My daughter is 3 1/2 months old. I'm wondering how to no when they don't want to be swaddled anymore? She is a good size baby and is almost getting too long for her swaddler blanket. It's the kind that velcrows and everything. This blanket worked miracles at first but lately I feel like when I put her to bed, she is trying to kick it of of her. Sometimes when she wakes from her nap, one leg has somehow gotten out of the bottom hole, and sometimes one arm has gotten out also. I feel like the quality of her sleep isn't that great, but she's also teething getting her two front teeth. She used to scratch her face really bad so this blanky helped a ton. I'm just wondering if this is her way of telling us she doesn't want to be all bundled up? She's so random I'm afraid she will just wake herself up all of the time without it on. She's already trying to roll over!!! Any advice???
This is her time. At 3 1/2 months im surprised she let you do it that long. I' ve noticed anything past two months they get upset. This is her way of sayiny enough is enough. It becomes restrictive and then they can't stretch as much. If she is already trying to roll over you have a very active baby who is ready to go, by swaddling her you are only going to make her cranky... I hope this helps you. Have a great day.
I swaddled until my daughter was ~4 mos. She started escaping and I reluctantly attempted to "set her free" and let her sleep unswaddled. We tried with naps, first and then moved to night. Expect some rough nights during the transition, but it shouldn't be too long. It was 1 night in our case.
Swaddling is completely independent to the child. And, 3 1/2 mo. is not that long to swaddle. Dr. Karp (Happiest Baby on the Block) says that some babies enjoy the swaddle up to 9 months!
We started to leave his arms out at night (with the velcro swaddle-wrap-thing), then naps without it. And about two weeks ago he got upset when I put it on him, and I knew he was done.
If your daughter enjoys the swaddle just try taking one hand out then the other. We also found that he would go off and on with it before he was really done. It depends on what they need in that moment.
One caution, if she is rolling over, you should leave her arms out so she can push herself up.
good luck!
Hi A.,
I would try to put her down for a nap without swaddling to see how she does. Now that she is teething she may like having her hands free to chew on. My daughter sucked on her fingers and thumbs for a little while as a way to self soothe herself to sleep. It isn't a dental problem until much later so we (the dental community) don't discourage it at this young age. My daughter NEVER liked to be swaddled though she could have used it in the beginning. It sounds to me like your daughter is trying to tell you she is done.
L.
