advice please - swaddling or grobag for newborn?

[topsy1]

not sure which way to go - am due next week and suddenly can't decide what to do - swaddle or use a grobag on lo2 - have ds already and we only cottoned on to grobags when he was 6 weeks old - before used sheets and blankets which were very ineffective. as soon as he went into a grobag he slept through. HOWEVER - does swaddling really work at the beginning? thanks

Definitely a swaddle to start with. Apparently grobags are not recommended for new borns. My DD slept like a dream in her swaddle. They do wriggle a bit at first, but don't give up!

Good luck with the birth. V exciting!

definitely swaddle - sure it helped my lo settle for naps and night sleep very early on. He also moved onto swaddle with one arm out, then both arms out then into grobags really easily after about 12 weeks

absolutely swaddle from birth!! especially as the nights are getting colder...keeps there little hands warm too!!

you can buy special swaddle blankets...or we used a flannelette pram sheet, which was cotton, but had some give in it...IFYSWIM! and not too hot........

grobags great when they are older and able to get out of the swadlle...if you do go for a grobag..you can get newborn ones.....

Happy birthing

Swaddling is great. I didn't think it worked for DS to begin with because I wasn't really doing it properly. Then (a) got Harvey Karp DVD so I could see what to do and (b) got a Miracle Blanket and it made an enormous difference.

I agree - swaddle!
I have a ten week old who is just growing out of it now (unfortunately!) as he slept brilliantly swaddled. My first born was never swaddled and the first 6 weeks were hell.
As far as I am aware, grobags cannot be used in babies under 10 pounds.

Definitely swaddle. You can get pre-made swaddling things from Blooming Marvellous, but I found a small cellular blanket was fine. Also, with a blanket, you can make it nice and snug, whereas with the pre-made things, I don't think you can alter the "size" if you see what I mean. When it was really hot in the summer (probably not applicable to you) I used a large muslin instead...

definatly swaddle, got the m/w in the hospital to show me how to do it properly. never looked back. went to grow bags around 6/7 months.

fantastic - now need to learn now - what's best? premade swaddle or blankets?

Cellular blankets - Baby Gap do a specially made swaddling blanket. You can find instructions on how to swaddle on the internet very easily and I think the m/w automatically do it when your baby is first born - at least they did overnight in my hospital...

topsy, I'm another voter for swaddling. Ds slept very well in his swaddle...if you have a DP/DH it may be worth them doing it as men can have a firmer touch with it and ds seemed to like a tightish swaddle, the security I suppose.

I think Gro-bags are only recommended in babies over a certain weight.
I didn't use them with DD but she was a summer baby so no need to really - however, now she wont sleep with any covers on her, I go in several times in the night to tuck her in and she just wriggles out again.
I am due #2 in 2 weeks and will use Grobags this time purely for the warmth more than anything else. Will have to swaddle at first but will move onto Grobags ASAP

It's 10lb for Grobags I think. DS was born at 10lb 5.5oz so was never an issue for us...

Swaddle Swaddle Swaddle ! DS loved it and after a recommendation from Mumsnet I bought the miracle blanket - the best thing I could have done- He struggled against it but slept really well and through the night from 7 weeks which i am convinced was partly due to that swaddle. We took it away at 14 weeks - he found his thumb and he's now happily in his grobag. He's now 17 weeks. Good Luck !

Grobags from 10lb. Haven't looked back since putting ds in one.

Wisjed they went up to and beyond 5 years

wished tut!

you can get grobags from 7.5 pounds. my lo was born in the heatwave so we didn't swaddle and waited until he was big enough for grobags. Also he doesn't like being swaddled!

It very much depends on the baby. Mine moved so much that even as a new born the swadle didn't stay on (I just half swadle BTW). And then someone very nice lent me a grobag that was the perfect solution for DS.

I think you can get Grobags for tiny babies now.