Swaddling and self soothe... Please help! Advice...

raskind17

So my pedi said she swaddled her kids until they were 6 months. Well I need to go see a physical therapist for LO (slight flight head) and when I was talking to her on the phone she said that swaddling was horrible because it doesn't allow LO to self soothe. It is too restricting. Now it has me thinking.

We are doing a little of CIO, only a few minutes, not full CIO. I was leaving one of LO's hands out so I can try and transition him to sleep with out the swaddle.I know that he will suck on his hand to soothe himself and help fall asleep. I think the truth is, he sleeps better being completely swaddled. But now I feel bad having both hands in.

So when are you swaddling until? What is your view on swaddling and self soothing?

Thanks!! Sorry so long!

FirstBabyMomma

I am not going to comment on CIO/not CIO, but as for swaddling, we are transitioning her from her swaddle as I type this. She is in her crib in a long-sleeved sleepsack, and I am not optimistic about the amount of sleep I will be getting tonight! However, we're not switching her because we are worried about swaddling, we are just doing it because she struggles so hard against the swaddle that she wakes herself up. As for self-soothing...hopefully that will come, because she stinks at it now!

uluvfranke

We use the magic sleep suit. I have noticed that DD will start to self soothe by opening and closing her hand.She also just moves her hands around.She sleeps very well in it.

CelticWife

I agree with the physical therapist. I don't see how LO can learn to self soothe if you wrap them up. The idea is for them to put themselves to sleep without your intervention. But then, that is just my personal opinion.

We tried swaddling both DS and DD, but neither of them would sleep that way. So after the first week, we gave up. 

LilLee11

We still swaddle but with one arm out. LO can self soothe just fine...with her left hand

cros8380

I don't know if there is a right or wrong, just a "whatever works for your lo" in this situation. We swaddle DD for every sleep. There are some nights when she wakes up in the middle of the night, coos and giggles to herslef, but within 10 minutes is asleep again. On the nights when she doesn't go back to sleep, I go in to check on her and in every situation she has come out of the swaddle. I take that as she is more comfy in the swaddle than out. She has, however, just started sucking on her hands, so I assume at some point when she is ready to no longer be swaddled, she may use that as a self-soothing mechanism. Right now though, I still feel that she sleeps better swaddled. Over the next month or two I may try swaddling her with one hand out and see if that makes a difference and go from there.

danjou21

I think it really depends on the baby.  DS has always been a terrible sleeper, but he kept waking himself up breaking out of the swaddle lately.  We decided to just ditch the swaddle cold turkey, and he's doing pretty well.  It took a few nights for him to get use to his freedom, but overall I think he is happier.  I am amazed by how much he moves in his sleep! 

smitt2619

I think swaddling is good and helpful for those first few months (4th trimester).  But once LO can roll or breaks loose, it's time to stop swaddling.  And not swaddling does give LO an opportunity to learn to self-soothe.  We quit at 4 months and switched him to a Halo Sleepsack.  He was still snug and warm, but the wearable blanket is not tight and his arms are out.  And since then he lays in his own preferred position, usually on his side or tummy (I lay him on his back and he tends to roll over).  I definitely do not think that swaddling is horrible, but 4 months is a good age to stop.