Bad Case of the Crazy Arms

My boys turned 5 weeks on Sunday and are having the hardest times controlling their arms and legs. They just wiggle and jerk all over the place to the point that it angers them and makes them cry. The only thing that helps is swaddling them with the Swaddle Me blanket, but a couple of weeks ago I realized that their arms and legs were bound for the majority of the day. That can't be good, right? So I've been trying to let them nap "freely". They can never get to sleep or stay asleep on their backs with their little crazy limbs flailing everywhere. Lately I've even resorted to the unthinkable...lying them on their tummies for naps. It's the only way I can actually lie them down without their little limbs attacking them. Is something wrong with these boys? If not, when do they learn to control those things? Also, how can you teach them to suck their thumbs? Again, I know it's terrible, but they have so much trouble keeping that gigantic green hospital pacifier in their mouths and they won't take any other one. I have to wake up every 30 minutes sometimes to reinsert and literally hold the thing in their mouths! They try to suck their thumbs, but it ends up being the whole hand and sometimes the arm. Please help!

 

Swaddling when they sleep is fine, just make sure they get some time to wave them around. James had a really hard time with his arms when he was little, he would wave them around and keep hitting his face then cry. I would just hold his hands gently and he would calm down. In womb there is resistance and he just may not be used to being able to move them where he wants as fast as he wants.

 

Hi there! I read "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and while not all of his stuff worked for me, some of it made sense and one thing he said was that babies are essentially born 3 months too soon, and that in other countries babies are swaddled and carried all day, which soothes them and helps them sleep and be peaceful and secure. In America we put them in big empty cribs in silence and it freaks them out. Some babies don't really take to swaddling but others just love it, it comforts them. Sounds like your babies are one of them! I see nothing wrong with having them swaddled most of the day, especially if you see that it helps keep them comfortable and if it helps you to not put them on thier tummies, then please do so! Give them some time during the day to stretch out and learn to work their arms and legs, but swaddling often I think is just fine, when they are that little. Also, mine have just started finding their thumbs and they are 7 months old. They didn't use pacifiers until about 8 weeks old and they are the Soothies too. Replacing Nuks (playing the Nuk game, as I called it) is just part of early infant life, unfortunately, until they learn better mouth control.
Hang in there!!!! :hug99:

 

I have the same issue (still at 8 weeks). They wake themselves up if we leave them unswaddled. I use miracle blankets at night (the only thing the kids won't break out of eventually), but during the day I use the wing part of the Halo Sleep sacks. They are quick and easy to use during nap time. I see no problem keeping them swaddled for sleep time. It is far more important that they get enough sleep!! Best of luck.

 

We had the same problem with Emily, she would just fall to sleep and whack herself in the head and scream...we left her swaddled for her nap and it worked out just fine. She seemed to out grow it pretty quick, so I wouldn't worry about it for the short term.

alexis

 

They thrust their arms and legs around so much because they are learning to gain control of their bodies.

You can definitely still swaddle them... I know what you mean about those big green paci's... I was so glad my guys took the Nuk ones, LOL

 

I swaddled the babies until about 2 weeks ago, they were bustin loose so I figured they were good. Swaddling really helped soothe both babies, DS really had to be swaddled or he like yours would flail and everytime he would drift off and let his arms start to fall at his sides he would jerk awake. It got to the point where all I had to do was swaddle him, pop in the soothie for a few minutes and he would be out like a light.

good luck, and don't worry in a few weeks it will be something else

Alyson

 

We swaddled the babies everytime they were sleeping or fussy. So if they were flailing their arms and legs and crying as a result, it was back into the blanket. Worked everytime. Their little bodies are just so immature still. As for the pacis, we too used those as it was calming for them. Yes, it was a pain to hold them in place or reinsert them, but it soothed the babies immensely and that made it worth it for me.

 

The best thing you can do for your little guys at this point is make them feel comfortable and help them to sleep. I say swaddle as much as possible. My guys were swaddled for every sleep until 4 month and they're just fine. I still do it if they're fussy (like the last few days).

 

we were big swaddler fans (didn't stop until maybe 6 months or so?), and had to use it sometimes during the day- it helped them take longer naps. have you tried letting them sleep in a swing, their carseat, or nestled in a boppy, or even on your chest/in your arm while you lay down (and take a nap too!)? because it keeps their body a little more rounded, sometimes they feel more comfortable. you need to break that habit by 4 months, but right now, it is just get them to sleep where you can!

 

Ditto PPs - nothing wrong with swaddling as long as they get some "flail time" when they're awake! It is so soothing for them. My twins are almost 4 mo. corrected age, and I still swaddle DS for sleep. He's the high-strung baby, and it really helps him peace out. DD outgrew swaddling faster - she loves to sprawl and wiggle (just like in the womb!), and is better off in a sleep sack.

When your babies are ready to do away with swaddling, you'll know.

 

I swaddled my 5 yo until she was like 6 months old. For the first couple months she was swaddled day and night. She loved it. My memories of her were a burrito with a cute little face. She nursed like that, slept like that, everything.

She's fine now!

 

I agree with all the PPs to keep swaddling if your babies like it. As a PP mentioned, babies in 3rd World countries are swaddled for their entire infancy. I've lived 2 years now in Ecuador and never seen a newborn/infant cry here. They are carried everywhere on their mother's/grandmother's/4 year old sister's back. The women here have a unqiue way of just using a piece of clothe to tie the baby to their back. The swaddling is not bad for their limbs and helps them sleep. WHen they have wake time, unwrap them and let the wiggle.

 

ditto ditto ditto - when my girls were your babies' age i had the same worry about swaddling... we stopped and recently reintroduced (they are just 4 months) and they are sleeping MUCH better. again, as long as they get som ewiggle time they will be fine.

they are still neurologically and physically immature and need to get used to this crazy outside world; anything you can do to soothe them is a great beginning for them feeling safe and secure.

as for the pacis - someone said, it' just part of infant life. I still have to put my girls' back in. Although i find that they can hold the MAM orthodonic ones better than the green hospital soothies...

and remember - it's just gong to get better from now on; the next 8 weeks will bring SUCH delight to you! hang in there.

 

ditto ditto ditto - when my girls were your babies' age i had the same worry about swaddling... we stopped and recently reintroduced (they are just 4 months) and they are sleeping MUCH better. again, as long as they get som ewiggle time they will be fine.

they are still neurologically and physically immature and need to get used to this crazy outside world; anything you can do to soothe them is a great beginning for them feeling safe and secure.

as for the pacis - someone said, it' just part of infant life. I still have to put my girls' back in. Although i find that they can hold the MAM orthodonic ones better than the green hospital soothies...

and remember - it's just gong to get better from now on; the next 8 weeks will bring SUCH delight to you! hang in there.