Bedtime panicmode? (LO, not us)

mellydawn84

We've been pretty good with our bedtime routine for the past few weeks (not bragging, its not always good) but LO seems to just get completely panicky when he gets his bedtime diaper change and swaddle.

Our routine is like this: 11:30 start getting things ready for bed, bringing everything into our bedroom for LO during the night (my pump, his meds, brush teeth etc). 12ish we wheel him in in his bassinet, and I start BFing. Once he's mostly satisfied, pulls off on his own but I can tell he's not quite done, DH changes his diaper and attempts to swaddle. I say attempts because Elliott freaks out at this point! He grunts and kicks and punches like he's being attacked. Once he's Finally swaddled, takes about 10 minutes with the diaper, I finish BFing him and put him down. 

Now, does anyone else's LO have panic attacks with the swaddle or diaper change? DH made me think he has anxiety and now I have anxiety thinking he might... 

2BlackCats

Abby hates her arms being confined.  She likes to suck on her thumb/hands as a way to pacify/comfort herself.  Also, the nurses at the hospital had advised us to not swaddle the baby's arms since it is the first sign that they are choking when they wave their arms in the air frantically.  They had her in a burrito-like swaddle with her arms free.

Around 3 weeks old, she stopped sleeping at night and was waking every hour.  Out of desperation, I tried a full swaddle.  Oddly enough, it worked. 

Now, as part of her night routine, I put her in the swaddle-me blanket but don't confine her arms (like a burrito) before her last bottle.  Once she burbs/falls asleep, I than finish the swaddle and she will sleep for about 4 to 5 hours until her next bottle.  If I try to swaddle her completely and she's not fully alseep, she will freak out and fight me also.

McAllie5

DS did fine with the swaddle in the hospital, but the first night we got home he wasn't sleeping well. It was like you said - he wanted to move his limbs. We tried without the swaddle, and after a few nights he slept much better. If I was even a little unsuccessful burping him or if he's too awake, he'll kick around, but most of the time he's great without. 

For bedtime I put him in footed sleepers (otherwise he kicks off his socks) and for naptimes he's in whatever onesie he's wearing with a light blanket tucked around him at his middle. This is what worked best for us. 

HTH! 

alliejoe

Ben freaks out when we change his diaper.  It's rare that he'll just let us change it, regardless of the time of day.  Once he realizes you're done and he's not naked anymore he totally calms down.

Callidryas

Emily doesn't like the first few minutes of being swaddled either, but she sleeps hours instead of minutes at a time.  I do cuddle for a few minutes with her to get her relaxed after she is wrapped.  Also, she likes/handles a blanket swaddle better than the SwadleMe

elisbu

Callidryas:

Emily doesn't like the first few minutes of being swaddled either, but she sleeps hours instead of minutes at a time.  I do cuddle for a few minutes with her to get her relaxed after she is wrapped.  Also, she likes/handles a blanket swaddle better than the SwadleMe

This!