First night without a swaddle....

kenna_4 · January 2011

Okay, what are your thoughts on swaddleing?

We swaddle so that LO doesn't hit herself in the face and wake herself up, AND so she doesn't pull her nukie (soother) out...and wake herself up. So up until tonight we swaddle and we use a sleep positioner so she can't roll over.

At her 5 month check up today our doctor asked our bed time routine, I said bath, story, bottle, swaddle and LO is asleep in 5 minutes. She said that we should have stopped swaddeling after 1 month, WHY didn't she tell me that before!?

Tonight it took over an hour to get LO to sleep, when it normally takes 5 minutes if that. She kept pulling her nukie out, and after she finally got to sleep (after I rubbed her belly and sang to her) she has hit herself in the face at least 4 times that I can see on the monitor and woken herself up.

So what's so wrong with swaddleing? I really don't want LO to be upset every night, and I don't even want to think of how nap time is going to go tomorrow.

LilacStar11 · January 2011

Some people say that it impedes their development because a lot occurs at night.

We tried to stop cold turkey a few weeks ago and no one in the house slept. It got ugly. I ordered the magic sleepsuit which came in today and it really is magic. LO's hands are free yet she cant quite reach her binkie and definitely cant reach her face. It is pretty amazing - developed by a ped. physical therapist so I am sure that it is okay for them - developmentally.

Her naps have increased in length and I will see how tonight goes, but I would already recommend it!

Copernicus08 · January 2011

Funny that you post this. DS is 3 months and tonight he was fighting the swaddle so bad when we put him down so I took it off and he calmed down immediately and fell asleep faster than he ever has. We'll see if this works all night ... but I just went up to check on him and even though he lost his NUK, he was happily sucking his fists. Usually he'll sleep from 9:30P-2A and then wake up and cry because he lost his NUK. If he can suck his hands instead I'll be a happy camper. We'll see what happens.

RunningWife · January 2011

I'm right where you are,and DS is about the same age as your LO.

We've swaddles almost every night since he smokes himself in the face and has now mastered removing the paci, but can't yet put it back in (which royally pisses him off).

We tried not swaddling him last night, but after DH still being up with him wide awake at 2am, we gave in and swaddled him.

I know he can't be swaddled forever, but he sleeps so much better with it. *sigh*

juliane2004 · January 2011

BAH! Stop at 1 month?! NO WAY IN HE!!

We actually started swaddling DD at 3 months old, until 5.5 months.

islandlife · January 2011

kenna_4:
At her 5 month check up today our doctor asked our bed time routine, I said bath, story, bottle, swaddle and LO is asleep in 5 minutes. She said that we should have stopped swaddeling after 1 month, WHY didn't she tell me that before!?

My doctor told me that we should keep swaddling until our twins are able to roll from their backs to their tummies. If swaddling gives you a good night sleep, keep doing it.

juliane2004 · January 2011

islandlife:
keep swaddling until our twins are able to roll from their backs to their tummies. If swaddling gives you a good night sleep, keep doing it.

This is my plan.

aforst · January 2011

We swaddled DS1 until he could safely roll from back to tummy and then he slept on his tummy. I plan to do the same with DS2. Swaddling is the only way we get any sleep in our house. I might ask our pedi at his 4 month appt, but I don't remember it being an issue w/ DS1.