How Long to Swaddle? LO's Only Sleep in Carseat!

I am not sure how this happened since for the first 3 months my LOs HATED their carseats and slept just fine in the crib. We always swaddled them before, especially during the six weeks or so of colic. We wouldf walk them until they slept then put them down and they would stay in the crib. However, now that they are 3.5 months and a little easier to soothe, we have been rocking them in the carseats until they fall asleep, and I admit to letting them nap there during the day for convenience sake...and now suddenly they won't sleep when transferred to the crib. This happened at the same time that we switched from swaddle blankets to sleep sacks. I suspect that they'd sleep better in the crib if swaddled, and they like the cozy confines of the seat for that reason. What do you think? I read that it is not good to swaddle after 3 or 4 months, is this true? If you did swaddle for longer, did your LOs still develop normally, turning over, etc? Any alternatives to swaddling to get them to sleep soundly in the crib again? Thanks!

 

We, at 9mos, still swaddle :FIFblush: No developmental delays noted here. Rhys is crawling, pulling up and Owen, while not crawling yet, is doing 360 like a breakdancer. I think our Pedi recommended to stop swaddling at 6wks, but our boys just sleep so much better when they are swaddled. And as you know, sleep is a precious commodity. , We are slowly trying to wean them, they now sleep with one arm out, next week will be both

 

I didn't swaddle, but I see absolutely no reason not to swaddle them if they like it & will sleep better that way. At that age, for me, it was whatever works!

 

I swaddled until 4 months, and I would have for longer if they hadn't developed the strength to bust out of any swaddle we put them in (even the velcro kind!). Miles is a rolling champion, and Austin is right behind him at 5.5 months... I don't see a problem with it!

 

I see no issues with swaddling any longer. We only stopped when they started breaking out of them at 3 months. Maybe try getting a sleep positioner for the crib that you can make them feel cozier with.

 

We only stopped bc they were busting out of the at 8weeks...yes even the velcro ones. It made it harder for them to go to sleep. When we stopped we loosely wrapped them in receiving blankets for a few nights then just stopped. If they sleep better I would try swaddling and rocking them in a chair then laying them down in the bed. They are kind of at a nosey age where picking them up out of the carseat might be waking them up and then of course they want to know whats going on. It might be an easier transition from your arms to the crib. Just do what works

 

I can totally see us swaddling for awhile yet! I've never swaddled my others - they hated it, but this Duo loves it! They settle within a minute of being swaddled! Personally I can't see how swaddling can affect development when they are only swaddled for sleeping - not like they're supposed to practice rolling etc when sleeping!

 

I think since you already went through the transition from the swaddle to sleepsack you probably don't want to go backward. I swaddled until 5 months! The transition was hard and I wouldn't want to go back again I think that car seat/bouncy/swing sleeping at this age for naps and night time is fine. My DD had bad reflux and sleep that way for about 4-5 months. It was easy to move her to her crib once she was ready (we first started with naps). At this age it's not like they are sleeping through the night in the car seat (12 hours).
I think the idea of a positioner to add to their comfort might work. We used those until they started wiggling out of them at about 4-5 months. GL!

 

We swaddled until ours could break free on their own (around 5 months).
One thing that helped ours to sleep in their cribs was sleeping in boppies in the crib

 

I swaddled my last two kiddos until they were about 8 months old (when I couldn't keep them swaddled any longer). We used the miracle blanket and it lasted a lot longer than any other swaddler that I tried. Neither of them started walking until 15 months but I don't attribute that to swaddling because my oldest son didn't walk until that age either and he wasn't swaddled past the first month, other than that they didn't have any developmental delays. I plan on swaddling the twins as long as I possibly can.

 

if swaddling will help your two sleep, I say do it... we swaddled until ours were just over 6 months. they did break out but I just bought big 42" square flannel fabric and made my own large swaddle blankets. I've heard wonderful results from that miracle one. Ours rolled over and sat up at the exact "average", so we didn't have any delays.

I don't think you'll have any developmental issues. I do think that (if you can...) you should try to get them to fall asleep on their own... we were able to swaddle ours and put them awake in the crib and they would go to sleep... I'm sure that it wasn't as easy as it sounds in the beginning... but it was worth the hard work we put in when they did learn to fall asleep on their own. I only bring this up, because it gets harder for them to fall asleep when they start rolling over, and standing up etc...

Two other things that we do to help ours sleep are pacifiers for them to suck on... and playing white noise (we play the rain sound) at every nap & night time - we're still doing these things at 18 months...

keep up the good work and you'll get your two sleeping again!

 

We stopped at 4.5 months because they kept trying to get out... after that they knew how to suck their fingers or the sleep sack to self-soothe... but I agree, I'd definitely keep them swaddled in the crib for now.

 

We didn't swaddle, but we did rock the boys to sleep in their carriers for 4-5 months. It was a tough transition but I started with naps in the PNP with a crib wedge then did it for the cribs at bedtime. I kept a swing in their room so if one woke up I'd let them sleep the rest of the night in the swing (though it wasn't swinging that whole time).