To gaffa tape my baby in the swaddle?

[whysoglum]

Baby 3months... refuses to sleep unswaddled yet refuses to stay swaddled.

Have tried every single sheet/wrap/grobag/swaddleme/zip swaddles. Baby can escape and wakes now every hour.

Sleep deprived and eye-balling tape. Dp sleeps through any crying, I'm exhausted and have no time through day to eat never mind anything else, which means breastfeeding even more exhausting/am becoming underweight.
Dp thinks just leave baby unswaddled and goes to bed leaving me to try and calm/reswaddle.
So depressed.

(note. not actually going to tape baby, but tempted in the middle of the night.)

Do not want to read and run, soo just letting you know that I know exactly how you feel. Tried a dozen things when ds (nearly 4) was a baby: the miracle swaddling contraptions from mothercare were fab and worked we until ds outgrew them. I'm pretty sure they did a 3 month one.. have you tried them? After those became too small I swaddled tightly in a sheet fastened with a bit of velcro that I sewed on myself. Ds still got out of it once a night and I had to reswaddle. At 8months transitioned to a peke moe and from there to a sleeping bag.

Hi have you tried the Harvey Karp swaddle technique? Worked for my 2 little Houdini's! We used a 'bigmuz' and it always worked a treat! Good luck!

We used a swaddle pod which just zipped up. Although she has outgrown the newborn one and we need the next size.

DD was the kicking, turning round, bloody escapologist of my nightmares. They grow out of it (a bit).

:) thanks for ideas.
Zip up are no good as baby manages to strain and poke fingers out the top. Who knows how! Baby just flings around trying to escape.
Have now wrapped a muslin around the back of baby's arms and under a bit like a shrug, then swaddleme on top to try and stop those little arms.

I've never seen anything like it. This child is relentless. :)

We used this this
Ds hated being swaddled with a passion and always escaped, but slept very happily in a hammock till 5 months. Might not be worth it if yours is 3 months, but if it gets you some sleep?

I'm here with an escaped baby now. I know your pain!

Oh Binky I hope you manage some sleep. This shrug style wrapping appears to be keeping tiny arms from flapping so far. I just feel like such a failure with this ones sleep. Barely naps without hysterics through the day and just as I was thinking nights were better with 3-4hr stretches, baby starts unswaddling again. I thought the velcro ones would contain but apparently not.

Fingers crossed for outgrowing this hyperactivity :)

These worked for my escape artist. Fantastic product.

www.cheekyrascals.co.uk/1597/buy-now

Yes I own a few variations of that, baby hates them and rolls around the bed.

I just hope it is just a brief stage

DH needs to step up. What will happen if you pass out because of exhaustion / lack of food from bf'ing ?

Swaddling at 3 months is probably a bit meh now. Baby's brain will be too active, hence the thrashing about and escaping. It's now about finding other comforts to help him sleep.

Does he want to be close to you? Does he sleep on you? Could you put an item of your clothing in his cot/basket so he can smell scent? Is co sleeping an option, so that you 'swaddle' him (I use to cacoon dd under my arm and she'd not move most of the night except to find my boob)

This too shall pass then it'll be something else

I've referred to 'he' but it maybe a girl as you've said baby. Sorry

It's really important to look after yourself so you need to find whatever way you can to get your meals in, baby may cry but you'll do it no favours if your not well fed. It's tough stuff for sure and I've felt like the worst parent in the world looking at dd bawling the place down while I choke down a quick sandwich, the tv here was my friend and now I get about 15 minutes to digest lunch and sometimes even a whole brew (thank you Peppa Pig)

There is nothing selfish about taking care of yourself, a few minutes of tense respite to eat is better than flaking out. Baby may be your first priority but it's in babies interest that you are in the best shape to service the relentless demands.

Keep spinning the plates

Oh, B&Q have gaffer tape on offer at the moment.

I did the shrug thing as well, but with a piece of sheet as it wasn't as soft and likely to get scrunched during the night..

Thanks for the help. Hopefully a few hours sleep tonight.

Will definately start looking into other techniques soon, baby not quite 3mths but have taken some advice after these suggestions about settling.

Dp tries but works so many hours, he's great at weekends and I have painted him harshly.

No gaffa tape yet.