Swaddling Problem

Updated on August 01, 2008
L.K. asks from Lubbock, TX
9 answers

I’m posting this for my daughter. She has a 4 month old that has been sleeping in a Swaddle Me blanket since he was about 3 weeks old. Now, he’s getting too big and she’s trying to break him of the swaddle. He has a tendency to let his arms fly in the air when they aren’t swaddled down. Last night he would wake himself up every 1-1/2 hours or so. He’s very much used to being swaddled and now she’s finding it hard to get him to take naps and to sleep in long stretches without swaddling. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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J.J.

answers from Dallas on

You can buy the extra large Swaddler blankets. I think Kiddopotamus makes some. Other than that, the zipper blankets work well. My daughter used to need to be swaddled and I managed to transition her to one of those blankets. We transitioned her by only swaddling at night but not naps and moved from there.

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K.C.

answers from Dallas on

I have a 3 1/2 month old little girl and I swaddled her for a couple of weeks when she was first born. They still swaddle her at daycare, but I don't at home. I have found with both of my kids, whenever you are making a transition or a change in their routine, you just do it. After a couple of days they will realize ok I'm exhausted and she's obviously not going to wrap me up like a burrito, so I'm going to sleep anyways. I have found that you just have to be patient with them, as kids don't like change. At least mine don't. We have a routine of how we do certain things and when we don't do it, they get a little cranky at times.
Ultimately I don't think there is any way to "wean" him from swaddling, maybe just start doing it less and less, and eventually he'll get used to not being swaddled.

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K.K.

answers from Dallas on

My children were swaddled til 6-7 months of age. I found stretchy blankets and would swaddle either their whole body or I would leave the legs out, swaddling between the legs and then wrapping a blanket over the legs so they don't get cold. Maybe he needs longer.

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

I really like Shiloh's idea about the sleep blanket, keeping his arms tucked in too. I swaddled my son and kept him in a positioner until he was about 8 months. The positioner kept him on his back and held the swaddle blanket in place. He broke free of the burrito eventually and would wake up occasionally, but that passed quickly. Once he was really good at turning over and picking up his head when he was awake, I felt ok about letting him sleep without the swaddle and positioner. Towards the end, I had to use quite a bit of strength to burrito him up! I say keep swaddling, but with no legs in the swaddle--kicking is the easiest way to get the blanket off.

BTW, sounds like you're being a great mother/grandmother. I know your children appreciate your guidance. :)

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D.T.

answers from Dallas on

Kay knows it all
call her..she will help
http://www.thenestingplace.net/

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S.S.

answers from Wichita Falls on

I swaddled my 5 year old until well after he was old enough to "break free" - which he often did, but would actually bring me a blanket when he wanted to be 'wrapped up'. Just use a regular baby blanket, instead of a premade swaddler - make a diamond by folding one corner part way down, then left side over left arm, under right pit, feet up and over legs to the right, then right side under or over left arm. It doesn't have to be a tight swaddle - just a little resistance to the flailing. He'll be breaking free soon - and that seemed to make the transition easier for mine.

FWIW, he spent 80% of the time that he wasn't napping in a sling, hip dysplasia (shallow hip sockets that may in part be related to lots of time spent with the hips straight) really wasn't an issue for him. My 2 year old did not like to be swaddled, still spent a LOT of time in the sling, and DID have mild hip dysplasia - so go figure.

S.

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E.W.

answers from Dallas on

I swaddled my daughter until she was 6-7 month old and she turned out just fine, so don't let anyone scare you. =) My daughter loved to be swaddled and had the hardest time with her little hands startling her and waking up in the middle of the night. As she got older we had to get large swaddle blankets, and then put the Swaddle me thing over the top of that. We bought our blankets at BeyondBabyBasics.com (not sure if they are still in business), and when we put the Swaddle Me around her we just stopped putting her feet in because she was getting to long. Good luck!

Swaddling saved our lives!!

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S.D.

answers from Dallas on

My son did the same thing. I ended up putting him in a sleeper sac with his hands in the sac instead of in the arm holes. That way they sort of feel swaddled. As he got used to that, I eventually put his arms in the arm holes. It took a little bit to get used to it, but he finally did. I started out doing that during nap time and trying to swaddle at night. Then he sort of got used to it slowly. Good luck!

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A.K.

answers from Dallas on

Swaddling long term can pose some problems, so I would caution her on swaddling for too much longer. It can cause hip dysplasia, higher rate of pneumonia and other respiratory issues and swaddling a baby when it is 100 degrees outside can cause a baby to overheat which has been linked to SIDS. It will take some time for the baby to adjust to having full control of his arms and legs...give it some time and he will adjust.

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