Swaddling v Sleep Bags for 5 month old????

[Jessie0612]

My LO is 5 months and has always been swaddled to sleep,
He's been going to bed at 8pm waking at 2am and again at 5-6am for bottles but usually goes back down no problem at all.
My HV Said that I should start letting him sleep without the swaddle as he needs to get used to having his arms free, but I've tried over the past 2 nights and as a result both me, OH and LO have been up nearly ALL the night!! He keeps waking himself up every half hr or so startling in his sleep!

What do you think I should do, go back to swaddling or not??
I am at a bit of a loss, I dont want to go against the HV but we all really need some sleep??!!!

 

[KatelynsMummy]

I would keep swaddling, your LO will let you know when he doesn't want to be swaddled anymore

 

[purplepower]

You could try with one arm out.

 

[captainj1]

I would keep swaddling, your LO will let you know when he doesn't want to be swaddled anymore

I totally agree. LO was swaddled until last week when he started getting really grumpy as soon as he woke. We decided to try him without it and he was fine, I could see him stretching and waking up far more gradually; it was obviously the right time for him to come out of the swaddle. We had tried to wean him off it 6 weeks before but he woke a dozen times the first night so we put him right back in the swaddle the next night and he went back to sleeping through 8 til 7am, which is what he does now unswaddled.

So he was swaddled until just under 7 months and he has had no problems at all with his development. He was rolling at 3 months, sitting unaided at 5 months and has really good hand control. We spoke to his paediatrician about it a few months ago and he said that it is probably because he is so active that he needs swaddling, and there is nothing to worry about in terms of preventing development.

Final point - we moved from a conventional arms down swaddle to a woombie at about 5 months and found it to be a great transitional swaddle. He could move his arms around and even get the up to his face if he really tried, through the material. But it was enough to stop his startling from waking him up. We tried it after a recommendation from someone on here.

 

[Jessie0612]

Thanks! I have swaddled him up and put him down and all seems good so far,
Thanks - all due respect but sometimes I wonder exactly what HVs are thinking! As if being a parent isnt worrying enough!

 

[Jessie0612]

Ooh I've never heard of a woombie before, will definitely look at it tho! Thanks!

 

[xSophieBx]

I'd say sleeping bag.. Only cos Lily got into a really good routine.. she knows as soon as she goes in her sleeping bag its bed time and shes slept thru since 9weeks! U won't be able to swaddle him forever, specially with the warm weather. It may take a week worths of sleepless nights but will b better in the long run when he gets used to it xx