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I'm :confused:
DS seems to dislike having his arms wrapped in his blanket and will struggle and fight until they are free. I was quite happy to keep his arms free as long as he's warm, but of course he does startle himself awake.
So, I'm trying to decide whether to buy a swaddle wrap, like a Woombie, or whether I'm forcing DS into something he won't like.
Bah, I don't know what to do. Help me decide? To swaddle or not to swaddle?
My answer is not to. Jazz hated being wrapped, she just couldn't stand it from day one, would pull her arms out, and even now at almost two she doesn't sleep with blankets/doonas on because she just doesn't seem to like the 'heaviness' or restriction I guess.
Yeah she did startle herself, it was frustrating, but she hated being wrapped and would fight it, and I didn't want to force her into something that was obviously uncomfortable for her.
i think some babies just don't like it. My second cried until i let her arms out?! So i didn't swaddle her. MY first i swaddled for a long time.
HAve you seen the 'angel wrap', where their arms are covered but above their head?
I swaddled for the first 6weeks or so.
I used the swaddle me wrap for DD and would put her hands where she could could them, it's called a kiddopotamus wrap.
I only swaddled at night so they got used to sleeping with or without then took the swaddle away when it got to the warmer nights.
My little one isn't keen but she doesn't make a fuss. She sleeps soooooo much better swaddled though, as although her startle reflex has died down, she still punches herself in her sleep, rubs her head and wakes herself up - a LOT.
I guess if he's really upset about being swaddled, then don't do it.
But how does he sleep if he isn't swaddled? Does he need good sleep more? or are you happy for him to wake up when he startles?
Hugs
Sue x
Some babes just don't like it.
I struggled to get my DS to settle in a muslin wrap and then my sister got me one of the Kiddapotamus swaddles with velcro - I ended up buying two more. It was great for him.
Urgh, it's a tricky one. DS was like that but slept better if mummified. DH had to do it though, DS always broke out of my feeble attempts.
Not helpful, sorry.
My kids hated it. They all slept better on their tummies - and they don't startle themselves that way either (and I'm not suggesting this is something that you do obviously because of the SIDS risk, but we have a breathing monitor so I feel comfortable with my babies sleeping like this)
Our DS didn't like being swaddled - at least that is what we thought. We had two issues though:
1. We were not wrapping firmly enough - we now use a cot sheet & wrap him nice & firm & I believe it helps him sleep and stay asleep. His hands are up front so he can suck on them since they are his favourite toy right now (he is 11 weeks young).
2. I thought he was crying because I was wrapping him but he was actually crying because he was tired. Most things I have read say you have 5 mins between first tired sign & over tired. Hmmmmmmmmm either I miss the tired signs (highly likely...they are very subtle in DS) or he gives me about 1 minutes notice from tired signs & screaming over tired.
I am not saying you are no good at wrapping (that was me & DH) or that you are missing babies tired signs; that was just our experience.
DS is snug as a bug right now having a lovely sleep!
We swaddled DD until she was 10 weeks then she went into a Grobag from that point on and wasn't fussed in the slightest! We generally used wraps/bunny rugs but when DD started escaping, we tried a Kiddopotomous swaddleme wrap (great!) and a Grobag swaddle wrap (not so great). In the end we realised she was sleeping quite well with her arms out so that's when we tried the Grobags.
Good luck!
I was in a very similar situation. Munchkin hated the swaddle and refused it and it was okay cause she slept and didn't startle herself too much. But Nao is six months old and still sleeping in a woombie. She first showed signs of not wanting to be swaddled. She escaped a lot, even from my pro swaddling. She was like a minute houdini. She would actually keep herself awake trying to escape it!
So sleep was short and she was pretty cranky a lot. So I gave one of the Woombies a try. I swear the first night I put her in it, she slept peacefully. But she's really fidgety, if her hands are out she does something with them and it keeps her awake. Now she does like 4-5 hour stretches instead of like 1hour bunny hops.
I think the only way to figure it out is to try it?
DS1 would always get out of muslin and cotton wraps and then wouldnt sleep. I got kidopotamous wraps at 2 weeks and then bought 2nd size! Used till 9 weeks old then straight to grobag.
DS2 is still wrapped in kiddopatamous wraps at 6 and 1/2 months as he wont settle without it even thought he tends to eventully get arms out.
Okay, an update. I've now had three nights straight of four-hourly night-time sleeps from DS, (was 2-3 hourly) and the only thing we've done differently has been to swaddle him in a bunny rug. The trick for us is that we have to wait for him to fall asleep, then swaddle him - if he's awake when we swaddle, he stays awake trying to fight his way out.
If it works, it works really well. He's generally not fighting his way out until he's woken up for a feed. PLUS, I'm now able to unwrap him if I need him to wake up for a nappy-change or a feed - within minutes he wakes up with no more prodding from Mumma.
So...our swaddling seems to be working but I just need to decide whether to invest in a swaddle wrap/woombie or continue with the bunny rug. Will see how we go.
Thanks ladies!
I've just ordered a Woombie - my little Houdini is driving me mad getting out of her swaddle and punching herself in the head and waking up!
Sue xx
Just want to say, the Woombie is amazing!! Such a fantastic invention.
It wraps them nice and snug but not too snug that they can't move their arms around. My little one likes her arms up on her chest and that is exactly where she's had them the past 3 nights we've used it!
Would definitely recommend one!
Sue xx
Can she get her hands into her mouth through the fabric? How much give does it have?
She can still get her hands to her mouth through the fabric yeah, but there isn't a huge amount of give there.
Not enough room to rumble about too much but enough room that she doesn't get too annoyed at being restricted.
Sue x
My DD managed to still get her arms out of the woombie neckhole! Luckily her dad can stand CIO so he got her out of being swaddled. Wish I'd never swaddled her it went well for a few months then 4 months of hell rewrapping her every hour !!