Swaddled 7 month old

[susannaR]

Morning girls...after your opinions...Long story short DS is 7months old, EBF and a terrible sleeper 🙈 wakes 1-2 hourly and I feed him back to sleep (despite self self settling with dummy at initial bedtime 😒) he will not settle any other way.
So last night after waking at 7,8,9,10,11,12 I lost the plot and told DH to take him for a bit whilst I took a breather. I returned to the bedroom 10mins later to find baby asleep and swaddled in his woombie (we haven't used it for months) DH just decided to try it and baby fell straight asleep....you can guess what's coming next...he slept from 12:30-7am 😳 What the hell!! Is it safe to keep using woombie tho?? What do u all think? He can't roll yet but it's imminent. He sleeps in cot attached to my bed x

No idea, by that age all of mine were rolling, and DC2 was making spirited attempts at climbing out of the cot!

I had to swaddle my ds for a long time as that was the only way he would go to sleep. When he was old enough to roll I used to use a blanket and swaddle him in such a way that he could get out of it if needed, but still had the comforting pressure to drift off with.

Wow climbing out the cot 😂 glad he's not that mobile as I have the side off the cot!!...that will be the next dilemma I'm sure 🙈
Feels a backward step to be re-swaddling...but tbh I'm desperate so I'll do anything now! Other than take risks with his safely obviously...I'm thinking it's probably ok until he rolls? Guess he's unlikely to do that the 1st time overnight? DH thinks if he's strong enough to roll over in woombie then he's strong enough to move neck/roll back anyway and unlikely to suffocate?...but blimey even thinking about it me makes me think it's too risky???!! X

My son would only sleep swaddled, or else he would fling his arms around and wake himself up (we watched one afternoon nap). I never bound his legs.

That's what happens! He goes to sleep no probs which is strange!....but then every wake after that (it can be hourly 😣) he basically rubs his eyes/face continuously and cannot settle himself back to sleep 😕 Very occasionally I can put dummy back in and hold his hands down until he goes back over but 99% of the time I have to feed him to sleep.
What age did you swaddle until? And how did u stop it lol! X

I'm amazing you stopped using the swaddle if baby wasn't rolling. You could have had 7 blissful easy months using the swaddle easily until baby starts rolling.

It's normally learning to roll that is the trigger for starting to think about stopping the swaddle, rather than first starting it again!

The safety first - it's dangerous to start using a swaddle on a baby over 3 months old of if they weren't used to the swaddle under 3 months old. I'm not sure on how restarting swaddle use would fit into this, but thought I would mention it.

I would also say that at 7 months I would be concerned about hip development. So if swaddling, I'd leave legs freer to move. This is easily done by swaddling with a giant muslin or cot sheet - these hold baby around shoulders and you can leave legs unrestricted.

Regarding using the swaddle when baby can roll, there is nothing in any of the SIDS or NHS recommendations that says you must stop by X-point. Nothing says you must stop when the baby rolls.

The concern would be if baby rolls into front, doesn't have the neck muscles to lift head and shout so suffocates.

So breaking that down. In order to roll, babies usually swing their legs in order to create momentum to get over. In a swaddle this is much more difficult. Meaning of baby managed, he has fairly strong muscles to manage it with restricted movement.

So if baby does her get onto his front, and given he is now an older baby, logic would say that even if face-first into thr mattress that he could lift his head and cry to get your attention. Be sure the mattress is firm with no pillows, loose covers or cuddly toys in the way, just to be absolutely sure nothing could get in the way of him breathing if he does roll.

Of course there will never be zero risk, but you and DH can choose to manage the risks as you see fit.

Although a different age, I swaddled throygh my daughter learning to roll and for a good couple of months afterwards.

I'm still amazing you dropped such a useful and easy settling tool way before you needed to. Swaddling before baby can roll over is the best thing ever for helping baby sleep.

I was swaddling at twelve minths - just with a cloth though. He could get out of it with hardly any effort.

😂😂 Fate...wtf?! Why did I stop?! Think it was middle of 4month sleep regression when it all turned to shit and I thought I might as well 'tackle' it when we are not getting any sleep anyway 😆
It's a 6-9month size woombie so it seems pretty free around hips/legs and tight around top...but he can pull his hands up together for example.
I'm pleased with your reply tho! I think within reason it's fairly low risk...he's not rolling yet and sleeps right next to me anyway. He does have a baby pillow but I'll remove that.
Omg I hope I get to sleep tonight 🙏🏻😂😂

I think i stopped when he started getting his arms out. We went down to one arm, and at one point still did his body, as he loved being cuddled tightly.

Latest SIDS guidelines are unequivocal: you must not swaddle once your baby can roll. It is extremely dangerous.

Oh really? 😥 He's not rolled yet but during the day he is getting onto his side to reach for things..so it won't be long 😕

Why do you think he does it? It's such a funny thing that he can settle for naps and bedtime no problem but then wakes every sleep cycle? A good night is 2 hourly wakes and a bad night can be 45minute wakes 😣 He naps ok...I try to follow the 2-3 wake window...demand feed, formula before bed and we have started weaning (granted he doesn't eat much yet) x

Fate...wtf?! Why did I stop?! Think it was middle of 4month sleep regression when it all turned to shit and I thought I might as well 'tackle' it when we are not getting any sleep anyway

Why indeed. Never mind, it's done now.

The posts on swaddling normally are "Oh no, baby's started rolling, how will I wean off the swaddle", rather than just restarting swaddling when rolling! Bless ya.

If swaddling concerns you, you could try a tightly tucked in blanket instead. That's the half-way-house we used for stopping swaddling.

You need to make your own decisions regarding SIDS risk. UK SIDS guidelines continue to not mention rolling (I don't know about the guidelines overseas). But they do make the point of saying not to place baby to go to sleep on their tummy to sleep (swaddled or not, but especially when swaddled).

It's an area that needs more research. So without a magic wand we can't know if your child will be safe or not. Some research shows swaddling a mobile baby decreases SIDS risk, because an immobiled mobile baby cannot pull covers or pillows over their face or crawl into dangerous situations. Equally there are definate risks of being face-down. I can't think of any research papers I've seen looking at the link between rolling and swaddling risk, just about the tummy down position - widely known as a SIDS risk in itself but doubled when swaddled. There's a very obvious difference in risk in placing a 9 week old newborn with no neck muscle control face-down in a swaddle, compared to a 9 month old with developed and strong neck muscles. But I guess that's where the research is needed.

Certainly when placing your swaddled baby to sleep, place on his back. Always. For the rest, you need to decide how you manage the risk. Lots of factors lower the risk of SIDS, but people don't do them (dummy use, room sharing to 6 months) and lots of things increase SIDS risk but people still do them safely (cosleeping would be the main example).

It's not about eliminating risk, it's about managing risk. You just have to do your research and decide how you want to manage it.

Why do you think he does it?

For what it's worth, I think he has probably become unsettled becausr of learning to roll. Gross motor developments often affect sleep.

From the American Academy of Pediatrics
Policy Statement
SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2016 Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment
TASK FORCE ON SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME
Swaddling, or wrapping the infant in a light blanket, is often used as a strategy to calm the infant and encourage the use of the supine position. There is a high risk of death if a swaddled infant is placed in or rolls to the prone position.
If infants are swaddled, they should always be placed on the back. Swaddling should be snug around the chest but allow for ample room at the hips and knees to avoid exacerbation of hip dysplasia. When an infant exhibits signs of attempting to roll, swaddling should no longer be used.

How about a sleepyhead? I know they're expensive, but if he likes the feeling of being secure with something touching around him then it would fit the bill. Only problem is that they grow out of the first stage around 8 months and the next size up is £180. I'm just weaning my 7 month old off of it after 3 months of him sleeping through and he only woke once a night from 4 weeks onwards. It's been bliss.

Sleepyhead is a good call. Go straight to the bigger size at this age. Ive heard loads of good things about them.

If course that's also not the firm, flat, clear mattress that Lullaby Trust recommend - but it's about managing SIDS risk, not eliminating it.

(American research on swaddling and SIDS I note. Fair enough, it's certainly there. UK have not changed their stance on guidelines and an update was done in 2016)

Sorry been on nursery run...and someone just bumped my car...excellent 🙄 all I need 😒
...ok so the research on SIDS and swaddling is clearly there...interesting why the UK have not updated?...I guess it's all about weighing up the risks and trying to eliminate them best you can. I'm torn between swaddling and sleep tonight and not re-introducing something I'll have to wean from again in a few weeks (if that?!)
I have a sleepyhead they're fab....his shoulders are touching the sides now tho...so again...I'm probably coming the end of that too 😱...not sure I'll be able to convince DH to part with the pennies for the big 1! X

interesting why the UK have not updated?

I've looked into it, now I have a bit more time. The research paper this is based on is from 2014, so was available (and discounted) when The Lullaby Trust updated their evidence base for NHS policy in 2016.

It looked at instances, including 22 deaths where infants were either in a sleeping bag or swaddled at the point of the sudden infant death. A sample size of 22 is so small that any findings are insignificant anyway.

Of those 22 that died:

• 15 of the deaths related to prone (front) sleeping
• 11 (of the above 15) involved additional risk factors, usually soft bedding
• 1 (of the above 15) additionally involved over heating.

I would guess that the main reason The Lullaby Trust decided to discount this paper was on the basis of the tiny sample size meaning it cannot be held under any scrutiny. I also think baby's age (especially in relation to neck strength) should be considered.

In relation to rolling, of the 15 who died in prone position, 2 were reported as being placed prone and 13 reported as rolled from their back or side. The average age of those that rolled was 5 months but it is noted that one at 5 weeks old and "several" at 3 months old could possibly have incorrectly reported the position baby was placed (ie parent said they were placed on back, but this might be untrue). So it's unclear how reliable the data is in terms of how many actually rolled over, and how many were placed in a prone position (but was falsely reported).

In all, the data is very small and not a big enough sample size to be significant whatever the findings. Also the results, by the nature of how distressed parents must feel when reporting, are questionable.

In short, I think The Lullaby Trust make a considered and measured responce In their recommendation to place baby to sleep on their back when swaddled. They make no reference whatsoever to rolling when swaddled and offer no advice on when a parent should stop swaddling.

This will always be your best resource for SIDS recommendations in the UK:

www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/

Morning Fate...that's really interesting isn't it. Age of baby at time of death must surely be a considerable factor that appears to have been overlooked...a 3month old swaddled and in the probe position is clearly a risk compared to say a 9 month old as you say? Maybe the small sample size was (understandably) the reluctance of the parents consent? Wonder if any were co-sleeping?
Anyway....I needn't over think it anymore! Swaddled him last night and was still up hourly all night and awake unsettled between 3-4:30 😭 Resulting in me in tears and then shouting when toddler woke me at 6am to tell me she'd wet her bed (poor thing) and DH went off to work in a mood saying "enough is enough...that baby is going in his own room and getting 'sorted' tonight" 😣 What a nytmare...this baby is effecting the whole family now and he's probably not wrong really. He's very supportive normally...he too is presumably exhausted and feeling tired at work😕
Just don't think I can do it....I have zero tolerance to his crying even though I'm also at the end of my rope. Might need to get a sleep consultant to 'hold my hand' I think?! Going to do some reading this morning on night weaning....maybe need to stop breast feeding full stop tbh?

I will send you the details of a very good sleep consultant

Aww Thankyou ☺️