How long should I swaddle my baby?

[jogami]

I've always swaddled DS before bedtime as I just feel less paranoid that he is where I put him! However, lately he's wriggling more so I tried a night or 2 without swaddling and he landed up on the other side of his cot quite scew (IYKWIM!). He usually wakes up at 3ish for a feed. Last night I swaddled him again and he only woke up at 5.30am. Sometimes he tries to wriggle out of his swaddle tho and cries and other times he seems ok with it. I'm just scared he wriggles himself under a blanket and can't breathe!!!

I wish I could swaddle him forever! For some reason I feel better when he is swaddled!

Please advise xxx

 

[BethK]

We swaddled until just over 5 months.

We stopped due to LO not reaching out for things, would keep her arms to her side when on her back on her mat and we thought the swaddle was slowing her development. Just our opinion.

Also we couldn't find a swaddle wrap for 6 months plus so wanted her in a sleeping bag.

If you put your LO in a sleeping bag then you don't have to worry about the blankets.

 

[littlestar85]

I'm exactly the same, I feel safer knowing he stays put! Before I started swaddling he'd end up sideways at the top of the cot and wake up cold after about 1 hour. Now he stays asleep for 9 hours at night, swaddled in the exact spot I put him in. He's started breaking free a lil bit recently, I'll often find him with his left hand up by his face but it doesn't seem to disturb him. Planning on trying a night without when he's about 5-6 months as apparently the moro reflex has gone by then so they don't wake themselves up with flailing hands...

 

[jogami]

We swaddled until just over 5 months.

We stopped due to LO not reaching out for things, would keep her arms to her side when on her back on her mat and we thought the swaddle was slowing her development. Just our opinion.

Also we couldn't find a swaddle wrap for 6 months plus so wanted her in a sleeping bag.

If you put your LO in a sleeping bag then you don't have to worry about the blankets.

I swaddle him with his hands in a "praying" fashion so he's hands are on either side of his face. This way if he needs to get out he can. Always done it this way. He was happy until just recently, now he wants his legs free too sometimes! LOL

Sleeping bag sounds brilliant! Not sure if we have something like that in South Africa, but I'll defo have a look, thanks

 

[aliss]

I still do But with 1 arm out since 5 months

 

[RainbowDrop_x]

We still do.

We use the woombie deluxe 6 months plus which goes to 25lb..It's a stretchy material so she still has the room to move about but not to the point where it would disturb her sleep. (She won't sleep without her dummy but if she has her arms out she wont stop taking it out of her mouth thus meaning she doesn't sleep )

https://www.thewoombie.com/the_deluxe_woombie.html

HTH

 

[LesleyP]

I stopped swaddling Lily-May about a month ago. She'd just wriggle out of the blanket so decided it'd be easier to try and get her to sleep without it. At first she would end up at the other side of the cot from all the fidgeting but she's got used to it now.

 

[dreamwarrior]

we stopped swaddling at 4 wks because she would pull herself out and the towel would end up covering her face. sometimes we'll swaddle for a few mins but she typicaly hates it.

 

[charli87]

we still do and think we will be for some time still. we tried Chloe in a sleeping bag and she woke up twice during the night. yet in the swaddle she'll easily sleep 10hrs straight. we will keep trying her once a week in the sleeping bag until it starts to improve.