Swaddling - is it ok?

[daisyhun]

I swaddled my DD until 2 weeks ago - she is 8 months.

It has really helped settle her into a fantastic routine and she is a great sleeper now.

A couple of friends of mine have swaddled their newborns recently and been very told off about it by health visitors and midwives, even though it has really helped settled their babies.

Now, I am a bit confused - DD was born in January and I was told by the midwives back then to swaddle, and my health visitor said it was fine - has something changed between then and now? Is it just because of the hot weather and risk of overheating?

Or is it just the annoying habit of midwives and health visitors to all tell you something different?

Just annoying MWs I think!

I'm swaddling mine in a cotton sheet at the mo because its quite warm. I'd just carry on if I were you.

Swaddling until 8 months? Golly! Thats a long time though isn' it?
Really not judging, but asking.
We stopped swaddling about 2-3 months in. I think
God, I can't remember!

They are saying not to do it at all now!?
What nonsense!
That is how a baby feels safe. That is how they are inside you (all squished) To take them out and let them loose would be really scarey for them, I always thought.

i only swaddled for the first 8-12 weeks - then got a sleeping bag (grobag) fantistic thing evented and always by at T k Maxx - about half price....

I find it best personally to ignore the HV -

I did re co-sleeping and have re-swaddling if they said not to I would still do so, likewise I sleep my daughter on her side rather than back.

I got told off by my HV for giving my daughter too much water (more than 1fl in the am and 1fl in the pm) told I should give her milk each time - EVER HOUR?!?!? WTF? she was grumpy as hell went back to doing what I was doing before and she was much happier...

Follow your instincts is the best way

dd is swaddled in a miracle blanket she loves it and sleeps like a dream so i would say carry on with what your doing

Yes Fairysnuff - only just got dd out of swaddling (miracle blanket) now - it was either use a dummy or swaddle, both would calm her enough for me to leave her to fall asleep by herself, so I opted for the swaddle and tried a few times to stop but she wanted me to do it so I carried on. Only now is she able to go in a grobag and fall asleep herself. Never did her any harm but I was feeling guilty.

Actually I find ignoring the HV advice generally works best in any given situation!

I'm still all for sweaddling - it made my life so much easier and dd seemed to feel very secure when I did it.