Swaddling - when should I stop?? Help!

[SamboM]

My daughter Louisa is 6 months old and sleeps like an angel as long as I swaddle her. If I don't she wakes every hour and screams because she keeps starting and hitting herself. Also she is a terrible fidget and will play with anything rather than sleep.

Some books I have read say it's fine to swaddle until a year, others say a month is long enough! I don't know who to believe.

Does anyone know how to wean her off her swaddle? I have tried so many times but with no success. Or is it ok to keep going?

Thanks for reading!
Love Sam and Louisa

I don't know anything about swaddling, we never tried it, but have you tried her in a sleeping bag? It might give her a secure, enclosed feeling without actually being swaddled. Of course, you then have to work out how to wean her off the sleeping bag at some later stage!

hi Sam
I don't have much of an answer for you - but I have a 7 month old who I still half swaddle. I wrap her around the waist and under her feet - her arms are free. We had the same concerns a few months ago which is when we decided to leave her arms unwrapped. She seems more comfortable but like yours, wakes up a lot if bottom half is unwrapped. You could try loweringthe swaddle gradually - down to shoulders, down to chest , down to waist etc if you know what I mean.
We are getting some sleeping bags next week which I hope will do the trick. Maybe that will help. Just remember its just a habbit and if you take it slow your dd will adapt.

I swaddled my dd until she was about 7 months then got a sleeping bag - was fine!
Ds went into a bag at about 8 weeks and was fine - I would highly recommend them. We only stopped swaddling dd because she was too strong for us and kept fighting her way out!

My ds was swaddled until he was too strong and kept escaping (can't remember what age). I then moved him over to a sleeping bag for day time naps so he got used to it (as he also kept starting and hitting himself) and then after a few days used it at night once he was used to it.

As someone else said..it is totally habit and she is used to the swaddling so by doing it slowly (ie weaning from swaddling!) she will quickly adapt.

I have a feeling of deja vu about this now that I write it..I am sure I posted a similar question to yours when DS was younger (he is now 13 1/2 months and climbs all over the cot!)

Thank you all for your helpful advice. I have got a sleeping bag but she seems to get too hot, will go and buy a thinner one I think and then start with the lunchtime nap.