Swaddling

I just read Happiest Baby on the Block and tried some of the suggestions, and it's amazing because the suggestions gave me improvements in 1 minute!!! He fell asleep so quickly after trying swaddling and side-lying position that I'm shocked. But now I'd like to know, for those of you that did this with your babies, how long did they require it and how did you wean them off the sensation of swaddling?

 

For us they did it at the hospital, so we knew what to do when we got home. We did it until 4 months, by then they were starting to fight to get their arms out all the time, so we let them sleep with both arms out for a couple days, then moved them to sleep sacks. It turns out they LOVED their sleep sacks at once, we still use them (although we went from cotton to fleece and will switch again), and they just love sucking them before going to sleep.

 

We did it until about 12 weeks once they started trying to get out of it and move around more in the crib. I did 2 arms out for a bit and then just stopped.

 

DS was about 4 months when he started to wiggle out of it, no weening needed.
DD was about a month later.

 

DD stopped needing a swaddle very early...within the first two months she was just in a sleep sack, no problems. DS was out of it then to, then back in from 3-4 months, then out of it for 2 months until two days ago, and sadly, back in it again It's the only way he gets a good night's sleep right now...his hands are so busy they wake him up! I'll let you know when he's out of it for good! IMO, sleep is too important. Do what works for you and the babies!

 

Mine wore theirs until 4-5 months of age. At which point we swaddled only 1 arm down (letting the other roam free) and after a week of 1 arm free, we let both arms go free, then after that we took them out completely and never looked back By then they were ready to roll around and ever since DD sleeps on her side and DS on his tummy.

 

Mine were out of it by 4 months old, they got themselves off the swaddle, they would find a way out of it and once we kept finding them unswaddled in the morning, we just stopped and moved onto sleep sacks.

 

I swaddled my girls up until 6 months of age. The way I broke them out of it was first I started swaddling w/one arm out and then with both arms out. At 6 months old their miracle blankets were starting to get holes in them from all the wear, so we bought them some sleep sacks and they didn't seem to notice.

 

We just recently stopped swaddling. Ds was cold turkey, he rolls over on his own. Dd I had to wean. Actually they were both weaned, but his went away much quicker. I started by swaddling them with one arm out for about a week or two...the baby will let ya know too. Then I had both arms out and just swaddled the waist..she loved it, but still needed a little more time. We completely took it away from her just a few days ago and she is adjusting well. She is still very small and he is 2lbs bigger. I think it was more of a comfort for her b/c of her reflux and milk allergy.

 

We swaddled our girls until they could break out of it, which was about 5-6 months old.

 

We did it until 6 mo with the miracle blankets. If I had to do it over, I'd wean them earlier -- maybe 4 mo.? It was a tough transition for us (like 1-2 wks of bad sleeping)

 

Ours are 5 months old, and both still swaddled. DS will sometimes get free (which I don't mind at all....) except he can't/doesn't sleep after he breaks out. Its like it is his signal to be awake so I am not sure how to proceed from here. I have tried one arm out, 2 arms out but the swaddle around the body just for effect/habit sake, and he can't go to sleep, he stays upset. Do I need to get them off swaddling and for those of you that weaned them off, was it an easy transition or tough?

 

Mine were breaking out of them big time at two months old. At that point, I stopped altogether.

 

Mine are 5 months and they swaddled for about 31/2 to 4 months. Well regular swaddling, then they got it to where they would just want their arms tucked in only. So they kind of just grow out of it. Go with the flow and what your babies want. It does still work when they get overly fussy stil.

 

My girls relaxed without the swaddle when I introduced the soother... They put all their thrashing energy into sucking on the soother. I was anti-soother with my first daughter. Now I kinda wish I'd tried it...

 

Mine stopped recently at about 5 and a half months.. i first stopped it for naps to see how they would do - since during the day I'd have more energy to handle it if they didn't sleep at all.. then one night we decided to just go for it and one daughter did amazing, the other i swaddled a few more nights until we just stopped with her too (but she is still the worse sleeper for now). Anyways i really was worried they's never sleep unless swaddled but i was pleasently suprised!

 

We swaddled from the very start. We stopped with DS2 first... he's the more physical of the two. He started really fighting the process of swaddling...and then spending much of his time trying to get out of it. Plus, he really wanted to roll over. So we stopped cold turkey with him. It was a tough night (just falling asleep), and within a day or two, he was comfortably sleeping on his side/belly and was MUCH happier. He was about 5 months. DS3 is swaddled for naps, but in a sleep sac at night. I think we are going to drop the swaddle soon for him too. He finally found his hands, and sucks on them for comfort, so I think he wants them out. Both times I was SOO worried about the change, and both times, they seemed to do just fine. Best of luck!

-maria
DS1 4
DS2 DS3 5.5 months.