Secrets of newborn parenting no. 1: Swaddling doesn't work

[richiarata]

Hi

We've been told repeatedly that swaddling is the answer to getting your newborn to calm down and sleep, But: it isn't. We've now tried six or seven times, the last few with a so-called 'miracle blanket'. Our daughter hates it. She screams until she's set free. We've checked that it's not too tight and it's not like she's not tired. Is there anyone out there who has actually genuinely made it work, because from where I'm standing it just seems like everyone's pretending :-(.

Thanks

Richard

It worked for both of ours, they came to associate being swaddled with going to sleep and also slept for longer as they both had quite a strong startle reflex. Every baby is different though!

It definitely worked on my DS. Then we had the fun process of weaning off the swaddle once he could roll. So at least you don't have to do that

Swaddle but leave the arms out.

Sorry if that's already been mentioned.

Secrets of newborn parenting no. 1: there is no Magic Answer.

If there was, the entire business based around making money from exhausted mums would cease to exist.

Swaddle (and dummy) are good places to start though.

Ah memories... i used to practically get in my DD's carrycot/Moses basket to hold her arms so she wouldn't flail them around when trying to settle and hit herself or knock the sides of the carrycot and keep herself awake. Swaddling would have been easier all round but I couldn't do it tight enough and a little hand always broke free. It's all trial and error until something works or they grow out of that stage I think.

Nothing works for all babies or works all of the time.

How old is the baby? Can you safely cosleep? Have you got a sling?

Our two loved it! We used the Summer brand Velcro ones - the gro ones without Velcro didn't work as both babies erupted out of them within minutes....

First slept like an angel in a swaddle, the 2nd likes to be wrapped but with an arm free and a dummy in.

Two starfish babies here, so swaddling was a complete non-starter.

DD required a complicated rocking/singing performance. DS is happy with having a boob shoved in his face/being popped in the sling.

My baby always liked having her arms free so swaddling wasn't helpful. I didn't expect it to be a magic cure though so as soon as she didn't seem to like it, I didn't really persevere. She seemed to like having her lower body held more tightly but I never managed to figure out how to swaddle the bottom half only.

She did like the Sleepyhead as I think it provided enough of the 'closely held' feeling of swaddling but with enough freedom to wriggle her arms and kick her legs (to feet, usually).

I was with a friend who has a baby the other day. He was crying and stopped as soon as she swaddled him. I was very impressed!

*to feet....to fart.

My son hated it. He always liked to have his arms free! Don't feel you have to do it - my friend's new baby loves it!

Oh this is awkward. You don't swaddle the baby, you swaddle yourself.