do you HAVE to swaddle your newborn?

TheJohns · February 2009

we swaddled him constantly up until we had to take him to the Dr. yesterday and we put him in a body suit onsie. He stayed in it all day and night and slept MUCH better and longer than before. He was constantly fighting the swaddle since it seems he likes his arms up above his head. Is it bad not to swaddle my 5 day old baby?

ali-1411 · February 2009

Of course not. Most newborns sleep better that way, but not all.

fxz109 · February 2009

You don't really *have* to do anything, if it's not working for you. ;-)

You can still swaddle w/o putting his arms in. We swaddle DD with her arms out b/c she likes them above her head, too. I think it keeps her warmer w/o blankets, and she sleeps better because she doesn't wake herself up by kicking her legs, but she's free to move her arms whereever she wants them.

megs042107 · February 2009

we almost NEVER swaddled C. ?he hated having his arms restricted and still does. ?i'll just swaddle his body and legs and leave his arms free. ?and he's always been a good sleeper.

fxz109 · February 2009

BTW, Congrats, and Landon is gorgeous!

craziheazo · February 2009

My daughter is a beast (still) without being swaddled, but my best friend's baby was never swaddled after leaving the hospital and she's just fine.

Do what works best for you baby!

mandyclaire579 · February 2009

No. We only swaddled to calm him down for a few minutes during his witching hour. He was rolling to his side at birth so I didn't want him in the swaddle. Plus, he really loves his hands so it didn't seem fair to take them away!

GirlieG · February 2009

When we brought DS home from the hospital, we swaddled him with his arms in for about 3 days. After that, they only way he tolerated being swaddled was wit his arms out. It gave him some freedom because he loved to have his hands touching the sheet, but it still gave him that sort of cozy feeling. We did this until he was about 8 weeks old.

NicholeeK · February 2009

Not bad at all. ?Sometimes we swaddle, sometimes we don't. ?DS will like it one nap and not the next. ?He seems to sleep fine either way.

JARbaby · February 2009

My first LOVED the Miracle Blanket in a tight swaddle.

My second likes the arms out swaddle, the Swaddle Me is good for this.

LaurenL1976 · February 2009

My DD did not go to bed swaddled. She truly didn't like it, and lots of people told me to force the swaddle.

She slept fine unswaddled and in a sleep sack.

noimnotmarried · February 2009

you don't have to....a sleep sack is a good alternative, as i'm sure it goes without saying that you can't cover babies w/ a blanket b/c it is a SIDS risk.