Time to Stop Swaddling?????

Well, there certainly isn't any medical-health reason to stop swaddling a baby. Eventually, if they dislike it, they'll struggle out of it. If they don't, clearly is it a non-issue.

The only reason *not* to swaddle that I've ever encountered was the hip-displasia that may be caused by a child who cannot hold their hips at the proper angle for development (humans are not made to have their legs straight and their knees together)... so maybe carrying him astride you (the way Indian and Chinese baby wraps, as well as the commercial HipHuggers and Snuglis do) rather than with his legs straight (like the over-the-should slings do) will compensate enough.

Keep swaddling as long as he likes it and isn't kicking off the blankets to the point that they become a hazard. I still swaddle my 3 1/2 mos old and plan too as long as I can. She is sleeping though the night and that's important!

Why stop if that's how he's comfortable? I see no problem with it. Chances are, eventually he'll want to stop on his own so don't even worry about it. There's a boy at my daycare that gets all wrapped up tight to sleep (he's 2). No big deal - he just likes it and sleeps better that way.

M.,

As a mom of three boys and a daycare provider, I truly believe that a child will wean himself off of it when he is ready. I have had daycare children who would not sleep unless they were swaddle until they were 6months or older. When they no longer needed they started getting out of the swaddled during sleep and even before they were a sleep. When this started to happen I would just work with them on it, maybe swaddling them but not as tight. Each child is different but usually on took about a week to get them not need to be swaddled. I would start with the nap and once he got that down then move on to night time. I don't feel swaddling hurts them it just a another form of security like a pacifier or a blanket. I always say listen to your heart and if you think it's problem then start weaning him. other wise let him tell you when he is ready. He will eventually grow out of the swaddle blanket and that will tell you when it time too.

We swaddled our daughter til she was 7 months old. We were asking the same questions as you are. The doctor told us she will eventually get out of it. Thou we finally started letting her have one arm out and after a while we stopped it all together. At first the one arm would wake her up and we wound up eventually letting her cry it out. Then finally she became a stomach sleeper and slept thru the night again.

Hi M.... we swaddled our daughter until she was almost 9 months old. The swaddle changed over the months to where both arms were out and eventually her feet, but she liked the feeling of the snug blanket around her mid-section. She sort of decided when she was done with it, by gaining the ability to roll over and pull herself up in crib and begin to crawl. Until that time though we swaddled her. I don't think you need to wean your son from swaddling -- I think he'll make it clear when he doesn't need it or want it anymore. Best wishes,
L.

Hi M..

My daughter is almost 6 months old (next week) and we have just started weaning her on the swaddling thing. We tried cold turkey..but that just didn't work. She had a very strong startle reflex right from the get go that hung on for a bit. In addition, if she has both arms free all she wants to do is play... with anything and everything. What we have done is only wrap one arm. We've been doing this for about a week and I plan on doing it for another week. With one arm out and one arm wrapped she has been able to fall asleep with no issues. Also, the added benefit is she uses a paci ... so with one arm free she can put it in her mouth herself when she needs it!

The next step I plan to take is swaddling with both arm free. This may sound silly...but I've gotten this advice from other moms who have tried it. They said the wrapping around the body still gave baby that secure feeling and eventually they were able to take the blanket away all together.

Every kid is different and some kids need to be swaddled for various reasons. My daughter is one of them. The reason I agressively started to wean her is because she can roll over now. I didn't want her rolling over with her arms wrapped up and not be able to right herself. Also she kept wiggling out of the swaddle every night and then couldn't fall asleep again.

I've noticed that with the one arm free... she either doesn't wriggle out OR if she does then many times she can stay or fall back asleep pretty easily.

Good luck!
R. H

M., I thought I would be swaddling my daughter until she went off to college but just did outgrow it naturally I think around 6 or 7 months. I was doing bunch of research about it and worrying that I was delaying her development or something. Not the case! I say if it works to get him to sleep stick with it, when it no longer works for him, he will let you know! Everything I read said there is nothing wrong w/ swaddling until the baby no longer wants it. You know what is best for your baby.

If he sleeps well in a swaddle and seems to like it, there is no reason to stop. Some people just sleep better that way! If is not broken, don't fix it. It won't hurt him at all so keep it up. Good Luck!

my youngest will be three at the end of the month and she loved to be swaddeld to she was a year and after that she wanted the blankets tucked tight around her so i guess when your baby ready to stop you will know

M.,
I agree with the other moms responses. If your baby loves swaddling, then swaddle! If it was a stuffed animal or pacifier, you wouldn't even worry about it. So just swaddle that sweet little baby and take a picture, because soon enough he will be crawling around and you will have to roll around with him to get him dressed. Don't ever let anyone else's preconceived notions decide what's right for your baby. Trust yourself and trust your son, he'll let you know when the time is right!

Ypu know your baby better than anybody. Follow your own instincts. If the baby seems to need swaddling, then by all means do it. It certainly isn't harmful to the baby and if this is what makes the baby comfortable, what harm can there be? I don't really see the problem here.

I'm not sure I'm much help... I swaddled my twins until they were almost 9 months old. I can't remember the website (maybe baby whisperer?) that showed me how to swaddle them using a small flat bedsheet. I followed their cues as to when to stop (they began to wiggle their arms out) and then would loosen the swaddle over a few nights until they didn't need it anymore. They're 5 years old now and still carry sections of the bedsheet as their 'blankie'. :-)

wow M., I have been thinking the same thing! my son is 5 1/2 months too and we still swaddle him. he is a very big baby so we use a reg. bby blanket and his leg's hang out the bottom. lol. and he gets out of the swaddle quite easy now and i find myself in his room re swaddleing in the middle of the night. I have been saying lately it's gonna get warm in a few mo. and i hope he doesnt still need to be swaddled then (affraid he will over heat).my oldest son was the same way as a baby I don't remember how and when he stoped, i think it was when he started getting out of it and was rolling over on his own to sleep on his belly.. I hope all goes well with you without to many sleepless nights!
B. (mom of 2 boy's)(whom both were swaddled!)lol

My daughter needed it quite a bit longer than I thought was "normal" also. I started just swaddling her arms and a little loosely for daytime naps (when I didn't need the sleep myself) and eventually she just sort of worked her way out of it and didn't need it anymore; not even sure when that was exactly. At least your lucky enough to have a nighttime sleeper! My babe is 8 months old and still not through the night. I would say best is to go with your instincts and what your baby needs, the rest will follow suit.

Good Luck!

I may or may not be helpful. I had a child who did like to swaddle and one who did not. My 12 year old son, sill wraps his comforter around him tightly to fall asleep. I think it is a preference thing unless a doctor, child development specialist, or occupational therapist tells you differently. I think that the thing is going to be age-appropriateness once the baby is older and demonstrates the need. We just always had a comforter type blanket available once he was older and could wrap himself (1-2 years he started wrapping himself). Remember sleep is a necessity and a swaddling may be the tool. Hope this helps.
B.

M., If your baby needs it do it, loosen it up a little if you are worried! Do You like to be all wrapped up in your blankets? It is comforting, and every baby is different. Trust your instincts. K.

Why would you want to stop something that has worked so well for you? If he is comfortable, sleeps through (or better) WITH the swaddling, keep doing it. Who cares what your friends think? He will let you know when he doesn't need it any more. Good going! Swaddled he feels safe and secure...keep it up.

At my son's 6 mos. check up we were told to stop swaddling him and to just do it "cold turkey". So, that night I put him to sleep without swaddling him, listened to him cry for 45 minutes (the longest he had ever cried) and then he fell asleep (and slept the whole night too). The next night was like he had never been swaddled and fell asleep immediately. He had always been a good sleeper from a very early age and after that one night was right back to being a good sleeper. Good luck!

Wow, I am impressed you have beenable to swaddle this long! I felt the same way once my son became to big to use the swaddle me blanket...aren't those wonderful inventions?

I would recommend the Halo blanket sleeper. It is a tank style blanket that zips up. It keeps your child warm at night as thought you wrapped him in a blanket and his legs are contained. The arms are free to move.

They sell them at Babies R Us. They are about $20 - $25 each. I would recommend putting him to sleep on his stomach if he is able to turn over both ways on his own and turn his head to breathe. My son often turned onto his stomach anyway. Having the pressure against his stomach like the womb seems to be comforting. I would also recommend something that makes white noise like a fan, humidifier, air purifier, etc. Or something musical may help as well. My son is now 7 mmonths and he loves this musical thing from fiher-price that straps to the side of the crib (also at Babies R Us). It has both day time and night time settings. Once he is able to move his arms with more control, he can push the butoons himself to turn it on (which he is now starting to do). It even has a color light show that shines on the ceiling if you choose to turn on that function.

I would definitely keep swaddling as long as the child wants. Each child is different. If your child wants to be swaddled until they are 2, I don't think there is any harm in that. Lots of kids revert back to behavior like this when they are having changes in their daytime routines. I think your baby just has not outgrown it yet. Ask yourself, "what is the rush?" Remember, baby will start crawling and standing soon enough and then you'll remember this fondly.

And have faith in yourself as THIS CHILD's mom that you can "break the rules" or do what makes this child happy and still be a great mom. (I emphasize This Child because we don't all feel like supermom every day but we still know our children better than anyone else in the world.)

I agree with Char M, Why stop it isn't hurting anything.

I still swaddle my 6 1/2 month old daughter. I tried stopping (because I know it can't go on forever) by using a sleep sack but she wants to be swaddled. Who am I to argue with that? My first daughter wouldn't let me swaddle her past 4 months so I will continue as long as my second daughter will let me. Don't feel at all bad for swaddling him this long. Not all babies are the same and this just works for him.

Hi M.!

I try to read as much as I can about baby care, because I have triplets (18 mos old) and need all the help I can get! What I've read about swaddling is that as soon as your baby kicks the covers off him/herself (making the blanket a safety hazard) that's when it's time to stop. If it's still cold at night where you are, you could switch to a fleece blanket sleeper. (Even if it's fairly warm, you can buy a lightweight cotton one (Babies R Us carries them) and put a onesie on underneath.) That way, he'll still feel cozy and cuddled up, but will sleep more safely.

Take care
Dana

M.,

I had the same problem and my family thought I was crazy! Try letting the baby have his feet free first. If you can cut the bottom of the swaddle out, try that for a few nights first. Keep the arms swaddled during this stage. Then when he gets used to that you can try giving him his arms free too. My daughter was weaned a lot faster than I expected her to be. I was just so scared to lose a nights sleep that I was nervous to even attempt a nights sleep without that swaddle. When I finally let her completely out of the swaddle I did build a little "nest" with rolled up blankets on either side of her to keep her feeling secure. But, I don't know if that was more for me or for her. Good luck with your weaning! They grow so fast!

do whatever works to get sleep!