15wo needs to be restrained to sleep

7 replies

daisiesdahlias · 30/01/2023 21:55

My baby thrashes her arms around and rubs her face when settling and it stops her sleeping. I have to hold her hands down on her chest and then she quickly drifts off, but I need to wait till she's deep asleep before I let go otherwise she flails them about and wakes herself up.

We were using arms up swaddles but these were getting small so we switched to sleep bags but now her arms are free. She also needs to be held down after she wakes up in the night and is going back to sleep.

Why does she do this and how can I stop it?? I'm going mad holding her arms down for ages every night. I'm tempted to go back to the swaddles and buy a bigger size but they're so expensive and she needs to move on at some point.

OP posts:

Hohofortherobbers · 30/01/2023 22:01

How about a cotton sheet over the gro bag as a blanket, tucked under the mattress and with her arms under?

Kiopa · 30/01/2023 22:03

If she's not rolling she can go back into the swaddle. If you're worried about cost you can get bags / wraps second hand e.g. on vinted. The flailing sounds like a very strong moro reflex which should pass eventually. If you're worried you could video it and take it to the Dr.

Kiopa · 30/01/2023 22:03

By 'it's meant the flailing! Obviously your daughter is a she :)

Fispi · 30/01/2023 22:05

Aden and anais swaddles. Pj's underneath and the comfort knit or snuggle knit swaddles for this time of year. I can swaddle my toddler in one or use them as blankets on my 4 year old. They will last till you don't need to swaddle then they're handy as light blankets when they're hot and poorly or there's a heat wave. Brilliant things.

Tomblibooz · 30/01/2023 22:05

Tucked in tightly with a blanket until they sleep then remove? My DD was like this, putting a hand on their chest and gently shushing and patting worked well with a blanket tucked in. In fact we still do this sometimes and she's now 3!

Original poster

daisiesdahlias · 30/01/2023 22:15

Her cot mattress is thin and lightweight so I don't think I could tuck her in tightly with a sheet, she would pull it off or wriggle free

OP posts:

24HoursFromTulseHill · 30/01/2023 22:46

Get a Love to Dream swaddle bag - it lets babies sleep with their hands up by their heads so they can still move their arms about a bit but it lessens the moro reflex (so they stop slapping themselves in the face).

They come in 3 sizes and different weight fabric and you can also get them with zip off arms so you can transition the baby to having their arms free once they've grown out of the reflex or they show signs of rolling.

It was literally a sleep game changer for me. My baby would only contact nap in the day time and was restless sleeping in his cot at night. As soon as I put him in the love to dream bag he napped for over 2 hours straight in his cot. We thought he didn't like being swaddled because he always fought his arms loose but would then slap himself in the face whilst falling asleep.

I lend mine out to parents of new babies so they can try it before deciding whether to buy one and everyone I've leant it to has been impressed. You can find second hand ones on Vinted but check the weight/size bandings on the Love to Dream website.
https://lovetodream.co.uk/shop-by-development/newborn-swaddling/

Flip