Silly Swaddling Question

Michellelasenburg

My daughter is 2 1/2 weeks old. She hasn't been swaddled since we left the hospital because she didn't seem to like it at home. Now I'm thinking about trying it again because she doesn't sleep so well at night. Is it going to completely throw her off to swaddle her now that she's used to having her hands free? Anyone had a similar experience?

Dixon813

We've swaddled DS every night (9 days) and he too loves his hands free so most nights we come in to change/feed and he's managed to get one arm free...

Good luck!

deidremaria

My son is only 5 days old but last night was the first night I successfully swaddled him and he seemed to sleep better.

AcaAwkward

DS loves the swaddle but only if it's loose enough that he can get to his hands. I use muslin blankets instead of the pods with zippers or Velcro for this reason.

deidremaria

jellysparkles said:

DD likes the swaddle, but only if her arms are free. Kind of defeats the intended purpose, but I think some babies just like that warm hug feeling as opposed to the security straitjacket feeling.

This. My little guy always manages to get his arms out but he still seems to like the swaddle.

babybarnes87

AcaAwkward said:

DS loves the swaddle but only if it's loose enough that he can get to his hands. I use muslin blankets instead of the pods with zippers or Velcro for this reason.

This! We have other swaddle options, but the muslin blankets are our favorite option, and it's easy.

deidremaria

AcaAwkward said:

DS loves the swaddle but only if it's loose enough that he can get to his hands. I use muslin blankets instead of the pods with zippers or Velcro for this reason.

I use one with Velcro that's slightly bigger than him that way he can have his arms if he likes but it still stays on the res of his body

haziedaze

I don't think you're going to do any damage by giving it a try. We never did it with DS1 because developmentally I wanted him to have access to his hand and felt "bad" doing it. STM hindsight and we've been doing it with a bamboo A+A blanket after every feed at night and sometimes during the day with DS2. It may be a coincidence but we're getting much more sleep this time around! I find that LO protest when I first swaddle so I let him nurse unswaddled, then do burp, diaper, swaddle and let him nurse some more to settle afterwards.

nursewinnie

My LO sleeps swaddled so much more soundly. Without the swaddle, she wakes herself up with her arms. With the swaddle, she sleeps 4-5 hours at a time during the night. I try not to swaddle during the day though.

snmetz7

We use the swaddlers halo sleep sack. It's Velcro so it's nice and tight and she manages to get her hands free anyway. But sleeps much better In the ss then without.

strawberrytree

My little guy likes to have his hands free as well. Even when he is in his Velcro sleep sack he manages to work them loose. 

joules40

I just got the miracle blanket as a gift, along with the zen swaddle. I don't know if they really work or if its just a coincidence but we've had 2 consecutive nights if him actually sleeping before 3 am. Hes almost 5 weeks. The swaddles are expensive but do worth the happier mood I am in.

(P.s. is it okay to swaddle both day and night? Usually when he is up during the day he is so fussy unless I swaddle him or wear him)

joules40

Oh I also thought my baby didn't like to be swaddled too but then I gave it another try at three weeks. I think honestly I wasn't making the swaddle tight enough. He's ok going from hands free to straight jacket.

heids4787

jellysparkles said:

DD likes the swaddle, but only if her arms are free. Kind of defeats the intended purpose, but I think some babies just like that warm hug feeling as opposed to the security straitjacket feeling.

This, exactly! Since her hand mittens are still too big for her, I recently found that infant socks work really well to prevent her from scratching her face in the night.

ModishMom

We used the escape proof swaddle with LO #1.  Video here.  Keeps the arms in.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K4VdZxwsu4

Uses any two blankets.  I use an A&A along with a flannel receiving blanket. 

MissWhis

Apparently a lot of babies who hate to be swaddled just aren't being swaddled tight enough. We thought our daughter (4 weeks old today, but today is also her due date) hated not having her hands free, too, but tried swaddling again this week with a much more snug wrap and she likes it. We just make sure to get that blanket TIGHT. We had it way looser before and she'd grunt and struggle until she got her arms free. Now she just lays there like a little content baby burrito nugget.

As far as what to swaddle with, I can't get the Halo swaddle sleep sacks tight enough. We are using the A+A muslin blankets now and they work much better. Watch the Happiest Baby on the Block DVD for a great swaddling tutorial.

beautifulstr13

The miracle blanket is the only one she can't break out of. She seems to sleep longer swaddled. During the day we just swaddle with a receiving blanket. It never hurts to try it.