swaddle question

[mmontgomery891]

Ok, so everyone told me swaddling would be the best bet this time around with my infant.

now he is getting close to 3 months old, and it seems if he is not swaddled he is waking himself up during the night with swinging arms. I have read that it is not good to swaddle as he gets past 2 months. He is also outgrowing his swaddle blankets.

any advice?

[kathok]

Can't help much with the question of whether to swaddle or not. I am still swaddling my DD and she is 5 1/2 months old. She is sleeping through though, as long as those arms stay in.

When she was about 3 months she was getting loose from standard size swaddle cloths. I bought some flanelette and made some up 140cmx140cm. I'm just about to dso the same with muslin for summer swaddles. This was long enough width that she can't get her arms loose easily.
HTH

[mrscricket]

I swaddled DS until just over 4 months - he would smack himself in the head if not swaddled. I eventually gave up because he started fighting against the wrap. It was a process to stop - the first few times i didnt swaddle him, he screamed and screamed with his arms by his side - as soon as i swaddled him he fought against it again ! I used to leave one arm out during his day sleeps (both in at night) until he eventually could sleep un-swaddled.

I dont think there is any rule about when to stop - every baby is different, but i know there is some ladies on here still swaddling at 8 or 9 months, so dont worry about still wrapping baby. He will let you know when he wants to give it up.

[Campari]

Our DD is just 4 months and we had to stop swaddling just last week because she started rolling from back to front in her cot, and getting a bit tangled and distressed in her wrap. Until then, she was a great sleeper as long as she was wrapped ... With her arms free she waves them around as though she is trying to fly!

Sooooo, we pretty much went cold turkey on the wrap, and instead have given her a very flat, soft teddy bear to cuddle - it has really worked cause her hands are busy holding the bear. It took about 3 days of us patting and stroking her, and literally holding her arms down before she went to sleep, and now she is sleeping beautifully again - self settling in her cot with just the bear. I know its a SIDS risk to have toys in the cot, but we check her all the time and once she's asleep the bear is usually out of the way anyway. It works for us.

Good luck!

[mmontgomery891]

I have been covering him with a regular blanket and holding his arms, which seems to work, but not as good as the swaddle does.

Just recently he is getting his arms out and thats the problem. I may need bigger swaddles, but when he is struggling against the swaddle it is almost like maybe he is done with them.

He sleeps best in the swaddle though so if at all possible, I try it.

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

My daughter wouldn't have a bar of being swaddled until very recently - and she's just over 4 months! I don't see why there'd be anything wrong with swaddling a bub after any point in time, personally. *shrug*