Intro and ? abt swaddling/5-pt. harnesses

Allie30

Hi, guys! I'm Allie and I'm not quite 0-3 yet -- I'm due Thursday but baby shows no inclination to arrive yet!

Anyway, I've been reading "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and my friends and mom all highly recommend swaddling -- but I'm confused. How can you swaddle a baby and then put her in a 5 point harness like in a car seat, baby swing, bouncer, Fisher Price Rock n Play....

The fifth part of the harness goes between her legs. Is there a legs-free swaddle I'm unaware of? The Happiest Baby book is all, "swaddle your baby and put them in a baby swing" but is a little vague on the "how" of that.

Any tips from swaddling veterans?

LadyBugMom2010

The kiddopotamus swaddle has a hole for the between the leg strap to go through.  But I don't actually put her in the swing - I swaddle her and then hold her close to me with her stomach facing me and rock her and ssshhh in her ear - it works every time.

Dreamsicle23

The only thing I use the straps on is the car seat.  I used to swaddle him and plop him in the swing without the straps.  When they're that tiny they're not going anywhere...just don't leave them unattended.

CodyGH

I don't use an actual swaddler when putting DS in anything with a 5 point harness.  I use a receiving blanket, fold it in half, pull it across DS and tuck it underneath him, then wrap the remaining portion of blanket tightly around him and tuck it in the front to hold it.  His legs will be free since the blanket it open at the bottom.  Then I strap him.  HTH

monkeyqueen

Regarding the carseat:  Nothing should go between the baby and the carseat and the carseat harness should not be thread through anything.    So -  don't worry about swaddling in the carseat.

 

Kaidee0710

we use Aden and Anais blankets to swaddle and we leave her legs out. We dont strap her into her RNP because she sleeps in this and she sinks pretty far in there and shes not real squirmy so i think shes fine not strapped in. And I dont strap her in her swing yet either. She is usually on in this when shes napping or really tired, so once again she doesnt move around much... she turns her head moves her legs a bit but nothing that worries me that she would fall out. We have the FisherPrice Cradle and Swing so its pretty deep too when laying back. As far as the carseat i havent tried it but like PP said theres on whole in the "swaddle Me" blankets for the leg part to go thru. I would use that if she ever needed to be swaddled while in the car seat but usually if were out and shes in the carseat and just wants to be wrapped up i tuck a blanket real tight around her, i kinda tuck it under her and its like shes swaddled LOL. I also highly recommend swaddling... we stopped doing it at night and then went back to it and she slept thru the night and has since 5 weeks old. Shes about 2 1/2 months now.

Violet_McPurpleson

Dreamsicle23:

The only thing I use the straps on is the car seat.  I used to swaddle him and plop him in the swing without the straps.  When they're that tiny they're not going anywhere...just don't leave them unattended.

Me too. He's asleep in the RNP right now fully swaddled.

LCB34

Dreamsicle23:

The only thing I use the straps on is the car seat.  I used to swaddle him and plop him in the swing without the straps.  When they're that tiny they're not going anywhere...just don't leave them unattended.

We do this too.

FWIW, you shouldn't swaddle your baby before putting them in the car seat as nothing should be between the baby and the seat.  (I guess the only time it would be OK is if your baby is sleeping in their car seat in the house.)

juliane2004

I only used straps on the carseat. DD didnt move while swaddled as a newborn. No need for straps, IMO.

Allie30

Thanks so much for all the advice guys. I am still a bit confused about the car seat thing, though. I can't understand how, say, a muslin swaddling blanket is any thicker than a baby's clothing -- things like clothes DO go between the baby and the car seat straps -- and there are times that you use the car seat without the car, too.