WWYD? To swaddle or not?

[littlefrenchonion]

DD turned 5 months yesterday and from 0-3.5m we swaddled her religiously because it worked so well for her - from 5 weeks old she was sleeping through consistently from 10pmish - 7amish. It was bliss, she was content, I was refreshed, all great.

However, once she started rolling I decided to take it away gradually which we've been doing for the past 6 weeks or so. Her sleep in that time has been patchy - yesterday we hit an all time low of 6 wakings in one night. I had assumed it was the 4 month sleep regression and have been doing my best to 'roll with it'.

As an experiment (and sheer need of sleep) I swaddled her at bedtime tonight at 8pm. She visibly relaxed immediately to be back in her old swaddle suit. She's slept from 8pm-4.30am for the first time in 6 weeks!

So now I'm wondering what to do for the best? I'm concerned obviously about her rolling over in her swaddle but she's still next to me in a co-sleeper cot. I usually wake up if she starts shuffling around buts never a guarantee is it?

WWYD?

I would swaddle or see if she was too big for this grosnug- mix between swaddle and gro bag. gro.co.uk/gro-snug/grey-marl-gro-snug what were you using when not swaddling?

I usually wake up if she starts shuffling around buts never a guarantee is it?

There's your answer there op, I would not risk it.

Is there some kind of makeshift loose swaddle you could do where she has one or both arms out?

Can't offer much more advice I'm afraid, mine only staterted sleeping through at 2.1 and 18 months and 'sleeping through' in DD2's case means getting up at 4am some mornings.

Thank you both, I think I shall investigate the semi swaddle option. If it works half as good as a full swaddle I'll be happy!

Following with interest! Ds is 4.5 months and still swaddled in a miracle blanket. The design of this means he can't roll over as his arms are flat by his sides.

Terrified to stop, and we stopped with ds1 when he was breaking out of it every night but ds2 sleeps soundly in it! As soon as his arms pop out he's grabbing his face and rubbing his eyes or putting fists in mouth and making himself hungry!!

Oh and the swaddle linked only suits up to 12lbs

My DD loved her swaddle and I read the OP with a smile because it was exactly as DD was. We stopped swaddling at about or 4 months old and then she started rolling and pulling up and it was as if she wanted me to help her keep still. That now she had this new skill, but she struggled to 'switch off' at sleep time and so she wanted the swaddle back.

I started swaddling her again, at about 5 to 6 months old. It wasn't for long, just a few weeks. She needed it though and loved it. It helped her learn that even though she was mobile, that she didn't need to be mobile at sleep time. It taught her the value of being still and calm.

It took only a few weeks then she was more still at bedtime and I could make my (homemade) swaddle loser and loser until we didn't need it.

Every now and again when fractious, the swaddle is available if she wants it. Many religions swaddle well into the older baby months. It is not against NHS or SIDs advise to swaddle and there is no "stop swaddling by..." age given (I have researched this).

Have you thought about how difficult it is to roll when wearing a swaddle? Babies roll by swinging their legs and using the momentum to roll. Now my thinking is that if DD had the muscle strength to do that, then she will have the head strength to lift her head and shout for me if needed.

FATE that's interesting. Funnily enough she's done it again tonight but this time without her arms swaddled so maybe like your DD she needed to be reminded to be still and calm? Hmm! Very interesting!

I love that you homemade a swaddle too, I had been playing with the idea. DH said yesterday as a joke: "maybe you should Velcro her to the bottom on the bed!". Had actually wondered about it! I'm considering a larger version of her swaddle suit but without the Velcro sides so that she can break out easier and so that I can loosen it over time.
Kato will keep you updated!

Same here! Been swaddling since DD was 2 months. She rolled for the first time a few days ago so tried her without the swaddle a few times. She couldn't settle so it was back to the swaddle. Now I am worried that I have created a hard to break sleep association!

I should add that DD (now 13 weeks) is not a good sleeper and has deteriorated with her sleep during the past few weeks. She's ebf and has never taken a dummy. Is the swaddle preventing her from self soothing? During the day she sucks on her fist a lot although hasn't yet found her thumb.

Why is it so hard?? You're damned if you do, damned if you don't with this sleep business!

There isn't anything fancy about a homemade swaddle, it's just half a cot sheet.

I just cut a cot sheet in half along the short edge to make two very long, thin rectangles (as opposed to two shorter, fatter rectangles you would get it your cut in half along the long edge).

Baby in middle and wrap one side over shoulder and arm and round and all the way under baby. Then other side over other shoulder/arm and all the way around baby. It loosens naturally as baby jiggles and moves around. Once older she could roll to undo it if she wants to.

I've used those same two halves of a sheet as swaddles right from newborn for my now 11 year old, 10 year old, (6 year old hated being swaddled) and then finally my 1 year old.

Purple - personally I would preserver with the dummy alongside the swaddle. They work well together.