Hello,
My son is 4 months old today and I have been swaddling him to sleep at night, since birth. Like most babies, he fights it a little at first but then settles down pretty much immediately and goes to sleep after his bottle. He has been sleeping from about 8:30-6am, pretty consistently for the past 2-3 weeks now. I have read, in different places and spoken with different moms about when to try and get him out of the swaddle to sleep. I tried one arm out, just last night and he was up about 6-7 times! I finally had to feed him at a time that is completely off of his schedule because he would not go back to sleep. Please help! Is it ok to continue swaddling him for a few more months? How will I know when he is ready to try without the swaddle? He actually naps on his belly (without the swaddle, obviously) but I haven't tried putting him on his belly to sleep yet. I just don't want him to get dependant on the swaddle to settle down to sleep. Any suggestions/advice would be very much appreciated!
I swaddled until about 9 months and then went to the sleep sacks until 19 months old. I'd buy the larger swaddle blanket (the ones with velcro) but swaddle my baby in a regular blanket first and then in the swaddle blanket. Works very well in the cold weather to keep the baby warm and wrapped well.
what's the big deal about not wanting him to be dependant on the swaddle...what's the rush? he's ONLY 4 months old! Any comfort that your baby feels to sleep soundly at night, girl, you better use it. He's ONLY 4 months old!!
sounds like you HAD a very happy, easy-to-sleep baby and you're rushing him into something he's not ready for. comfort him, TLC him, soothe him in any way that works...rock him, sing to him, do anything that makes your baby feel secure and safe and warm and cozy. don't rush him into independency...he's ONLY 4 months old!!!
Umm... I hope your ped has already told you, but you shouldn't put a baby to sleep on his belly. There's a risk for SIDS when babies sleep on the tummy.
I think I stopped using the swaddle blanket when she started waking up with it (in middle of night). that was telling me she wanted to move without it. that was sometime between 4-5 months. so keep swaddling as long as he sleep well with it... and he'll probably tell you (wake up) when he's ready to get out of the swaddle.
but it wasn't long after my baby started sleeping thru night -- she started teething, ughh! so the teething has been keeping her up sometimes (she's an early teether ... already has 2 teeth on the bottom that appeared at 5 months) so she's almost 6 months old now and she still wakes up once during the night. sleeps from 7 pm- 7 am. i'm currently trying to ween her off that middle of the night feeding... giving her 1 ounce less a night. i think it's working b/c she's not mad that she's getting so little and she goes back to sleep. last night i only gave her 3 ounces... and she went back to bed. tonight, 2 ounces.
My daughter slept swaddled at night until 6 months and my son was swaddled until 8 months! There is no rush to unswaddle. Some babies just need it to sleep.
My son spit up so much it was perfect to swaddle. I used the Miracle Blanket as well. Totally worth the money. Both of my babies used the blanket I bought and a friend has borrowed it.
Having him nap on his tummy is fine, but I wouldn't put him to sleep at night on his tummy until 6 months. He won't get dependant on swaddling. He will let you know when he is tired of it.
L.,
Keep swaddling him. What is wrong with him liking being swaddled? It is just the same thing as him needed a blanket or stuffed animal to sleep with. My 1 year is still swaddled and my 3 year old still likes her blanket wrapped around her belly when she goes to sleep. It makes them feel secure and warm. When he starts getting out of it, then you can try not doing it anymore.
Our pediatrician told us to stop swaddling at 6 weeks so as to not hinder gross motor development. It was so tough because our son had a strong startle reflex until about 6 months. We did use the Halo Sleep Sacks though to keep him warm and he still felt cozy in those. (in fact he had another adjustment period when we got rid of the sleep sacks to let his legs be free) I was nursing so I would just nurse him and rock him anytime he woke up. With nursing they don't always have to drink much - they can just pacify and go right back to sleep. Maybe you can try a pacifier and rocking if you don't want to give a bottle every time he wakes because he will wake up a LOT until he gets used to being free. Now my son is 14 months and it's fun to watch him on the monitor at night get in the craziest positions!
We swaddled my daughter past 6 months. We used the Miracle Blanket because she was too big at birth for a receiving blanket and was able to get out (even when the hospital nurses did it). Once she outgrew the miracle blanket, we just used it around her upper torso and let her legs go free. Eventually she was able to stop using it, but we didn't rush it.
I would definitely keep swaddling for a little bit. And, I would use the kiddopotamus swaddle me blankets. The fleece holds tighter than the cotton and are wonderful!
L., I am in the camp of no swaddling. I've had eight children (yep, been pregnant eight times) and am a brain development specialist as a vocation.
Babies NEED to move in their sleep. We are built to move. When you were pregnant, you would have been scared spitless if the baby had stopped moving, yet once they are born, we wrap them up so tight that they CANNOT move. I think it makes no sense. In babies, movement equals health.
Of course there will be an adjustment time for your son if you transition away from swaddling. It may be difficult for you, but it is growing his brain and helping him organize his pons (specific area of the brain). This is a long-term investment worth any hassle of the transition.
PLEASE consider letting him sleep the way he was built to.
Swaddle for as long as he likes it. He'll grow out of it when he's old enough. Sleeping on the back is how to set him down. If he turns himself over, that's ok. You're doing fine :)
Hey L.. I swaddled my daughter (at night) until she was about 9mo. She told me she was done with the swaddle when she started getting out of it on her own. I decided a good night's sleep was far more important than her sleeping unswaddled. I dont remember what age she was when I started putting her down for her naps without it but it was a few months before we stopped at night. My daughter also slept on her stomach when she did not have the swaddle. Actually once she started really rolling she would roll to her stomach swaddled too. Dont worry, he will let you know when he is ready to stop swaddling, sounds like it's not right now.
Good luck!
I have a 3 1/2 month old that I still swaddle. She is slowing starting to outgrow it as she is getting her arms out herself and sleeping fine. I would let your son just let you know when he's ready. Each baby is different and right now he's telling you he's not quite ready. He's only been in this big world for 4 months, he just needs time to climb out of the swaddle on his own time. So, keep swaddling, just maybe not as tight of a swaddle as you did when he was born. Hope this helps!
My girls were both swaddled past 6 months of age....one of them til 7 months. I knew they were ready when she got out of the swaddle and stayed a sleep, until then I did whatever I had to in order for the swaddle to work (pulled between the legs, used two blankets to make tighter, one arm out...etc.) They are great sleepers now, with no help.
