Qs for those that swaddle or did swaddle...

Do/did you swaddle at nap times too?
If so, how well do they transition away from the swaddle when they get too big for it?
Or did you transition them earlier for nap time than for bed time?

Our girls just proved last night how much they need to be swaddled and I'm wanting to wrap them up so they'll take real naps too (instead of a bunch of little high maintenance cat naps). I haven't done it yet though because I feel kinda guilty about not giving them time to learn how to fall asleep with their arms free. Am I crazy?

Thanks everyone!
Laura

 

Ours are 4 1/2 months and we swaddled up until about 3 weeks ago with our DD and for about 3 months with DS. She really needed it to fall asleep. We never did swaddle during nap time. I guess I wanted them to be able to distinguish between nighttime sleeping and napping. For naps, they would sleep in their swing or car seat usually--hardly ever the crib. They were always so snug in their car seats though, I think it was like being swaddled. We also never made the room dark, or did anything else to make it seem like nighttime. They take great naps some days (2-3 hours) and just cat nap others. I think its the age so I'm not too worried.

Good luck!

 

I think bedtime was the first that we stopped swaddling, but we did swaddle for a long time. It was probably 4-5 months, depending on the kid. Naptimes were always swaddled, but then bedtime we started using sleep sacs/

 

My DH still wraps my guys from the middle down pretty good. Otherwise they get cold. We probably could have used sleep sacks now that I think of it.

 

We swaddled for naps and bedtime until about 4 weeks when they started breaking free. We started up again a couple of weeks after that when we realized how bad they needed it. We stopped about 3 months when they were getting too big for the blankets!

 

I used miracle blankets to swaddle my boys and they lasted until they were 5 months old and my boys are huge! I did the opposite of the PP's, I stopped swaddling at naps first and then for night time after about a week of not swaddling at naps. I use sleep sacks now. I say keep swaddling for a while yet, it isn't hard to break the habit when they get bigger.

Kelly

 

When I swaddled, I also swaddled at nap time. It helped them sleep better. I'm not swaddling these days but I put the babies in sleep sacks and I put them in there for naps as well.

Do not even worry about them having their arms free! When the time comes to stop swaddling, they will be breaking out of it themselves. You have about a month and a half before that happens.

 

I used the miracle blanket to swaddle my boys until they got too big for it (probably 5 months) and then I bought bigger waffle type blankets that worked well. I wrapped them up for both naps and night time until they could just crawl out of it. I felt like being wrapped up was the final signal that it was time to sleep. My boys are 11 months old and I still cover them with their blankets (the ones I used to wrap them in). I think keep swaddling as long as they need it. I promise they won't need it forever and whatever it takes to get them to sleep, I say

Tamela

 

I think if they need to be swaddled to sleep at night, you ahould swaddle for day as well. You may be pleasanyl surprised at how the schedule improves.

 

we always swaddled until they got to the point where they were just moving too much. they loved being warm.

 

We always swaddled at night, and still do, because sometimes they are still somewhat swaddled in the morning. I stopped swaddling for naps at about 2 months, although I would have continued if they had kept taking naps in their cribs (they are bad nappers and will only sleep for about 20 minutes in the cribs).

 

I did until maybe 2 months they would kick out of the blanket, plus they got so long.

 

Right now our girls are about 15 weeks (about 6 adjusted).
We have been swaddling one DD at night...we thought she didn't like it, but it turns out she does. She just spends a few minutes trying to break free, but then calms down. However, we don't do it at all during nap-time. Like PetiteFleur I don't want nap-time to seem too much like bed-time. During naps they sleep in their bouncies, car seats or even the swing since they are still doing lots of "cat naps." I guess I will try doing "real" nap-time when we are able to attmept to get them sleeping through the night...hopefully soon.

 

I swaddled both for naps & bedtime. Still swaddling DD & just stopped with DS 4 nights ago- his idea, not mine! It sure helped with getting past the "catnap" thing- their naps are about 1-2 hours 3x/day in their cribs. As for weaning them off it, DS just decided the other night that he's not having it anymore & hopefully DD will be just as easy! Oh, and I use the SwaddleMe blankets & love them (they are in the large size now), but from what i've read from others here, most like the Miracle Blanket even more. HTH!!

 

At 6 mos we swaddle upon meltdown. It still calms the boys down, and gets their arms out of my hair- literally. It works great when Dad's not home.

 

I initially was just swaddling at night, but i was trying to move from napping in the swing/bouncy/boppy, etc. to the cribs, and they just would NOT sleep without being swaddled! from what i read, they said not to inorder to help them distinguish night/day, but otherwise i couldn't get them to nap in there. so now we swaddle for morning and mid-day nap, and it works MUCH better. still let them catnap for the later afternoon nap, but that's ok- i don't want them sleeping too much before bedtime anyway! i am looking forward to the day they wean themselves from the swaddles, but for now it keeps them warm and calm. however you can get them to sleep, just do it.

 

I swaddle for naps and bedtime -- and now even at 7 months, my boys still get wrapped up (but they break out their hands pretty quickly) --

it's a comfort thing for the kiddo so I would guess that if you do it one time youshould do it for all.

I'm letting my boys tell me when they want to stop -- right now they just sleep better with a tight wrapped blanket around them.

Good luck

Teri