swaddling questions

[Jen27]

HI

I have a couple of questions about swaddling and it would be great if someone could answer.

Is it best to swaddle baby for just night time sleeps? so then the swaddle is a cue for a night time sleep? is is it best to swaddle the baby for all sleeps?. (if so, wouldn't the baby NEED swaddling all the time, and get to used to the swaddle? eg sometimes we may not want to swaddle if in the pram or car.... so would our baby have problems sleeping?)

Can a baby sleep with just a swaddle at night and then have day sleeps without one successfully? (or does it just depend on the individual baby?)

I have already bought a couple of 'swaddlemes' and I also have light muslin.

When at the hospital, is it reccomended that the baby is swaddled most of the time?

I hope this thread is posted in the right area, I couldn't find a sleep section. Feel free to move mods if in wrong area.

Thank you!

[Arimeh]

Mine were swaddled for all sleeps until they were about 2 weeks old and indicated they much preferred to sleep on their tummy.

I know some people swaddle their kids till toddlerhood though - so its really up to you, and your baby

[MrsB26]

At the hospital they swaddle the baby all the time except when feeding - well i did anyway. I think it helps make them feel secure like in the womb and my ds wasnt holding his temp all that great so swaddling helped kep him warm also.

As Arimeh said, its up to you what you do, its your baby but i personally believe that they sleep much better swaddled as they dont wake themselves up with their startle reflex.

My ds is 10 months old and still swaddled to sleep, he likes to be wrapped nice and snug. We swaddle for day and night but he will fall alseep in the car no worries and the pram too if he is realy tired.

When your baby is here, you will know what to do

[~Trish~]

I swaddled each of my babies for naps and night time. Like MrsB26 said, they sleep better and for longer because they don't wake themselves up with their startle reflex. You can wean them off their wraps quite easily. As my boys got older I would only wrap them loosely and when I could see they didn't really need the wrap to stay asleep I just took it off them. DS2 now uses his wrap as a blankie, it's very cute

Wrapping them does not stop them from sleeping in the car or pram without being wrapped, the motion helps them to sleep.

I have discovered the best wrap ever, it's called a Miracle Blanket and it is almost impossible for them to get out of. My DD started sleeping much longer at night when I got it, she can't wriggle free and she's wrapped really tightly and snug. I wish I'd discovered it earlier!

[black_rose]

What MrsB26 said :yeahthat:

DD2 won't settle for sleeping unless she is swaddled either day or night, but she does drift off if DD1 lets her in the car or pram.

At hospital she was almost always swaddled but then once we got her home we would just let her be free during her awake time.

I tried her without swaddling this morning for her nap and she screamed the house down, as soon as she was wrapped up she calmed down.

DD1 liked to be wrapped up tight but with her arms free, strange I know but it worked for her.

[Doing my best]

The only time I don't swaddle ds is in the car, but after he is strapped in, I will put a wrap around him as best I can, closest to a swaddle.. In the pram, if it is nap time, or he is cranky, I will wrap him and loosen the straps to go round..

Unless it is a big co-incedence, if I don't wrap him, he will just lie there gurgling away (tonight he did this for 1/2 hr cause I got sidetracked and didn't realise till I went back to check on him).. Wrap him, asleep within 5 mins.

My cousin was still wrapping her baby at 8 months cause he rufused to sleep without a wrap, but he knew that meant sleep time (They were at a wedding, wrapped him up, and he went straight to sleep)..

But depending on bub, will determine how much they are wrapped.. My DD hated it,and doesn't even like blankets now at nearly 2.

[Fleur]

As everyone else has said, it's really up to you & your baby

I didn't wrap my first three, but DD2 is 12 weeks & I'm still wrapping her, for her it is a great sleep cue & she settles much more easily with it.

We use a muslin wrap.
ALthought she settles best with it, she will go to sleep without it, sometimes holding onto it & cuddling it. If we are out & all else fails, we can rock her to sleep. Although you can wrap them & pop them in a pram too.

You''ll know what works for your baby

[Winter]

My baby was swaddled in hossy but even then she didn't like it much, she likes to have her arms out. Even now she sleeps like a starfish in the bed! It's amazing how much space a 6 month old can take up in a king size bed!

[LimeSlice]

Charlotte broke out of her swaddles from brith lol She HATES having her arms restrained, always has, and was also a tummy sleeper. As such, we swaddled her at night for the first week out of hospital, then only from the waist down. That lasted about 2 more weeks, then I used to lay the blanket over her and tuck it under her bassinette mattress so she was semi restrained that way.

But it was Perth in November, it was about 45 degrees every day for the forst month she was alive, so the notion of wrapping and indeed clothes was out the window most nights/days. For day sleeps she passed out wherever she was and lay like a squashed possum! rofl

It really is up to you and your baby - Charlotte hated being wrapped and consequently DID NOT sleep better like that. Being a tummy sleeper, I was also loathe to wrap her for her own safety.

Good luck! Im sure your baby will let you know what is effective and what she can handle, there is no hard and fast answers to your questions though.

HTH

[Jen27]

THANKS everyone for the replies. You have been very helpful. I've got a few swaddles ready (now I just need the baby! ha)