Swaddling

my mother is a head start teacher and she uses swaddling as a method of calming children down. Some of the kids in her class have learning disabilities, some a bully's, most are abused or come from broken homes. When some of the kids act out she wraps them tightly in a blanket, wraps her arms around them sits on the floor and rocks making the swishing sound. These kids are between 3-5. and it works. These kids start out pretty uncontrollable when they first start the year, and by the end of the year they are very well behaved and alot of them develop a real bond with my mom. It has helped them learn to trust authority figure later on in life. I know that because I was one of her students when I was a child. Kids are never to old to be swaddled, heck I'm sure when you are cold you like to wrap yourself in a blanket and cuddle up with someone. if she moves around way to much, try wrapping her in blanket to you.

Hi Courtney,

I'm not a Doctor/Pediatrician- just a 3-time mom. This might give me enough credibility. :) I feel that if your baby is still responding to the swadling, just keep on doing it! Your objective is to help her relax and fall asleep. There's nothing wrong with doing it, anyway I'm pretty sure that by now, she is able to move around and "undo" herself if she should need to as long as you're just using the blankie itself to swaddle. (You don't use a "velcro-type" fastener right?) My baby is now 7 months old and I will still swaddle her every-once-in-a-while when she's restless, she's able to unswaddle and uncover herself whenever she chooses.

Best Regards,
-I.

Swaddling is to comfort, relax, etc. the baby. Doesn't matter how long you do it, as long as it serves that purpose. You'll know, once baby stops flailing and is the same swaddled or not. YOu can't "hurt" her; you're doing a great thing to continue it as long as it is helpful to her.

Courtney,

If it isn't broken, don't fix it. Keep swaddling her as long as it is working and as long as you can find a blanket that is big enough. As she gets older, she'll probably lose her desire to be swaddled. She'll let you know when she's ready.

Whatever lets everyone sleep is good in my book.

:-)T.

Courtney,
Remember she is only 4 months old - she was inside of you and "swaddled" for nine months. It feels good and safe! I would recommend that you start napping her with one arm swaddled and one arm out. This is what we recommend when working with breastfeeding mom's (i'm a lactation educator). It's the best of both worlds - baby feels secure, but also has some control....just for your info.; my nine year old loves it when I "swaddle" her for bed. I wrap her up really snug in one of her blankets - I swear she sleeps better those nights....don't worry, she's old enough to get out, which she usually does when it becomes too hot! Follow your instincts - you'll know when it's time to stop!

Keep it up! My daughter is 17 months and the nanny still wraps her in blankets for her naps. I don't know how she does it! We swaddled our daughter when she was that age also. I think she was about 6 months when we started putting her in the crib.

Gosh Courtney, I can't even imagine it not be 'ok' to swaddle baby...at 4 mos. and well beyond. Four months is still a tiny baby! They do sell x-large swaddle blankets in the store and I'm sure it's not because newborns are that big! It's a rarity they are....so, swaddle away. I believe it will promote much security in a new world for baby. You are and will be the best expert w/ your baby; not even the best 'real' expert would be better...
Enjoy that swaddler while you're able.

Hello Courtney ...

I've taught Infant Care Workshops for the past 27 years. I tell couples to swaddle their babies for as long as they want. At some point, your baby girl will wriggle out of the blanketing and un-swaddle herself. That's when you'll know her swaddling days are over.
Swaddling reminds her of being in utero and it's very comforting and a familiar feeling to her. To us, it may look like a straight jacket! To her, it's very soothing.
Hope you had a "Happy Mum's Day".

Warm regards,
M. K.

P.S. Courtney, if there's anyone you know who might like some Free coaching and mentoring and wants to work part time from home, would you please let me know? Thank you.

A good friend had a lot of success with swaddling too. They were able to swaddle until their son kicked and wiggled himself out. I think he liked being swaddled. He was (I think) at least 6 months old maybe closer to a year when he was no longer happy being swaddled. As long it works for you and your child keep it up. Eventually the startle reflex is out grown and they learn to self sooth to sleep. If you don't want to swaddle any more you should start thinking about what bed time routine you will want to have for the next few years.

Hi Courtney,
My baby is 5 months old and I had to go back to swaddling, because she sleeps so much better when she's swaddled. I had a friend who swaddled her baby until she was almost 7 months. You could try to leave one arm out of the swaddle to see how she does with that.
Good luck,
S. g.

Courtney,
We swaddled both of our daughters until they could roll over on their own. At that point we figured it was dangerous to have them all wrapped up. Though, really, they coul "houdini" out of it anyway. Also, we learned early on not to rock them "completely" to sleep...we learned to put them down on their own, as soon as we noticed them geting tired...that way they learn to get to sleep on their own and more importantly soothe themselves back down when/if they wake during the night. All the best! S.

As long as they are comfortable and not too hot with summer coming... If they like it, swaddle.

I swaddled both of my boys for many months, I think it was somewhere between 4-6 months. My oldest loved it, even though he would immediately get his arms out, I think he liked wrestling against the blanket with his arms. Swaddle her as long as you think she likes it. I have never heard of any harm in swaddling or needing to stop at some point. Even my husband likes the blankets tucked in tight around him (like a swaddle!). I think I stopped swaddling my boys when they no longer would stay still when I laid them down. But now my 3 year old will ask for his quilt to be tucked in tight around him. I guess you're never too old for a swaddle!

Listen to Melanie! She doesn't NEED to be swaddled at four months, but she likes it... so swaddle her! The best advice my pediatrician ever gave me was "Mommy knows." Go with your gut. My guess is she'll wiggle out of her swaddling when it starts to get warm at night. Congrats on your first Mother's Day! Good job Mom!

I would say when they are able to roll over by themself is a good time to stop. I would not want her to roll over onto her stomach and not have her arms to get her back. Try not swaddeling for naps first. It might take a few times, but soon enough you will find another way to help her get to sleep.

Swaddle her for as long as she puts up with it.

My son could wiggle out of the swaddle at 4 months and started flipping over at 4 months too. From then on I put him in a zipper sleeper and also a Sleep Sack.

My daughter from 2 months on hated to be swaddled. So she was put into a sleeper and a sleep sack as well.

I wish mine would have swaddled longer, they both slept so well when they did.

My oldest son was swaddled until about 8 months. If she is sleeping well swaddled than leave her be. She will grow out of it in her own time. My son eventually got to the point where he would wake up in the morning and wiggle his arms free. Then he would wiggle his arms free at night during sleep and eventually he would sleep without being swaddled and wouldn't wake himself up. My 2nd son is only 3 months old and already wiggles free so I think it is up to the baby. If it isn't bothering her and she is sleeping well then don't change a thing. She will grow out of it in her own time.

HTH,
M.
www.sittersnow.com

I just went through this! When my daughter was 5 months, I posted pretty much the same question. Most people generally said, keep swaddling, you'll know when she is ready. We did- because like your daughter, she would fall right to sleep thanks to the swaddle and hated being without it (woke herself up etc).

Skip to 9 months old (a couple of weeks ago)...I had to post again, asking for tips on how to stop swaddling. As luck would have it, the a/c went out that night (it was that very, very hot weekend) and we couldn't swaddle her. I ended up being up with her literally all night long- she hated it. She cried and cried so I pretty much spent the night with her in her room, just comforting her. The next night we decided to bite the bullet and keep it up, even though the a/c was fixed. She was much better- and then progressively better every night after. Now we swaddle her under her arms so that at least she feels snuggled. She is sleeping exactly as she was before.

Anyway- the point is, if you decide to stop you might have to go through what I did. However I don't think there is any reason to rush it. At 4 months she's still just a tiny thing. At least at 9 months they have their motor skills far more under control. When I had asked before, not one person suggested that it would harm the baby. Mostly people just said they all had to deal with it eventually. And, who knows, maybe your little one will do what mine didn't and give you some signs that she's ready to go without.

Good luck.

We swaddled our soon too until our peditrician told us at our 6 month check-up it was no longer safe. I was a nervous wreck because that is the only way he would sleep and sleep was going so good. The first nap we put him in bed without it he cried and never did take a nap and we worked hard to keep him awake until his aternoon nap. We put him down again without it and he cried for a few minutes and fell asleep and that was the end of it! It was not as bed as I thought it was going to be. Good luck.

I continued to swaddle my son until he was 9 months. He began to bust out of it every night and wake himself up so we stopped swaddling him and began sleep trainig him to sleep through the night all at once and so far its been working out. He sleeps from 9-4:30 straight through (most of the time) I have heard you can swaddle until a year old or more though.
S.

I had this same question about my son. Four months is not too long to be swaddled. Some babies just need that comfort (and parents do too if it keeps them sleeping better!). My son is 11 months old and I still loosely wrap his blanket around him when putting him down. I recommend slowly loosening the blanket each time you swaddle and eventually leaving one arm out and then the other. You may eventually get to where your daughter doesn't need it at all.

We still swaddel our DD here at close to 5 months and she goes down for beed at 7 pm and doesnt wake till 7 am sometimes 8. Dra is a very spirited thing and loves to fling her arms and legs so no swaddel for us means no sleep at night. Also though we dont swaddel her for naps hoping she learns some self soothing and good sleep habits there, this does backfire on us occasionally leading to short naps and cranky baby. There is no time line on stopping the swaddel that I know of its a personal choice between you and your daughter. Follow her ques and she will let you know.

There are several products out there that make swaddeling much easier. We use the bags from kiddopatamus I have also heard great things about the miraacle blanket. There is also the Aussie swaddel that I have heard from other moms works very well for sleep training away from the swaddel. Do what your mommy instincs tell you is best for yoiu your familly and your LO. HTH

My son HATED to be swaddled,about 2 months we stopped doing it.But he was also sleeping in bed with me :)

Hey Courtney,
You could try the new "swaddlers" with velcro, they work pretty well and are a little harder to unwrap. They really love to be swaddled tightly and helps to keep their tummys from getting as upset as they sometimes do. :)
V.

My advice is that you stop when she can get out of the swaddle. Until then, swaddle away! :)

Courtney,
We swaddled our son until around 7 months. He did grow out of the swaddling blanket we used initially and so we swapped to the Miracle Blanket which was AMAZING. We had two of those and stopped putting his legs in when he was around 4-5 months I think. It was great for keeping his little arms still while he was trying to sleep and for calming him down. We experimented with one arm out (he actually started beging able to get one arm out himself) and then tried him napping some so he could get used to it and it just became clear he could sleep without it one day. We have friends who did a tummy swaddle for night sleep through the first year. There are some cultures where swaddling is much more common, even for older infants. For us, sleep was so precious (for all of us) that we kept with it as long as it worked and seemed to help our son.
Take care,
M.

Hi! You might transition her from swaddling by using massage. Or still swaddle her to go to sleep but massage her at least once a day so she can begin to 'know' her body in space. Massage can stimulate her nerves in her skin which then create the pathways in the brain that will allow her to 'know' her arm is moving or that her leg is kicking something...but also by wiggling around and when their caregivers hug and pat them, babies are figuring it out on their own! giving her naked (or w/ just a diaper) time to wiggle around helps with this too...best to you:)

As longs as she likes it! No reason not to and she'll tell you when it's time.

As long as she likes it I think you are ok to do it, I have heard of people swaddling until 9-10 months. And even bigger kids like to be tucked in tight sometimes

the most common time period to swaddle is the first three months. we removed our baby's swaddle a little after 4 months. I also know someone who swaddled for a year. There is some school of thought that says that swaddling for too long (past the "fourth trimester" meaning the first three months) could hinder hip development. It might be a good idea to talk to your pediatrician about it.

Here are some books that discuss it:
Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp
The Baby Book, by William Sears

We swaddled our daughter past 5 months...

Hi Courtney,
According to Dr. Karp in The Happiest Baby on the Block most swaddling stops around three months, or when your baby doesn't respond favorably to it. Sounds like if your little one is still soothed by it she still needs it. Check out his book if you can. I think libraries have a copy. Good luck and kudos to you for swaddling!
R.

Happy Mother's Day to you!...
As for swaddling, both my daughter and son worked out of their swaddle by 2 to 3 months of age. I would put them down all tight and when I would check on them or feed them later, they would have their arms out or the blanket would be up over their face...! I then began using long-sleeved onsies and sleep sacs as pj's until they became comfortable enough for just footie pj's. I strongly believe that every child is different. It sounds like swaddling is working for you. I would probably give her 2 more months to see if she works out of it by herself, which she might do as she becomes increasingly confident with her motor skills and farmiliar with her body. Ultamitly, I think that you do want her out of a swaddle because you want a healthy, indipendant sleeper. Some suggestions for "weening" from the swaddle: You might try swaddling her looser for a few evenings and then using a sleep sac. The sleep sac is GREAT and it might give her that "protected" feeling she seems to like from swaddling and it is safe because there is no risk of suffocation. You may also want to find a different bedtime routine that helps her get to sleep. Maybe you could rock her or give her a soothing bath or nurse/bottle feed her. Perhaps soothing music or white noise would help. Does she nap swaddled? Maybe you could start putting her down for naps without being swaddled so that she could begin to get comfortable sleeping without the blanket. Be creative. You know your daughter better than anybody. However, when you do decide to begin the separtation process, be prepared for a few tears. The road to indipendant sleeping may be a little bumpy but it is worth it! I also found this answer on another site and it seemed interesting:

"Regarding the question about how to transition away from swaddling... we had this issue with our daughter and discovered that it wasn't really the swaddling that was making her sleepy, it had just turned into her sleep cue. Swaddling = sleep. So, we had to invent a new sleep cue. We decided to swaddle her and play a certain song every time she went to sleep. We'd dance around for the remainder of the song and then she'd go to sleep. Then we phased out the swaddle by keeping her arms out and continued the song. Eventually, every time she heard the song she was ready for bed. Swaddling and dancing were both gone. Shortly thereafter, she didn't need the song anymore either. Good luck!"

We swaddled our son until he was 6 months old, he's now 10 months and adjusted just fine. I have a friend who swaddled her son until he was 9 months. Both boys sleep very well. :)

Hi, I swaddled my 2nd child until she was about 7 months for the same reason. They do start to get out, though. I was abled to keep her swaddled longer by using a Miracle Blanket". My Dr. said it was fine. She's 9 months now sleeping w/o the swaddle just fine. There is a period of transition though when they get used to being with out it. You have to see whats right for you and your baby. Trying to get mine "off" the swaddle was a little tough. I just kept trying to put her down without it. If she couldn't fall asleep I would end up swaddling her. There does come a point where you just can't do it because they get out in seconds. Good Luck.

hi courney,
we swaddled both of our children from the time they were born until about 9 mo. - 10 mo. of age. we had no problems with it & were never told not to do it. our reasons for doing it were the same as yours ~ if not done, our kids wouldn't fall asleep or stay asleep for long. keep doing what works for you & follow your instincts! you know what's best for your baby.

Swaddle her until she won't swaddle anymore!

If it works Keep doing it! My daughter is almost a year old and I still do it!

Babies love to be swaddled because it makes them feel safe and happy like they were in your womb. When we brought our new borns home from the hospital our children that were one and two would some times want to be wrapped up just like the baby. They loved it too. She will let you know when she doesn't want it. D.

My son also loved being swaddled and was a great sleeper. I asked my doctor about it and he said my son would let us know when he no longer wanted to be swaddled, but until then it was just fine (mentioned that in some countries they swaddle until a few years old). A couple of weeks before my son's first birthday he let us know he no longer wanted to be swaddled by screaming, crying and arching his back until we took his arms out. He is still a great sleeper and we continue to swaddle him with his arms out (we don't put any blankets in his crib). I say just keep doing what seems to be working and she will let you know when she no longer wants to be swaddled.

My son is nine and a half months old and still loves to be swaddled in his favorite blanket. On warm nights, we just loosly wrap him. When he rolls over, the blanket moves with him. So far, we haven't had any tangling problems.

i have 3 kids ages 3, 5 and 7. i swaddled my kids til they were 12 - 18 months old. My friends laughed it me, but it was the only way they could get good sleep. In fact at one point i had to sew my swaddling blankets together because they were too big. don't worry about how old they are ... they'll be fine. swaddling makes them feel so secure. good luck.

Hi Courtney,

Hope you mothers day was wonderful!

I was told to swaddle them as long as they like it. I actually have a friend whose Mom would tuck her in really snug up until she was like nine because it helped her sleep.

G.

Hi Courtney,

I swaddled my daughter for as long as I had blankets to do it!!! She is now 2 yrs old. There is no danger and soon she will be old enough that you swaddle under her arms so she can play with her hands.

My son (10 Months) broke out the swadle at birth and we were never able to keep him in one. So sounds like your little girl loves the cozy warm feeling. Enjoy it!

H.

It was suggested by my daughters pediatrician to stop swaddling when she was able to roll over on her own. And once she's able to roll over on her own it IS safe for her to sleep on her tummy!

We also began to use a sleep sack when my daughter was done with swaddling (at around 4 months) and it worked great! We never had a crying night! I just nursed her to sleep (still do!) and said night night! She's 13 months old now!! :)

Do you swaddle for her naps too? I would suggest you start by not swaddling at nap time first... then move to night time. Also swaddling for naps AND night is NOT recommended because it can help to hinder their development.

Babies movements do lessen and they gain better control over their arm movement so it wakes them less.

Your baby will also tell you when she's done.. she'll get out of the swaddle everynight! That's when you know she's done.

Good luck!

I swaddled my babies for as long as they would let me. Up until they could move around by themselves. THen they did not want to be confined.
Take care

We used a swaddler for our son until he was almost 7 months. He would do the same thing. We would eventually start leaving one arm out to see how he did. When he was teething we would wrap him completely up because it would help him sleep better. He is now 10 1/2 months and hasn't used a swaddler for a long time and he sleeps fine on his own. I would say use it as long as you need it.

I usually don't respond to questions on Mamasource for lack of time, but I am driven to answer yours because my husband and I had similar issues with our son when he was your daughter's age. I can only say that for our son, who will be turning five years old in October, swaddling was a blessing in disguise! We swaddled him like a burrito for a long while! I'm sure it's different for every child, but for our son, the swaddling lasted until he was too big for the swaddling blanket (around eight months). We even had to cut the bottom edge off the blanket when he started to outgrow it...swaddling is GENIUS and allowed us to sleep six hours (or more sometimes) instead of the horrible four hours...I hope this helps.

M. A.

It's ok to swaddle until your baby "tells" you to stop :) You'll know when she's ready!

Hi Courtney.

I have a 9-month-old and up until she was about 6-months-old, she had to be swaddled. It was the only way she would fall asleep and sleep through the night. Keep her swaddled as long as she wants to be. One night, my daughter just fell asleep without it and slept through the night. I've had no problems ever since that night. Now, I can just throw a light sheet over her and she sleeps peacefully all the way through morning. You'll know when she's done with the swaddling. Just go with what works best for your baby.

Hope that helps. Good luck!

Best,

E.

I swaddled my baby until about 4 months. Then she just squirmed out of it each night. So, I switched to a sleep sack. She did flail her arms and wake herself up, but eventually got used to it and now sleeps soundly through the night (she is 6.5 months, now).

Hi Courtney, I'm not sure what swaddling is, but if its cradeling or rocking your baby to sleep, good for you, you can not over nurture a baby or child, nurturing and spoiling is not the same thing, so you go on swaddling. Mother for 24 years. J.

Courtney,

I would do a little research on line. I read an article that swaddling your child after 4 moths could delay motor skills. They need to learn to move and kick. My Ped didn't even want our son to use a sleep sack after 10 months because it was restricting.

Hope this helps.

M.

Yeah, we swaddled our kids till they were even older than that. Some countries (I've been there) swaddle really tight till they're 2 or 3 years old! Do whatever is best for YOUR baby, and that will be best for you. Whatever makes her sleep better, I think is worth your peace of mind and peaceful night.

I don't believe there's an age where you have to stop swaddling. If that is your bedtime routine, and you and she are comfortable with it, there's no reason to stop. Sleep is so absolutely important that I would continue as long as you want. If for some reason you are not comfortable with swaddling and want to stop, then you can try swaddling with one arm out for awhile then progress to both arms out before removing the swaddle blanket altogether. When my son started rolling over at 4 months, I swaddled with one arm out. He was so strong that he would wiggle his way out of the swaddle by morning anyway. But swaddling absolutely helped him fall asleep and stay asleep until morning! I stopped cold-turkey, but only because I forgot his blanket on a recent trip. A lot of my friends with same age babies still swaddle. A friend of mine still swaddles her son but with both arms out, and he's almost 18 months! I hope this helps!

I swaddled my son until he was 6-7 months. As soon as his own arms were strong enough to move the swaddle I knew it was time to let him learn to sleep without it.

Uh...my son is 3 when he has had a difficult time sleeping, I still swaddle him. I have also swaddled a child who was having a difficult time adjusting to a new situation and could not calm herself down. As long as it still works keep it up.

We swaddled our G/G twins up until 6 months. By 6-7 months or earlier, your baby will want her freedom and want her arms out of the swaddling blanket. We started just wrapping them with their arms out and then stopped swaddling after that.