Swaddling: Arms out or down and in?

buggy7 · February 2013

With my son, I swaddled his arms tightly down by his side. Just had another baby and at the hospital, the nurses swaddled her arms up and out. Haven't really found this to be effective. What have you been doing?

g8trkim · February 2013

The hospital swaddled both kids arms down and so have we, but I've heard from girls on here that some hospitals are now recommending arms out.

Rosebean · February 2013

We swaddle arms out. He likes having access to his hands.

beachbum482 · February 2013

I leave one arm out when swaddling for naps and wrap him up nice and tight with both arms in at night so he's snug and sleeps a little longer!

lkm2006 · February 2013

I think it's very new, but I have heard the recommendation is to do arms out. That startle reflex might be a pain, but a nurse told me it could wake baby up in an emergency (I guess if they stop breathing or get into a too deep sleep).

BLPL101 · February 2013

They did arms out when we were at the hospital. DD doesn't like being swaddled arms in so we do arms out.

JuliaBug · February 2013

At the hospital, we swaddled her with her arms down. Within a few days of bringing her home, she started to fight to get her arms out, so now we just wrap her body to keep her warm.

ungraceful13 · February 2013

Arms in bc DD can't sleep if her arms are out.

reyorra · February 2013

The nurse told us that girls want to have their hands free, but boys need the security of being completely wrapped. However, we put our daughter to sleep with arms wrapped. She tends to break out over night, but not every time.

kleigh926 · February 2013

JuliaBug:
At the hospital, we swaddled her with her arms down. Within a few days of bringing her home, she started to fight to get her arms out, so now we just wrap her body to keep her warm.

This is us too. DD always wants to have her arms out.