when to stop swaddling

[ricketyrock]

My 11wk DD is a proper fidget and has always slept better being swaddled as she cant flail around etc. On the whole she is a pretty good sleeper but recently I have moved her to a cot and using a grobag/sleeping bag (her swaddling blankets are two small) and she has been waking up a lot more. She does want to feed so it could be a growth spurt but I also wonder if her sleeping arrangements are unsettling her. Plus, with the grobag thingies I'm not sure if it's a good idea to swaddle as I don't want her to get too hot.

Any ideas or your experiences much appreciated

We stopped at about 3 months and I was really worried but amazingly it didn't bother DS.

Have you seen the sleeping bags in mothercare?Some of them have arm restrictor thingys which are for babies that have been swaddled but are too big.

I'm sure my swaddle blanket goes up to 6 months.

I used the miracle blanket from mothercare for about 6 months. Am now trying to put DD in a sleeping bag but I put her in a one tog and then put a sheet and blanket over the top which I tuck in tightly to kind of keep her wedged in a bit! Seems to be working ok (keeping fngers crossed I haven't jinxed it by just saying that!)

Once mine grew out of being swaddled in a small moses basket sized sheet, I swaddled them in a cot sheet. Worked for us. I didn't use grobags, though.

I swaddled mine until they were strong enough to break out of even the tightest wrapping.

I carried on swaddling when they get past the flailing stage because they associated it with sleep. I used a stretchy cotton blanket (Gap have nice ones) and swaddled their top halves over the top of their sleeping bags.

From memory, I think DD1 and DS were over 6 months. DD2 is 10 weeks and just starting to break out of hers.

OK I see - I just have to find something that will work. Her swaddle blankets are more for newborns and she is a big baby. I'll have a look at mothercare / gap. For some reason I thought I should stop swaddling her... god knows why

We've got a miracle blanket which is pretty good, it pins down the arms as well as swaddling round the body.

I've just realised I've got a big muslin swaddling blanket which i could use - is the miracle blanket significantly different? Does it make dc sleep 8 hours through?!

Ha ha! That would be a Bloody Miracle Blanket

last night I swaddled her with the muslin thingy and it worked! She slept from 1 through to 8. I had to wake her up as I was leaking like a mofo. I still feel utterly exhausted today though

7 hours - brilliant. Sounds like you've got yourself a 'miracle muslin'

Hope it continues and you catch up on some sleep:)

The Miracle blanket are stretch jersey and has flap things which reinforces the arm pinning. I found them v good- whereas the Gro-swaddles were a bit of a non-starter as DS would Houdini his way out within minutes.

However, if you're an expert swaddler then the muslins would prob be just as good.

Sleeping bags are great but in cold weather they like to be tucked up and also the smell and feel of the blankets/cloths/swaddling things they are used to. 11 weeks is still quite little to be in a bag in a big cot. Perhaps the cot is too roomy; mine were still in Moses at this age but I guess it depends on the size. Also make sure no draughts around...? Tucking in has always worked for me at that age.

last night she slept from about 11 to 6. I am baffled! Also because I wake up anyway and my boobs are massive / leaking. I'm not complaining though- that would be ridiculous!

Anyway, the swaddling seems to be working one way or another. Nonanny - I think you are right I have been making it cosier in her cot - she is too long for her moses basket and shutting the door and turning the heating on for an hour at 3/4 am.

Bagged, I don't know if I am an expert but I a certainly merciless when it comes to pinning down my houdini of a daughter.

miracle muslin!

Great to hear about long sleep. Have a good day

Can I ask what you do about blankets etc when swaddling? I ask because though it is probably late in the day, am going to try and swaddle DS who is 4months as his flailing arms wake him up and he goes off to sleep sometimes if I hold his arms down.

I have been given a swaddle graduate blanket which is basically a 1 tog sleeping bag with arm restrictors. However it says not to be used with other bed covers but it's only suitable for rooms which are aroun 21 deg.

What do you all do re night clothes and covers when swaddling?

Bumping for advice!

Have just checked DS. He has worked his way out of the swaddle graduate blanket. It is completely useful. Back to gro bags and flailing arms then,

oh sorry fifitot

this is what she is wearing: ( I have also been wondering what other people do with their DC in this weather that is colder yet not really cold)

a baby grow thing with sleeves (no vest)
a gro bag- cotton
a big muslin which i do tightly otherwise she wriggles out. (I feel a bit mean but it only works if she is in tight)
and a thin wool cot blanket

Also I have been putting the heating on for an hour at 3/4 am

I see the swaddle blanket as a 'straightjacket' rather than something to keep her warm IYSWIM

have you got a thin cot blanket or something to use? can you wrap it under his sides as well to keep him in?

Thanks - may try a blanket now but suspect he is too big for swaddling.

We stopped at 5 months on the third attempt. DS definitely wasn't ready to sleep unswaddled then - he'd wake himself up from a nap after only 15 mins with waving arms.

It was very obvious when he wanted to stop being swaddled as he started screaming the moment I lay him down to wrap him up.

He was in the Miracle blanket, then a cot blanket over the top and tucked under each side of his body.