I need some good advice on swaddling. We started breaking my daughter of the swaddle blanket last night. She has been breaking out of it lately, and I figured it was time. We put her in a sleep sack, in the sleep positioner, on her side. She was up every two hours last night. Most of the time, putting the pacifier in her mouth will satisfy her. However, when she wakes up, she wants it back in her mouth. If she is in her swaddle blanket, we don't have this problem- she sleeps for 6 hours a stretch. Should I keep swaddling her, or stick with it and hope that tonight is better?
She does wake up when an arm is free, so I trying to break her with one arm out doesn't work. I must say that naps are not a problem. She sleeps unswaddled, but then again, she only naps for 1.5 to 2 hours, which is about how long she went at a time last night.
Also, I worry about her development. She is meeting her milestones, but I still am concerned that swaddling too long will hinder her. I am interested to hear experiences from moms who swaddled their babies for a long time and whether it hindered your child's development.
Thank you all so much!
She is up swaddled in her room right now and all is well in the world again. I guess she'll let me know when she's ready. I hope to catch some zz's tonight! Thanks for all the advice!
Swaddling will not hinder development. Lack of sleep will.
My son is 7 months and is just starting to be able to sleep long stretches without the swaddle. We swaddle with one arm out. He is also sitting up, crawling, self feeding and reaching all of his milestones most of them early. Do what you need to to get her to sleep.
Swaddling won't harm her - we swaddled till my son was about 6 months old and he's fine. After all, they're asleep - they just lie there. You might try the velcro swaddle sacks to see if she'll stay in them. When she's ready to get out of it, she will, but it sounds like she still likes it and sleeps better in it. She'll be fine :)
Swaddling wont hinder her development. Whatever works to keep the long stretches of sleep would be what you should do. They usually break the swaddling habit on their own. You will know because they fit to be free of the swaddle.... and like you said she doesnt need it for naps already. But if swaddling her for night time bed works best still, why stop?
Can she lift her head? Can she roll over? If she can she can sleep on her stomach.. Try it during the day while you are there to watch her. Place her head in the up against a rolled up towel or blanket when you lay her down, It will feel like the sides of your womb. pay her on her tummy, she will sleep great..
Our daughter just always slept best on her tummy.. The Doctor told me to "go for it, since she could lift her head" so early..
Hi D.P.,
My daughter loved to be swaddled well past 4 months of age. (I can't remember exactly now that she's 9 years old.) But.... it was probably around 7 or 8 months old where she would break free from it and not cry anymore. She was on target for all of her milestones! (AND she was a premie being born 9 wks. early.) She is coordinated and loves P.E. class and does very well in school. So.... with my personal experience, I don't see how swaddling would harm a child. I say.... let your baby sleep the way she wants to and if it's swaddling, why not? She prefers this way while others prefer other things such as a pacifier or stuffed animal, etc....
Have fun with your baby girl! Boy do they grow up fast!
There is no reason to stop the swaddling if she sleeps better that way. That is most important. I would assume that she is getting lots of play and tummy time during the day right? That's going to trump swaddle at night.
I swaddled both mine well past 4 months. Do what your daughter is telling you she *needs* for rest and comfort. That is paramount.
Miracle blanket, that is what I reccomend, if baby loves a swaddle the miracle blanket is made for this ... runs around 30-35 bucks and I LOVED mine!
As long as they aren't swaddled for too many hours a day, I don't think that it hinders development. I let both of my babies wean themselves off the swaddle. My son rolled over at 3 months, my daughter at 6 months. I don't think that either had anything to do with the swaddle, just their personality. I would try swaddling, and if she breaks out, try soothing without reswaddling, or do the arm out and just know that it can take about 3 days for them to get used to that change, so expect the wake ups for those nights and know if you are going to CIO or soothe each time.
Good luck.
I swaddled my second son until he was about 6 months. He loved it. All I had to do was swaddle him and he would immdiately go to sleep (after nursing of course!). At about 6 months his arms would start to come out of the swaddle so I just left his arms out and swaddled his body. He slept like that for another month or so.
He was walking at 8 month (god help me), talking, running, singing...you name it. Swaddling didn't seem to make one iota of difference with him.
L.
Keep swaddling! We did until at least 6 months (longer for her naps) and she is developmentally fine.
You might want to throw out the sleep positioner, though. They have gotten a lot of bad press recently as a smothering hazard (I know, isn't everything, right???) :-)
Good luck!!
keep swaddling! I swaddled until 9 months and my kid is fine. the doctor said she'd quit when she was ready, and she did.
