When do you stop swaddling?

[Thankyouandgoodnight]

DS is 12.5 weeks and I still swaddle him because he's so damn flaily! His whole body flails about, not just his arms and swaddling seems to help alot BUT he keeps flicking out of it and waking himself up, so do we continue anyway or should we try and wean him off it as it were so he gets used to flapping about ?

We've only just started swaddling DS and he is 17 weeks! Like your DS is rocks and rolls all night and we have found that he sleeps much better when swaddled. Partyl though because he can't use his hands to knock his dummy out lol.

You can swaddle for as long as it works for you and baby! My boys slept way better swaddled... at 6months my youngest started escaping all the different kinds of swaddling blankets, but didn't sleep well, so we put him in a Peke Moe This worked great for us.

I think it's always worth sticking with what works for you!

Some people say that swaddling can inhibit development of the baby, but mine and all my friends babies that were swaddled developed fine and early in most cases, as they had good sleeps!
all the best!

Pearlnz - isn't the peke moe just a big sack? It doesn't look like the baby is wrapped up tightly/ swaddled at all in it. Am I missing something?

I swaddled dS regularly until he was about 11 months and i still swaddle him now to get him to sleep in the afternoons. He is 15 months - i just use a cot sheet to do it. He had no problems in physical development - he was crawling at 7 months and walked from 12 months.

I fully swaddled both dcs until they were about 7 months then went to one arm out (both mine thumb suckers i'm afraid). started under arm swadding at 8 months, then moved to gro bag about 9-10 months.

You have to think about warmth and safety - try a sleep bag, DD was never a swaddler or cuddler, but would not sleep without her bag!! You know then they are warm and safe and it won't be over their little face. Good luck x

I swaddled DD till she was 13 weeks old and she constantly kicked her way out in frustration.

Haven't bothered with DS - but have learned that if you tuck in the blankets under the mattress so they are held down at the end of the bed so the baby can't escape them and they are sort of contained without being swaddled.

Or try a baby sleeping bag.

My DS1 absolutely hated it! I knew from the womb that he constantly moved his arms and hands. The midwife said that all babies liked to be swaddled and wrapped him tightly. I have never seen a day old baby make such an effort, but he eventually got them free! I was pleased that he had a mind of his own! All babies do not like to be swaddled.

I stopped swaddling DS at about 6 - 8 weeks as he was waking at night with feet and hands out. We had to swaddle him to start as he kept flailing and waking himself up. He is now 17 weeks and sleeping 9.30 - 7.30 in a grobag in his cot. I do still swaddle him under the arms if we are going out and about with the pram as he needs his thumb out, but also I know he is nice and warm

I swaddled DD until 10mths and DS is 5.5mths and haven't even tried to stop. They both slept so much better and when I did stop with DD it was fine. There was never any problem with developmental issues.

So go for it as long as you want....