It was a sleep cue for DD too but she kept escaping her wraps (even the proper swaddles!!) so we just bit the bullet and put her in a sleeping bag. She was already sleeping through and it continued, she didn't miss a beat She was only 10 weeks old.
I think kids surprise us sometimes and cope a lot better with change than how we expect them to. I've worried about sleep cues and habits with DD but have found she often copes well with change and the worst case scenario is things can be a bit erratic for a few days or nights until we get over the hurdle.
I have wrapped all my kids until they are around 9 months old. They do roll in their wraps but by that time I wrap them losely and they can get their arms out. I also stop using the wrap with their arms by their sides around 2 months old and I angel wrap them using a cot sheet from that point.
My kids have all loved the comfort of wrapping and it does help.
I'll find you a link for angel wrapping because it is better for older babies - they can get their hands to their mouths to suck and they can move but it still stops the startle reflex in younger babies and gives them the security they need in older babies.
DS1 was pretty easy to get out of the wrap at an early age and in a sleeping bag from 6ish months but DS2 was a little trickier. I warpped with a cot sheet though so i could really tuck and wrap him quite well. Rolling was never an issue for us and DS2 was wrapped until after 12months. It took a little bit to get him out of it but he loved it and he slept well. DD is the same, wrapped nice and tight. She was in a sleeping bag but nights were really unsettled, since wrapping with the sheet again we've had a lot better quality sleeps from her.
Thanks heaps everyone Just Me - thanks for the link! I'll give that a go tonight and hopefully she won't escape. Makes sense just from the pics that she shouldn't be able to get her hands up too high anyway.
We did stop wrapping and doing just a sleeping bag for a while because she seemed to be straining to get her arms out, but that resulted in her waking every 1-2 hours. Turns out she was straining because of wind. So she does really well so far with her arms by her side, but hopefully the angel wrapping works.
So I guess as long as it's working and she's liking it, we'll do different variations of wrapping
I wrapped DD for all sleeps until she was 7.5 months old. At 16 months, there are times when I wish we were still doing it as she will. not. lie. still. That's a whole other post
I think it depends on the individual, like everything!
DD1 - she was wrapped until 11 weeks when she kept getting out of every wrap, even those 'miracle blanket' one's!! Yep, she got out of it.... you name it! She was so determined. Hated being wrapped.
DD2 - she likes being wrapped and yep, it's a sleep cue for her, just like the sling is I will keep doing it as long as it is working.... I have noticed her startle reflex isn't as strong as DD1's was though so her waking herself if she gets out of the wrap, has never been a prob
I'm pretty sure the wrap i do is the angel wrap and there is no way DD can get her arms out, they loosen up throughout the night but she is still pretty tightly wrapped around her tummy and legs which i think can be just as comforting/reassuring for them.
I didn't post the link for angel wrap in here because i wasn't sure I could but an angel wrap is the one where they can stretch their arms above their head. It gives them a fair bit of movement with their arms while still keeping them wrapped, if that makes sense
Kaytee, if what you are doing is working, keep doing it. The angel wrap is just another option for you to try if your bub seems to want something different and leaving her unwrapped isn't working. I think it is a great wrap for older babies, but some babies like being wrapped tightly with their arms by their sides. I still wrap my older babies like that occassionally if they don't settle with an angel wrap (sometimes when they are really overtired they like being wrapped up tighter).
The only thing I would say to be careful of is making sure their chest and legs aren't wrapped too tightly. They are meant to be able to move their feet back and forward - it shouldn't be so tight their feet are pinned together. Around the middle is also where they breath so it shouldn't be too tight around there either. Babies like their wraps firm, but not restricted if that makes sense
She was only 10 weeks old.
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