Swaddling babies - your experiences please?

[SharpRobin]

Hi everyone
I wanted to ask about swaddling and whether this was a practice you took part in with your little ones.

It seems many people think it helps mimic the conditions of the womb, making the baby feel more comforted
Opinions are so divided but I wanted to know your thoughts. Why/why didn't you swaddle your little one?
Thanks 👍

I tried it but none of mine liked it.

I did because it was a good way to settle her. She was swaddled until she could roll over

I tried it but my little one hated it. He's still very claustrophobic seeming at 2

I gave 3. 2 liked to be swaddled.

I have twins, one liked it, she startled easily and the swaddle limited how often that woke her up, she always fell asleep pretty soon after she was wrapped up and stayed still.
The other slept fine without it and was more wriggly and the swaddle made her fretful so we never really used it with her.

They have always slept as well as each other and there didn't seem to be a difference in the quality of their sleep or how long they would sleep.

Only difference now they are older is the one who didn't like swaddles also hates sleeping bags when we go camping and always unzips hers, sprawls out and uses it like a blanket and its funny to see them together like that as its just like when they were babies.

I used a swaddle, my boy seemed very cosy and content all wrapped up and slept marvellously!

We used the love to dream hands up swaddles and it definitely helped with the startle reflex

I tried, but my DD busted out of a swaddle immediately. I didn't really feel right about it anyway tbh. It felt like restraining her. And she needed her hands for breastfeeding anyway.

I didn’t like the idea and neither of the DC’s did either.

Mine hated it, but they did take to the Love to Dream newborn swaddle. It looks a bit strange (like a flying squirrel or something as it holds their arms up) but they did seem to settle well with it and I always recommend to new parents. I don’t work for them or anything!

No harm trying it but my first hated it. You have to unswaddle them at some point so I wasn't entirely sure of the logic of it, but know some people swear by it.

My first loved it, was the only way to get her down to sleep, second hated it and always slept with her arms up.

My girl didn't like the traditional swaddle but really took to the love 2 dream sleeping bags.

Mine were awful sleepers but the swaddle did help. We had the love to dream ones and also so zippy and some velcro ones.

They are both now very mobile sleepers, sprawled everywhere, covers falling off constantly!

Reading PP has reminded me that mine was a real startler (can't remember the reflex name but it happened often) which always woke her up unless she was swaddled

Both of mine like/liked it. I swaddled my first arms down until he showed signs of rolling.

I tried the same with my second but as it’s winter (first was a May baby) and he was in more layers I felt uncomfortable with it (he just looked so bulky!) so instead he’s now in the arms up love to dream swaddle and settles well in them. He has reflux and prefers to be held upright a lot of the time but the swaddle definitely helps with putting him down in his next to me at night.

Thank you for the responses everyone 🙏🏼 this is really informative...I also wanted to ask if anyone used anything else other than swaddles such as sleeping bags etc...currently googling love to dream products as some of you have mentioned 😃

We used a blanket or a large muslin when it was too hot

Yes I did with my eldest. It was the only thing that helped him to sleep at night. He's now nearly 20 !!

I tried to swaddle but DS didn’t like it. The only time he was swaddled was on the neonatal unit for the first few days of life. When he came home he hated being wrapped up.

He’s now 21 months old and still doesn’t like being strapped in to the car seat or pushchair. So maybe it’s just him.

Formula fed eldest loved it, youngest exclusively breast fed one hated it and liked to have hands in contact with breasts at all times.

Neither of mine liked being swaddled after the first few sleepy days. First one went into sleeping bags and was a good napper, easy to put down. Second one is a dedicated contact napper and wakes easily. Now co-sleeps with me in bed.

Their sleeping faces as they cling on to the boob happily is a lovely memory for me.

I've swaddled all my babies and taught my friend how to swaddle and that was the thing that made her colicky baby much more settled.

My DD hated it. When they swaddled her in hospital I could hear little grunts as she tried to free herself. She still doesn't like being constrained at 21!