Swaddling

My twin boys :itwins_boys: are 2 months old and I was wondering how long others kept their babies swaddled for? It seems like such a stupid question but did you put them in a onsie only then swaddle? what about in winter months? Thanks I am just really wondering.

 

our guys have busy arms so we swaddle whenever they sleep. we felt guilty for a while because it felt like we were robbing them of their arms, but they don't get deep, solid sleep when their arms are out and waving. every now and then we give them a chance to nap without swaddling but if their arms won't stop their busy work we swaddle them again. we figure we'll keep swaddling them until they are able to have their arms free without getting upset. they'll nod off and their arms will just keep moving, and sometimes make a drastic enough movement to jerk them awake. then they've got tired, red eyes and they're cranky and that's no good for anyone.

we do consider the swaddle a layer so we dress them appropriately for that. it depends on how warm you keep your house, i think. we do a onesie and a footed romper and then the swaddle. they have severe reflux so they sleep in their bouncy chairs which means we can't include their feet in the swaddle. we end up tucking a blanket around their legs to compensate for that final layer.

but we're by no means experts. it's just what works for us right now.

 

QUOTE(piccologirl @ Dec 2 2008, 10:46 PM) [snapback]1094902[/snapback]
our guys have busy arms so we swaddle whenever they sleep. we felt guilty for a while because it felt like we were robbing them of their arms, but they don't get deep, solid sleep when their arms are out and waving. every now and then we give them a chance to nap without swaddling but if their arms won't stop their busy work we swaddle them again. we figure we'll keep swaddling them until they are able to have their arms free without getting upset. they'll nod off and their arms will just keep moving, and sometimes make a drastic enough movement to jerk them awake. then they've got tired, red eyes and they're cranky and that's no good for anyone.

we do consider the swaddle a layer so we dress them appropriately for that. it depends on how warm you keep your house, i think. we do a onesie and a footed romper and then the swaddle. they have severe reflux so they sleep in their bouncy chairs which means we can't include their feet in the swaddle. we end up tucking a blanket around their legs to compensate for that final layer.

but we're by no means experts. it's just what works for us right now.



Thanks! We keep the boys on an elevated sleeper and then we have also added a folded blanket under the top part for a more dramatic incline. We had to do this when they got a cold and couldnt breathe with out it. Now it seems that it is the only way they will sleep but with that comes them wiggling their way down to the very bottom and having their heads covered. They only way to keep that from happening is to swaddle. I just felt bad to keep doing it. I thought I was just being unfair. Thanks for making me feel better about the situation.

 

We are bad. We still swaddle the girls and they are 7.5 months. They are just starting to want to roll over more so we'll be breaking the swaddles soon. With our son, he was about the same age. We started by taking one arm out, then after he adjusted to that, the second arm was out but his body was still swaddled then eventually his whole body. Swaddling saved our sanity and allowed them to sleep better. I hate the idea of losing them.

 

QUOTE(crazymommaof3 @ Dec 3 2008, 12:54 AM) [snapback]1094911[/snapback]
Thanks! We keep the boys on an elevated sleeper and then we have also added a folded blanket under the top part for a more dramatic incline. We had to do this when they got a cold and couldnt breathe with out it. Now it seems that it is the only way they will sleep but with that comes them wiggling their way down to the very bottom and having their heads covered. They only way to keep that from happening is to swaddle. I just felt bad to keep doing it. I thought I was just being unfair. Thanks for making me feel better about the situation.


We swaddle at 5 mos. Sometimes they break out, sometimes nto.

Sara, can you describe your elevated system. One of our twins has been sleeping in his bouncy b/c of chronic congestion & I'm looking for another solution.

 

QUOTE(lucky123 @ Dec 3 2008, 10:56 AM) [snapback]1095476[/snapback]
We swaddle at 5 mos. Sometimes they break out, sometimes nto.

Sara, can you describe your elevated system. One of our twins has been sleeping in his bouncy b/c of chronic congestion & I'm looking for another solution.



We have a sleeper system that is slightly elevated that we got from Target. But we then took one of their thicker fleece blankets and four folded it. We then took it and rolled it up a little bit to keep it from being completely underneath the sleeper. That way it was only under the top part and raised it up for them. If they are to bad and you need it raised more I would try to fold it again. Just make sure it isnt under the entire sleeper. Hope this helps. My daughter slept in her bouncy chair for a long time. Back then all I had to put her in to sleep was the kind that had the two pieces that were connected by a small piece of material. Times have changed the boys are made from a type of memory foam. Like they know the difference lol

 

QUOTE(lucky123 @ Dec 3 2008, 10:56 AM) [snapback]1095476[/snapback]
We swaddle at 5 mos. Sometimes they break out, sometimes nto.

Sara, can you describe your elevated system. One of our twins has been sleeping in his bouncy b/c of chronic congestion & I'm looking for another solution.



I also wanted to let you know that we use a cool mist humidifier in their room as well and that seemed to help them alot!

 

I stopped swaddling Abby a while ago because she sucks her thumb and couldn't get to it and won't take a binky. I just stopped swaddling Ellie at 6 months, although she'd be swaddled forever. She had no interest in ever stopping. I figured it was probably time to stop and tried it and she did great. If she didn't, I would still be doing it, I'm sure.

I always put them in a sleeper inside of the swaddle. In the summer we had a/c and now the heat is on, but it still isn't too hot. I was putting Ellie in a sleeper, Miracle Blanket and then a sleep sac up until we stopped. The sleep sac helped her from breaking out of the swaddle and to keep her warm. It gets cold here in the winter. I was worried about swaddling for too long, but realized they'll let you know when they are ready to stop or you can always try to stop it like we did. They both slept so much better swaddled when they were younger. The Miracle Blankets were the best. You have to do what's right for you. If it's working, then stick with it. I don't think there is a magic # when you are supposed to stop doing it. Every baby is different.

 

At 3.5 months, my babies need to be swaddled or else they startle themselves awake. They fall asleep in the swaddle, but then break out half way through...they're like Houdini! They sleep the rest of the time out of the swaddle...if they wake up, we reswaddle them and they fall back to sleep. I thought it was mean too - kind of like a straight jacket - but it has saved us!

 

With my twins, I full swaddled ds until about 4-5 months. WIth dd it was about 3-4 months. I have never full swaddled Evan. I do wrap his legs and still do. My twins had to be swaddled so much or else they'd be so fussy. Evan is a happy baby. Until they start breaking out of it (we just used regular blankets), there is no harm.

 

We swaddled until 4.5 months then switched to a sleep sack.

 

We were nearly 7m old when I finally gave it up. Swaddling worked wonders for us as far as keeping them content, but it turned into quite an addiction for them (in that they couldn't fall asleep once they wriggled out).

I ended up continuing to reinvent the swaddle (miracle blankets (best, IMO), 2-yard cuts of fabric, and even an old bed sheet to keep them contained as they got bigger. When they woke up in the middle of the night they couldn't fall back to sleep until I went in and reswaddled them. I suppose they would have gotten over it more quickly if I'd had the stomach to put up with some more crying.

They are now pushing hard toward three and still ask to be 'wrapped up like a baby' quite often...it's still soothing to them.

 

We just stopped two weeks ago...and things went very smooth, there wasnt even a transition....they just did it!
I guess maybe I could have done it earlier...I tried once and it didnt go well

We went to sleepsacks, so maybe thats why the transition went ok...they still feel somewhat "snug"??? Not sure...
But we did put onesies on when we swaddled...

 

QUOTE(crazymommaof3 @ Dec 2 2008, 10:52 PM) [snapback]1094823[/snapback]
My twin boys :itwins_boys: are 2 months old and I was wondering how long others kept their babies swaddled for? It seems like such a stupid question but did you put them in a onsie only then swaddle? what about in winter months? Thanks I am just really wondering.

I just asked my boys' doctor on Monday and she said to stop swaddling at 3 months. I'm not looking forward to taking them out of their miracle blankets at that point!

 

QUOTE(marisa55 @ Dec 4 2008, 10:17 PM) [snapback]1098267[/snapback]
I just asked my boys' doctor on Monday and she said to stop swaddling at 3 months. I'm not looking forward to taking them out of their miracle blankets at that point!



That is crazy why would they want it stopped at 3 months? That is so strange to me. Hmmm

 

We completely stopped around 4-5 months but it was a transition. We started swaddling with just one arm in and one arm out. Then feet out. then nothing

 

I want to say that swaddling stopped for us around 4 months, we knew the twins were ready to be done with it when they would Houdini right out of the swaddle.

 

We were also told to stop swaddling by 4 months - don't know the reasoning behind it but I dread that day!

 

Ronan just graduated from his swaddle. He's so much easier to deal with at night when he's in his wrm fleece sleepsack. William is still too wiggly and he's easier to deal with in a swaddle. They both sleep longer this current way.