When's a baby too old to be swaddled and to use a dummy?

[Dirtyyurty]

My DD is 9 weeks old and during the first 6 weeks we were establishing breastfeeding and i never gave her a dummy (worries about nipple confusion) nor did I try to swaddle her. Now though I wish I had introduced both as she often wakes herself up with her flailing arms and legs, has troubles settling at night and in the middle of the night without going on the breast to suck(not just feed)- which leaves me with v. sore nipples. Is it too late to bother trying with either or should i ride the course until she outgrows those newborn reflexes? Oh, we're co-sleeping as well.

I'm trying to follow the Baby Whisperer who recommends both of these practices to help establish good sleep.

Thanx!

[thislittlelightofmine]

We followed baby whisperer and the dummy and swaddling worked great for us. Though TBH oce she got to about 11weeks we stopped swaddling as she didn't need it as much and we switched to grobags. As far as I know its fine to still swaddle at that age though.

She is now (14 wks old) totally addicted to her dummy though so only give it if you are happy for her to become dependent on it. We thought that dummy+sleep is a better combination than no dummy+ no sleep, though I know at some point we may have a battle to get rid of it. Maybe try her with it, she may not even take it.
For us, its part of the nap/bed routine so after having had it for a long time she now associates it with bed (doesn't get it at other times) and sleep and it really helps her to nod off. Its my way of telling her its time to go to sleep.

[ChopsTheDuck]

give swaddling a go, and see if it helps.

I think you would have a job introducing a dummy at this stage, ime they either take them early or nto at all, but she may like being swaddled. My dts were swaddled until about 5 mnths, they loved it.

[Dirtyyurty]

Thanks for that, thislittlelight and chops, will try swaddling. as for dummies, the Baby whisperer recommen ds getting a dummy that resembles 'your own nipple' however thats the biggest laugh- none of them look like any real nipple let alone mine!!

[thislittlelightofmine]

We use the MAM ones, we tried the Tommee Tippee closer to nature ones and she was having none of it! But no, thankfully my boob doesn't look like any of them!!

[theowlwhowasafraidofthedark]

Hi
Didn't start swaddling dd until about that age, but it still worked really well. I was really worried about stopping it, but it happened naturally at around 5 months.
Good luck!

[logrrl]

we started swaddling at birth and then stopped (I thought he should have his hands to express himself ) and then started again (desperation!), at about 6 weeks. No issues and my DH thinks its what's helped our DS sleep much better (with shhh pat) in his cot. Tried the dummy this week (almost 9weeks old now). Not interested at all. Spits it out. I'm secretly pleased ...
BW shh pat has really helped us (and DS!), but I've just used it as guidance and don't follow it religiously.