To swaddle or not to swaddle?

ksteeb611 · May 2012

I've heard many different view on this? Why did you decide to or not decide to? Is it better for cool weather babies or does it not matter? Ours will be an Oct/Nov baby. Personally, I'm claustrophobic, so I wouldn't like it, but to each his own...

kpoloka · May 2012

Swaddle. My baby girl loves to be swaddled. I only do it at night now because she is sleeping during the day without it. At night she may twitch and send a leg or arm astray, startling her. That will wake her up. My baby girl was 36 weeks and very small so that might be a difference.

missyb1215 · May 2012

We swaddle for sure at night!! I have started swaddling once a day for nap time to get a better nap. When he's not swaddled, he only sleeps for 45-1.5 hours.

When he's not swaddled, he flails his arms and wakes himself up.

juliane2004 · May 2012

We absolutely swaddle until about 5-6 months old. This is the technique we use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K4VdZxwsu4

lindy27 · May 2012

We have swaddled at night only so far and it has worked great. She slept for 5 hours straight 2 days in a row now (at doctor's approval)!

krispy83 · May 2012

We swaddle DS at night and did for naps as well for the first month. He sleeps much better swaddled. Now, if I lay him down unswaddled for a nap, he usually startles and wakes up within about 20 minutes whereas at night he'll sleep at least 4 hours and sometimes closer to 6. We'll continue to swaddle until 4-5 months.

As far as weather, he was born in February, so obviously it was colder then - we dressed him in a sleeper and then swaddled. Now, as it's warming up quite a bit, I'll dress him in a onesie and then swaddle him so that he doesn't get too warm.

PickyNikki · May 2012

We use the Woombie at night. She sleeps well in it. We use a Swaddle Me during the day for naps. Sometimes she gets her arms out of the Swaddle Me. Once her arms are out and flailing, it wakes her up.

laurack · May 2012

We definitely swaddle and have from day one. We use a blanket during the day and at night a halo swaddle sack(i am too worried about blankets coming undone when I am sleeping). When she falls asleep during the day without swaddling, she will not sleep long as she startles awake easily, arms flailing and whatnot.

If she is in the carseat (in the car or a snap n go) she can sleep a long time there too, probably because it is so snug fitting. Also when I am wearing her in the ergo she sleeps well, which is again similar to swaddling.

laurack · May 2012

oh and while you wouldn't like it, that doesn't matter - babies spent 9 months in the womb being all snug and not having much room to move, especially towards the end. When they come out, the world can be an overwhelming place, and swaddling can help re-create that womb experience and make them feel comforted.

Luvmy2sons · May 2012

My hospital said no, and if you do, arms out (or one arm out). I swaddle the lower half of DD. At night we use a swaddle me, but I wrap the arm part under her arms. She seems to really like it.

Maizey317 · May 2012

Definitely swaddle...its the only way we can really get DS to settle down at night and for naps. We have 2 swaddlemes and he loves being wrapped up like a little burrito!

mertense · May 2012

I swaddled DD as she loved it and couldn't sleep without being swaddled. DS on the other hand hastes to be swaddled. He would rather has his hands free and close to his face. So I would say it depends on the baby...so it is kinda a wait and see thing. I like having the swaddle mes and I use them on DS just swaddled below his arms.

mommybrynn · May 2012

We have never swaddled DS. DD loved it and we swaddled her for the first 4 months or so, but DS broke out of even the best swaddles or would cry if you managed to get him to stay in it, so we just never swaddled him. He is STTN so I don't think not swaddling him affected his sleep or anything. We put him in a wearable blanket and he stretches out and snoozes!

redhotchili83 · May 2012

We use woombies. My twins were HUGE (15lbs combined) and used to being really squished in utero, so they still love being swaddled now.

greeneyed_bride · May 2012

You may be claustrophobic, but your baby definitely is not. He/she is currently in a very small space that will get tighter as baby gets bigger! We didn't swaddle at first because I didn't think he needed it, but he wasn't sleeping for very long stretches at night (typically only two hours at a time.) The first time we swaddled, he slept for four hours. Babies are used to their limbs being confined, and having their arms and legs free can actually be distressing for them when they're trying to sleep, because their arms flail if they get startled or move.

We have several SwaddleMes, and I felt really bad the first few times I put them on DS, because they kind of look like straitjackets for babies. However, DS would typically calm down as soon as he was swaddled, so it clearly wasn't bothering him. In fact, a few days ago, he was super fussy during the day, and I couldn't get him to calm down. Finally I swaddled him, and the second I velcroed it, he gave me a huge smile and stopped fussing. The tightness makes them feel secure like they're in the womb again.

The directions on the SwaddleMes say to dress them in light clothes under the swaddle and have the room at a temperature comfortable for a lightly dressed adult. We kind of adjust what he wears under the swaddle to what the temperature is like. On cold nights, we put him in flannel/fleece pajamas under the swaddle. On warm nights, we just put him in a onesie.

sunnyday016 · May 2012

Swaddle, no question for us. He's a restless maniac without it. He'll literally sleep only 30 minute stretches max unswaddled. Swaddled he will nap for hours and sleep very long stretches at night. I cannot imagine how insane with sleep deprivation I would be without it!

I'm in MI, so it's chilly here at night. We usually swaddle him with a long sleeve onesie & socks.

manda326 · May 2012

We do not swaddle. She would toss and turn trying to get her arms free. She sleeps better without it.

beth2882 · May 2012

We don't swaddle. Really no reason why we don't. We did in the hospital, then for some reason we never did when we got home. Since she had no troubles sleeping, we never bothered.

Soon2baLittle · May 2012

Our LO is 10 days old and has to be swaddled in order to sleep. I let LO have his arms loose for feeding to give him a break, but he won't settle down to sleep unless snuggled up. We found the swaddle me blanket to be a lifesaver. It's fleece, but so far he has not overheated or sweated from it. Also, I would check out Happiest Baby on the Block if you haven't already.

Kafo25 · May 2012

We swaddle DS at night due to his tendency to startle himself awake. Works for us!

Netty_3 · May 2012

Swaddle. IT makes LO feel safe and comfortable. He/she just came from a place where he/she was cozy and safe all tight. IT gives them a sense of security.

krisgrl · May 2012

Babies tend to have very jerky reflexes in the beginning. It's natures way of learning protection and hand eye coordination. This I why swaddling is used. But some babies will jerk themselves right out of it. So don't be disheartened if yours doesn't like it.