Flailing arms - really need some help here!

[OneTiredFox]

HELP!!! My baby will only go to sleep if I pin her arms down by her side to stop them flailing around/ripping her dummy out (which wakes her up and upsets her).

She literally will NOT go to sleep unless tightly held in my arms or I have to lean over her and hold her hands down, usually with my face pressed to hers.

Basically I have a really bad back as it is and this is killing me - I can't go on for much longer!!! Although my osteopath loves me, I must be keeping him in fancy cars and holidays

Has anyone else experienced this? Do you know if you can buy baby straight-jackets?!

How old is she? If she's still really tiny, have you tried swaddling, which would help with the flailing arms? Not so useful if she's older though.

Ah - I had a baby houdini too. I got a grobag swaddling blanket whrn she was 8 weeks and it worked a treat. At 5 months went cold turkey and we only have to pin her arms down when she's reallyh overtired!

She's just turned 6 months, so swaddling nigh on impossible! I am seriously thinking of sewing the arms of her sleepsuit to the sides

Yes, I guess she's too big to swaddle now. How about a fairly firmly tucked in blanket over her? Or maybe you need to do a version of the 'gradual withdrawal' thing - gradually start holding her less closely, then eventually move to just being near her, then further away, etc? Could be a bit of a long process though.

Hi I am no expert on these matters but on Ebay there is a shop called Freedom slings which sells swaddling pods and apparently these are suitable for up to 9 months old. If you want further information I will oblige. I swaddled my 4 month daughter until very recently which is why I investigated swaddling options just in case!

Swaddling pods - thank you! I will have a look.

I've tried the blanket but she just kicks it off! I'm sure that's a good thing, as she is developing well and has a strong kick but sadly it does not help with the sleep thing. I think the gradual withdrawal method is a good idea, have been reading about that in dear old Elizabeth Pantley!!

Give her something to hold? A blanket or small toy (which you could take away once she's asleep).

Not much help, but I have a baby with crazy arms too.

I found the swaddle pod amazing.
A lot les stressful than traditional swaddling and my daughter now sleeps for longer periods without waking herself up.

Unfortunately it looks like all the swaddling pods and similar solutions I have found on the internet are not recommended for babies of DD's size/age (she is around 20lb now). I suppose because if she is swaddled and rolls on to her tummy, which she is on the brink of doing, it could be quite dangerous.

I have tried introducing a 'blanky', but she isn't particularly taken with it. So back to the drawing board...

Hey, I had one of these. Now seems I have two (my second is 9mths and doesn't wantt o lie down even)! Used to sleep next to her, one leg over her legs and the other pinning arms down. Ds I tend to rock/feed to sleep at mo...

Think grobag helped a bit but dd eventually grew out of it. No idea when, though I know she was in a bed by 15mths so def by then.

Well DD has been in a grobag since day one so she's really used to it. Guess I am just going to have to be patient!!

Ha yes, you wait til they can get up onto all fours and crawl around and pull up on everything. I don't seem to get those serene lying down peacefully babies!! Though ds has been able to stay in one place tired for about a minute last few nights... so there's progress

Heed the Mumsnet wisdom This too will pass (ie it's all a phase...)