know when he does not want it, it is not a bad habit!

H. mother to 3 and birth doula

There is nothing wrong with swaddling. It gives him the comfort of being back in the womb. Just like in the womb, he will come out of it when he is ready. You will find body parts sticking out little by little. Enjoy this time, do not try to rush him. It will go by fast enough and you will look back trying to figure out where did the time go?

God Bless,

I say leave it alone and try again in a few weeks. My son had colic, and I swaddled him until he was 4 1/2 mos old. It was the only way any of us got any sleep. My son was starting to try and roll over, so we just moved his arms out of the swaddle. Within a couple of weeks, he was completely done with it. We got one of those sleep sacks after that and he slept in one until he was about 1 year old. Good luck!

I would say just give up for now, enjoy having a little one that likes to be swaddled, I have a 3 month old daughter who enjoys being swaddled and I love it! Before you know it he will be out of this stage and you'll give anything to swaddle him up and cuddle him!
Here is a great blanket that makes it a smidge easier
http://www.target.com/SwaddleMe-Infant-Fleece-Wrap-Ivory/...

Hello! I also swaddled my son every night...he couldn't sleep otherwise. Eventually he began to kick out of his swaddle durnig the night. I took that as a cue that he no longer needed the tight feeling of the blanket to help him sleep. If your baby kicks out during the night but still needs it to go to sleep maybe you can try loosening the swaddle. Get him used to a less constricted way of sleeping and then maybe you will be able to get rid of it all together. Either way, give it some time...your son will let you know when he is ready. Mine was 4 months old I believe. Good Luck! And congrats on getting him to sleep in his own room...that's a triumph in itself!

~K.

Don't give it up. If you think he is too hot...put him to sleep in a diaper only and swaddle. Babies R Us sells swaddling blankets that make it really easy to do. Why give up a good thing if it helps him sleep through the night.

K.

Hi C.,
My suggestion is to just keep swaddling - he will grow out of it without any help from you! Eventually you will see little arms and legs popping out of the swaddle because he won't like it anymore and the swaddle will not stay in place and then you'll know! Don't worry about it - it will just happen on its own.
Cyndi

Keep swaddling him, when you see him struggle to get out, that is a cue that he is outgrowing it, but I always did it until they came out at night and were not upset by it, meaning you go in their room to check on them and they are out of it but still sleeping, or they sleep the regular amount but when you go to get them, you see they have wiggled out.

My oldest was swaddled til 4 months, my second, 3 months, it does take a few nights to adjust to not being swaddled for them, so they may wake up more, even though they don't want it anymore, hang in there, they will go back to sleeping well.

Hi C.,

Congratulations on becoming a new mommy- it's the most wonderful thing you will ever do! My advice is to keep swaddling him. My son loved to be swaddled and he too would wake up if he wasn't wrapped up. I think he just didn't know how to control his arms and hands so they were always waking him up. We swaddled him until he was 5 months old. Even then we kind of weened him from it...we still swaddled his belly, but left his arms out for a couple weeks before finally taking it away completely. Our pediatrician said we could swaddle him for as long as he wanted it, but we felt it was time to give it up after about 5 months.

Good luck!
-K.

C.,

Don't worry about giving up the swaddling thing. It's certainly not harmful, and once your baby has outgrown it, you'll know! My baby girl loved to be swaddled, too. We gave it up once she no longer seemed comforted by it, but rather seemed irritated by it. She got strong enough to wiggle her little arms out (even of the velcro swaddling blankets!). That's when we quit. I think it was around 4 months. If swaddling is helping your baby sleep through the night in his own crib, then keep doing it! He'll let you know when he's through with it! Good luck!

Swaddling is something that creates a lot of security for a newborn which it what your baby still is. He still remembers the womb and how noisy, bright, and tight it was. He is probably waking up becuase it is quiet and dark and he does not have the nervous system capability to soothe himself yet.
Let him have the security for a while it is not going to hurt him.
K.

Hi C.! It looks like you have gotten some great advice on what to do for your baby. As an Early Childhood Education student I have learned that swaddling a baby over the age of 8 weeks is not considered developmentally appropriate. Basically the argument against it is that the child will not be able to develop the motor skills it needs to and also the child is not learning to self soothe. I am not telling you that you are doing anything wrong I just thought I would pass this information on. Easing your baby out of swaddling gradually would probably be the best option with the least amount of stress on him and you! Good luck!

I would leave it alone. This is security for your little one. In a few months he will be throwing the blankets off of him and he will not want them, especially when he starts to roll over. Eventually he will outgrow it.

I actually had this same problem with my youngest daughter (1 of 3). She's 21 months old now but she's very stubborn and persistant. It was the same when I tried to get her to sleep through the night without waking up to want to eat. I would get so frustrated, and tired!! I asked the doctor and she said to let her cry it out, she will go back to sleep. Part of me knew that already but part of me, my motherly bond part, didn't want to hear her cry. She would go right back to sleep after downing a bottle. At about 4 months old I finally said okay fine, I would put her in her crib, and when she got up and started to cry I would soothe her for a minute by picking her up, kissing her on her head, give her a hug, and lay her back down, cover her up and rub her head for a few seconds and then put her back to sleep without swaddling her. She would cry and cry and so to help myself I would turn down the monitor to where I couldn't hear her but could still see the dots go up and down as she cried. Every 20 minutes I'd seem to wake back up and look at the monitor. It took about 30 minutes for a few days for that routine to work but after a week she hardly ever woke up. If she did, she would just wimper and then go back to sleep. It was SO hard for me during that week but I knew it had to be done.

Honestly my son didnt fully give up swaddling until he was about 8 months old. wrapping that blanket around him snugly is the only way he was comfortable enough to fall asleep... he would wriggle out from the blanket in his sleep but the key... he would SLEEP lol so my theory... if it aint broke dont fix it! lol

Hi,
Continue to swaddle him untill he's ready not to be. He will let you know whan he is ready be squirming after he is swaddled. And if it helps him sleep, thats great cuz we all need that!

Hi C.~
That's so great that your 3 month old is sleeping well and in his crib. It's probably too early to stop swaddling. Maybe do one thing at a time. He still needs the security of being tightened in a warm blanket, especially when your not holding him and keeping him snuggled and warm :) We stopped swaddling around 5 months but some infants may need a little longer. Good luck!
P.

You could try sleep sacks (Babies R Us). They not as restrictive, but the baby is still wrapped in a blanket.

It sounds like you just started having him sleep in his crib and in his own room. This maybe enough change for right now. You can try swaddling him, but leaving his arms out to help get him used to it. Gradually, loosen the swaddle over time until you are done altogether. Do you use the same blanket every night? It maybe comforting to him because he is used to the smell. We swaddled our second until he was over 4mos. Do you swaddle him for naps too? You may want to start with those. Every child is different. It could be something as simple as the weight of the blanket comforts him. When we stopped swaddling I would still cover him with a very small light weight blanket....he really just wanted that extra comfort. Take you time and do what it best for you. If I remember correctly eskimos swaddle until their babies are almost 2. No need to rush yourself.

I swaddled my child until she started wriggling herself out of it. She loved to be swaddled. I think they just grow out of it.

Keep on swaddling. It is not going to hurt him, and he likes it. To ween, him I would get one of those sleep sacks that has optional arm swaddling. that is what we did, and it worked, but if he likes being swaddled just swaddle on!

I say there's nothing wrong with continuing to swaddle. My kids kicked out of it immediately and wanted to stretch out. Every child is different and has different comforts. Do what makes your child happy and secure. There's no reason to rush him out of it...and let's face it, the sleep is good for both of you.

God bless.

Keep swaddling him! What is the rush? He's only 3 months old, still an itty bitty, teeny tiny baby? I promise you that he'll grow up fast enough and someday won't want to be swaddled.

I have a friend whose son slept best swaddled until he was a year old. Sometime around a year he gave it up because he was really ready to sleep without.

Why fix what isn't broken. If you feel ambivalent about swaddling, please read the book The Happiest Baby on the Block. ( :

Hi C.,

To me, swaddling is something that will eventually stop on its own. If this is what is working, why break it. Sometimes we look at whats working and think...hmmmmmmm something must be wrong. Keep it postitive and get your good nights of sleep.

Many cultures swaddle for 1 year or longer; your son will work his way out of the swaddle on a regular basis when he's ready to be done with it!

Good luck!!

Hi Clair,
This child needs you so very much. What is so wrong in showing him that love that he needs so very much; right now.
Yes you could use that extra sleep and rest. And in time I feel it will be given you if not very soon. You seem to be a wonderful Mother. What love you show.
Someday he will grow up to be a man and will remember his Mom wonderful love that held him so close to her loving heart.

You have awonderful Day Today
Vicki W.

Don't give it up. Remember that swaddling provides an important sense of security for infants. The type they had while in your womb. Your child will let you know when they are ready for more independence. Just like they'll let you know when they are ready for solid foods and walking. My daughter eventually started opening the swaddle, when she wanted it loosened or off.

Using a sling, around the house during the day is nice, cause your baby is with you. It's a great way to bond and communicate. Believe me, it's better than holding your infant all the time, which ends up being a negative for everyone in the house.

I had to eventually limit how long visitors held her. Some wanted to hold her for 3-5 hrs straight. Cause after they'd leave, she would cry to be held all the time. I held her occasionally, when I could (I had compounded health issues after birth)and during all feedings. I'm so glad I did that. Then my child didn't take long to learn to sooth herself. This in turn allowed me rest, or get more done for her.

Hang in there. Swaddling is easy and the least of your worries.

I went through this with my daughter but we actually kept swaddling her a bit longer until she pretty much grew out of the receiving blankets. It was probably around 4 months or so and by then she was okay without it. If you don't want to keep swaddling you could try a sleep sack but I think your little guy will sleep better if you try swaddling a bit longer. No worries if you don't, he will be okay either way! It just might give you a few extra nights of decent sleep.

hey C.,
our daughter needed the swaddling too, but unfortunately would kick out of everything! i found the miracle swaddler, and she stayed in it and loved it... so we swaddled her until she was big and strong enough to kick out of it and it became more hazardous (b/c of loose bedding) than helpful. we switched her to sleepsacks at that point, and she never looked back! i wouldn't take the swaddling away until you have to... i want to say our little one was nearing almost 6 months (although i could be mistaken...) before she gave it up... it sounds like you might've initially had some sleep issues judging by your comments, as did we, so when we found something that worked we stuck with it until we had to change, and to this day, at 2 1/2, she is a WONDERFUL sleeper! congratulations on the milestone, and good luck!
J.