Swaddle dilemma!

[MummaSue]

Ok, so missy gets over to sleep better swaddled. But I'm finding that she actually stays asleep better unswaddled. She's gotten out of her swaddle a few times over the past week and I have found that she sleeps for really long spells overnight unwrapped!
We have a woombie for her which was great the first couple of weeks but she doesn't really like it any more, plus she totally works her hands out of it anyway! And she ends up sucking on her hands through the material and the noise of it drives me batty!

Same goes for generally being wrapped - she fussed before but now it's like a real battle and I don't want her sleep times to be stressful for her.

Do you think she is telling me enough is enough?

Sue xx

[ss_storm]

I'd try not swaddling her, if it works then great, if not then you'll know maybe she's not quite ready! Or if she is really hard to get her to go to sleep unwrapped could you wrap her like normal then once she is asleep unwrap/loosen the wrap a little bit? Or have you tried her in a grobag/sleeping bag? That way you know they will stay warm and still have a snuggly feeling but it's not quite as tight as being wrapped.

[con:)]

Hi! I have just gone through the same thing MummaSue! I have given up trying to swaddle her now...she likes to suck on her fingers. Try ss_storms suggestions...it's all about trial and error! You will eventually find what suits her.

[Shanti]

They get very strong around your DD's age!! Our DD was only swaddled until 11 weeks when she kept getting out of them and then getting tangled in them, we stopped bc it wasn't safe anymore! (she could even get out of the miracle blankets!!)but she's a houdini She still had the startle reflex quite strong at that age but she got used to sleeping in a sleeping bag instead soon after anyway.

Sounds like she might have had enough. Good luck!

[MummaSue]

Thanks guys. She is having a nap just now - wrapped.

I have unwrapped her a few times when she is asleep with varying success - sometimes she wakes when I am doing it - which we don't want! Other times she has gone on to sleep really well.

Hmmm, am thinking of getting a Grobag so will see how we go with that. But with the Brissy summer coming up I don't want her overheating!!

Thanks guys.
Sue x

[ladybirdflies]

Hi, I have a baby the same age. We swaddle her in a cot sheet with a deep fold along the top so she can still move easily, but she loves being wrapped. I am starting to wean her off the wrap by wrapping in one arm only and then after a few weeks you leave both out and wrap from their armpits down. Sort of like a sleeping bag, but a snug fit and in summer if she still likes it, you can use muslin. Saves buying a sleeping bag till next winter...

[human bean]

I could have sworn DD preferred being swaddled, as every time she fought her way out she would end up wide awake and not settle. But swaddling become a real PITA and she just kept breaking free (hmmm think I was missing the signs much?! ha ha) So I thought right, I'm going to go through a week of unsettled and broken sleeps but leave her unwrapped in a sleeping bag and just put up with it until she's used to it. Little monkey slept through the first 4 nights in a row without so much as a peep! We now just sleep using bags (you can get different tog/material weights according to the temp) and the finger sucking has died down too. It's so much easier now she's not swaddled, although the magical sleeping right through didn't continue, she's sleeping pretty well.

Looking back I think the battle to get her hands out was what was waking her more than having her hands out. She's so active though I have to tuck in a light sheet over the bag, under her armpits, to keep her in one spot or she wakes easily and ends up partying all over the cot. Also you might decide to swadde for day sleeps and not night sleeps, whatever works, good luck!

[~me~]

Hmmm, am thinking of getting a Grobag so will see how we go with that. But with the Brissy summer coming up I don't want her overheating!!

You can ger various Tog's of these. I had one for DD over our Melbourne summer that we just had and she just wore very light PJ's underneath.
My DD is a finger and material sucker so the swaddle never worked for us with her for from around 6-8wks.
After a feed she either pulls up her top to her mouth and put's her fingers in also then when I put her in the gro bag she then pulls at that to put up into her mouth
Sleeps well though.

[MummaSue]

Human Bean, I agree - it's the battle to get herself out of the swaddle and her woombie that is waking her. Might just wrap her in the day time and try leaving her be at night. Tonight will try that. EEKK!

I've also noticed that she likes to lie on her side too - one night last week she got out of her wrap and snuggled onto her side and slept for 6 hours straight!!!!! Kind of makes me uncomfortable her doing that though so I rolled her back onto her back - my boobs woke me up that night before she did!!

Thanks
Sue x