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Original poster

HELP!!!! SHOULD I SWADDLE???

52 replies

sleepymama · 30/03/2005 14:37

some of you may know that I have had problems with my now 15 week old and his naps. He would sleep for 45 mins and then wake up screaming. After much reading and debate in the last 4 days I have started to swaddle my son tightly and he has managed to sleep for 1 1/2 to 2 hours for his naps. However, my HV came over for a routine check and has told me not to swaddle because of cot death...I am very worried as his screaming had reached the point of driving me to tears and the swaddling has been the only thing that has worked. But, in the same breath I am now really worried about swaddling him and the unthinkable happening. Does anyone else swaddle their los ? Does anyone have any advice for me?

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Gobbledigook · 30/03/2005 14:39

Well I've never heard that before and I've always swaddled mine - they sleep much better. As long as they don't overheat - that's the main thing.

Bloody health visitors.

colditzmum · 30/03/2005 14:40

Oh bless you. I really really feel for you. I did swaddle mine. What if you could comprimise by getting one of those breathing moniters and then swaddling your son, would that make you feel any better?

suzywong · 30/03/2005 14:40

sorry to hear you are having a hard time .. .but what's wrong with a 45 min nap? my ds2 napped to the second of 40 minutes at that age, could it just be his body clock?

Or is it the waking up screaming, which of course is not very pleasant?

If his little body is telling him to wake up after 45 mins then maybe that's what his littel body needs.

I'm sure there will be plenty of seasoned swaddlers on MN to help you, but have you considered that he may just be a 45 minute napper?

Gobbledigook · 30/03/2005 14:41

On what basis did she make the comment? Was it with regard to overheating? If so, just make sure you use a single layer of cellular blanket and make sure his sleep wear and blanket are cotton.

I personally would dismiss her comment as another bit of HV nonsense - it's rife!

colditzmum · 30/03/2005 14:41

Ask your HV for the facts to support the comments, I think a lot of HV's can be very flip, and I know one who used to quote newspapers as reliable sources of information!

Gobbledigook · 30/03/2005 14:42

SW - I think it's normal for babies to come into light sleep around 45 mins and often they go straight back to sleep again but sometimes they don't. I think at this age it's good for them to have a nice long nap around lunchtime isn't it?

suzywong · 30/03/2005 14:44

just putting another viewpoint over GDG

jbadgirl · 30/03/2005 14:46

I also swaddle my ds, he is now 23 weeks old but has a few probs, his arms jitter almost constantly.

I have been told to swaddle to feed him and when he is sleeping.

The only thing that concerns me is that he is swaddled most of the time as his jitters upset him and i wouldnt want this to restrict his development with reaching out and exploring things.

Kelly1978 · 30/03/2005 14:47

I've never heard that before. The midwives regulary swaddled my newborn twins in hospital, and I've carried it on. They like it.

laneydaye · 30/03/2005 14:51

babies feel like they did in the womb..... makes sense to me swaddled both mine dd still swaddled till she can fight her way out and shes 5mths...

Original poster

sleepymama · 30/03/2005 14:55

She did mention the fact that he could overheat and thats why I shouldn't swaddle him. She also said he needs to learn to sleep past the 45 min mark himself and suggested I try controlled crying (something I am not comfortable with myself). The temp in the room is usually between 18 and 20 degrees and I don't wrap his legs just his arms and he only wears his vest and trouser bottoms. She has really worried me and I now think that its days of running up and down the stairs tending to a screaming baby inbetween feeds. Its something I really don't want to go back to ! What age should you stop swaddling?

OP posts:

Gobbledigook · 30/03/2005 14:58

Oh sorry SW, didn't mean to 'disagree' with you, but just trying to reassure SM that if she can get a longer nap with swaddling I don't think there is a problem and obviously she'd then get more time on MN

Gobbledigook · 30/03/2005 14:58

I wouldn't do controlled crying at 15 weeks - poor baba.

Gobbledigook · 30/03/2005 14:59

I swaddled until they either seemed to dislike it or they would sleep for a long nap in a sleeping bag instead. You just have to try it and see I think.

Original poster

sleepymama · 30/03/2005 15:01

Also , I have just got ds onto a routine where he has 2 reasonable naps of 1 1/2 hours and then a 45 min nap between 5 and 6 pm . the HV also said that I should not give him the third nap as research has shown that babies who sleep after 4 pm for a nap do not sleep so well at night!!!! He sleeps from 8pm - 3-4am (sometimes waking inbetween just for a moan) Before the HV came round I felt really good and now I feel like I am doing it all wrong again . Sorry to vent but I think I am going to lose my mind !!

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QueenEagle · 30/03/2005 15:02

I've swaddled all of mine. The older 3 because they slept better like that and my youngest 2 because they had jittery arms.

HV should know better than to make comments like this, all mums new or old hands at it take comments such as this to heart and worry that what they've been doing successfully is wrong after all. Just cos they have a qualification doesn't necessarily mean they know what's best for you and your baby.

I'd personally say if you are happy and baby seems to sleep better swaddled then carry on with it.

Gobbledigook · 30/03/2005 15:05

Ignore her and do what's best for your baby and what works - she sounds like bloody Gina Ford who says all sorts of things but mine have slept through like a dream from about 6 weeks old while breaking half the rules in her book!

Some toddlers I know will still sleep from 7-7am even after a nap at 5pm but mine wouldn't - they are all different so that's a stupid thing for her to say!

LeahE · 30/03/2005 15:12

Swaddling is fine so long as he doesn't overheat, and so long as he doesn't get loose and have the wrappings lying around loose in the cot with him. It can be a cot death risk if parents don't watch out for those two things, but it sounds like you're already well aware of the overheating risk and have made sure your ds isn't too hot. So keep swaddling so long as he needs it. We swaddle ds just in his vest or (if it's hot or when he had a slight fever) just in his nappy.

And if your nap schedule is working for him (which it clearly is) then she should butt out of that too. "Research" also doesn't support doing controlled crying with a fifteen week old -- even Richard Ferber, who literally wrote the bookj on the subject, says that.

You have every right to feel really good -- it sounds like you and your ds have worked out a routine and approach that really works for the two of you, and your HV shouldn't create problems where none exist.

decmum · 30/03/2005 15:13

Info on swaddling and the research behind it...www.mytiggy.co.uk. Hope it reassures you.

jbadgirl · 30/03/2005 15:16

Queen eagle - was there any reason for your younger 2's jittery arms, hope you dont mind me asking but my ds has the jitters

bakedpotato · 30/03/2005 15:27

if you know the swaddling works for your boy -- that's great. i've read (in GF, nervous cough) not to swaddle over the arms after about 6 wks, partly bcs this is when babies start exploring with their hands, and partly bcs of overheating. as i know nothing, i take GF's advice, and swaddle UNDER the arms from this point, so the baby feels nice and secure but now has the added thrill of being able to rake its face with those tiny razor-sharp nails any time it chooses.

surely if you're careful what the baby is sleeping in ie, DS, in babygro/vest, gets wrapped in a thin cotton sheet, with 1 or 2 cotton cellular blankets on top and the temp of the room, you need not worry about what this silly silly old moo has told you. how wicked of her to upset you, when you're feeling fairly good about things? sigh.

strawberry · 30/03/2005 15:59

This is from the SIDS website:

Is it ok to swaddle my baby?
Different people swaddle in different ways, using different weight materials. It is therefore difficult to give definitive advice, except to advise if people swaddle their baby it's sensible to use thin materials, keep your baby's head uncovered, take care what other bedding and clothing you use (eg recognise that swaddling is instead of a blanket), and make sure that your baby does not get hot and sweaty.

HTH

QueenEagle · 30/03/2005 16:17

jbadgirl - both my youngest had jittery arms from birth, my MW thought it may have been due to their blood sugar dipping a bit due to not having had any milk for a while and giving a feed would stop it. I never noticed that feeding made any difference, in fact it just seemed to be something they did at random. They both stopped doing it at about 2 months though. Both of mine were jaundiced as babies but don't know if this had anything to do with it.

My youngest ds was re-admitted to hospital when he was 2 days old due to poor feeding and being very jittery. He had blood tests which were all fine so in the end this jittering was deemed nothing to worry about.

starlover · 30/03/2005 18:19

just another swaddler here! ds loves to be swaddled and sleeps much better when he is wrapped up.

My brother and I were always swaddled and we're ok!

Original poster

sleepymama · 30/03/2005 18:25

Thanks to everyone for the much needed vote of confidence. Its really good to know that there are people out there who really care! I feel much better about the whole swaddling thing. will continue to do it until my ds tells me he no longer needs it. With the nap schedule -mine can't be that bad as I'm sure thats what tracey hogg suggests in her Baby whisperer book......But maybe thats why my ds isn't sleeping through the night. Who knows eh?

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