We have been swaddling Nicholas since birth, and have only just started to try to get him sleeping with his arms out. We are trying one arm at a time, and so far, it seems to be working fine. I wanted to know though, is he too young to have a comfort item, like a teddy? With his arms unwrapped now, he likes to be able to hold onto something, so during the day I have been giving him a small blue teddy. I don't leave it with him at night. He is rolling over now, so I am sure he wouldn't suffocate, but want to make sure this is safe.
DS has a bunny and is fine with that - he has had this a while. He grabs my duvet (yes, from my bed even when he's in his) if I don't so I consider the bunny safer.
DD has had a lamb (bedtime lamb, called bedt by her) since birth and loves him to bits (literally). She has a little bear at daddy's house she calls guy and either will do for snoozy loves time.
Our DS has had a bed time buddy since he was about 8 months old when we stopped wrapping him. He's now 16 months old and he just loves Big Bear more than anything. I was a great thing for our little man as it has given him a friend to cuddle when he's alone in bed and it comforts him when he's upset. Having said that Big Bear doesn't get dragged all over with us, he stays at home when we go out. The only times he has had him with him all the time is when we are travelling and won't be home as he wouldn't understand where Big Bear had gone if we tried to put him to sleep in a strange place without him. It's his constant, so even when he is sleeping in his portacot away from home Big Bear is always there to give him a cuddle!
I have been able to get Nicholas sleeping without being wrapped without too much stress. Last night he slept without being wrapped for the whole night. He loves his little teddy, and snuggle sup to it when he is asleep, so I think we are going to be fine!
That's good Jo. Our youngest DD has a blanket and it started by accident - it was just the right weight for her day sleeps during summer when she was about 5-6mths old and she would suck her thumb on one hand and hold the blanket to her face with the other and she still does it LOL.
They can snuggle toys without holding them to their faces too, so suffocation isnt' a huge issue kwim?
Lucy has a couple of teddies in her bed that we introduced when we moved her into her cot at about 7 months. But although she likes them, she doesn't really use them for comfort (just chats!).
Lucy's thing is fiddling with her ear/s. She does it while bfing as well. She holds the free ear and gently plays with it. It's her sleep sign and a comfort thing. I think that's why the teddies aren't really required. She does like one particular teddy more than others, but will happily sleep without them.
I think what I'm trying to say is if he doesn't seem to 'attach' to any one thing, he'll probably find a way of self-settling regardless.
Introducing a Comfort Item
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