swaddling

[hopefulmummy]

I have just started to swaddle by baby boy the last couple of days - he is 3 weeks old today.

the sheet comes all undone after only a little bit of time in the cot and also he won't straigten his legs out! still lies in the fetal position.

also, what age do you stop swaddling? is it even worth perservering with this? xx

 

[xxbeckyxx]

You've gotta swaddle much tighter than you think you should iykwim. And I found a thin wool blanket was the best thing, fold it in half so you have a triangle (wide side up), lay baby slightly to the left and hold baby's right arm straight down against his side while wrapping the left side over to tuck under baby's body. Then hold the baby's left arm straight and bring the other side round and make sure that's completely under his body so he can't get out. My OH thought it was mean and constricting when my mum first did it to show us but Lizzie slept through the night from then onwards (till teething started anyway!).
I know some people say to pull up the bottom of the triangle over the legs but I never bothered tbh, seemed like Lizzie could then 'escape' by kicking her legs to loosen the whole thing.

I swaddled till last week but I think that's probably a bit extreme! But Lizzie loved it so we carried on!

 

[mikid]

Agree with Becky, it needs to almost seem too tight (but not so tight they're squished!) I also didn't fold the bottom up,. We swaddled until about 4.5 months, when Ella started wriggling out of it. At first she didn't seem to like it but then she just wouldn't settle out if the swaddled either so persevered for a few nights and then she loved it, used to start grinning and straighten herself out ready to be wrapped up!

 

[hopefulmummy]

Thanks. I will keep trying then. Do you only do it at night then? I've started to do it every time I try and put him down for a nap. (not that that works! - cries to be cuddled...) is that a bit extreme?

 

[xxbeckyxx]

I used to swaddle every time Lizzie would sleep including naps Only place she would fall asleep without swaddling was the car!!

 

[jennilisanne]

We used a £3.50 baby fleece blanket from Asda. It was the perfect size for swaddling for months.
I didn't think Sophia would like it because she always had her hands up to her face (it was how she was born!) but she really loved it.

 

[mikid]

I also swaddled for naps... Didn't for a while and naps were always horrendous, realised that was probably the problem and Lo and behold, swaddled naps were much easier!!

We also used the Asda fleece blankets! Really good size, did the job perfectly and nowhere near as expensive as the specific swaddle blankets.

 

[hopefulmummy]

Thanks I think I'm going to have to buy a blanket. I'm usig a sheet at the minute as it's so hot but it's too
Big and just comes undone. I can't work out if my lo likes it or not!!! X

 

[hopefulmummy]

Just to say i did buy one of those swaddling things from
Mothercare and it was great! Is there an age where you have to stop swaddling? Ive heard you shouldn't go beyond 2 months...?? Arthur seems to like it when I do it still... Xx

 

[Snappykat]

I stopped at 7 months by that time they could get out themselves.

 

[rbryan0205]

have you tried a sleeping bag?

 

[hopefulmummy]

Rbryan that's what I'm actually using at the moment, a grobag. Arthur is too long for the swaddling blanket I've for
Now so I have moved on. I miss swaddling him. It was part of our evening routine and he looked so sweet! Xx

 

[Miss]

I was still swaddling Georgie, it's the only way I can get her to go down I'm her crib!

We are using one of the cream knitted blankets from asda (they have either winnie the pooh or a teddy in one corner) they are a nice size and I find the knitted are more snug than a fleece blanket. Also I don't fold it in half, I just fold the corner with the picture on it over to give me a straight edge to lie her on. X

 

[cherelle]

Ifan loved to be swaddled when he was small but we stopped doing it at about 5 weeks as he doesnt like it now. We only did it so we felt safe knowing he couldnt move around in his basket when he was first born! x

 

[Roo3]

I'm still swaddling Jake although am about to start trying to wean him off the swaddle! I swaddle him in a flannelette (sp?) sheet folded in half. It's the only way he'll sleep at night. During the day he'll sleep anywhere without being swaddled!
The only reason why I'm going to wean him off it is becuase he's strong enough to get his arms free now and that wakes him up which in turn wakes me up!