My dd is 8 weeks. When do you stop swaddling? And how do you go about doing it?

Lately she's been kicking out of the swaddle. But when we try to put her down without swaddling, she wakes herself up because her arms still fly around.

I'm not against swaddling at all and if it keeps her calm then I'll continue to do it. But I would like to see if she can sleep without being swaddled.

She has slept thru the night since 6.5 weeks (sleeping 8:30pm - 5:00am) while swaddled.

Any suggestions or personal experience would be appreciated!

DS was swaddled until he was 8 months. If he wasn't swaddled he would wake up more or wake up because his swaddle blanket became loose. It didn't hinder his develpoment in any way. We just did it until he moved so much at night that he could choke himself with the swaddle blanket from moving so much.

DD is 9 months old and is swaddled anytime that I won't be laying with her while she sleeps (like at naps and for the first portion of the night).

I found the key to preventing her from kicking out of it was to get a good blanket. I find the ribbed type fabircs the best as they seem to hold on better. Otherwise I just use a bigger blanket so I can wrap it right around and then her own weight keeps in closed.

I don't think it's necessary to "wean" them, because you are encouraging it it means they aren't ready. When baby is ready to sleep unswaddled you'll know.

I don't think it's necessary to "wean" them, because you are encouraging it it means they aren't ready. When baby is ready to sleep unswaddled you'll know.


That doesn't make any sense to me. Because I'm encouraging it means they aren't ready???

Then why do we call it 'weaning from breastmilk'??? We encourage that when a child reaches a certain age don't we? All the books that I have read say to start weaning from swaddling around week 8. So why isn't it 'necessary' to wean them from swaddling. It's the same concept isn't it?

Maybe offering the signs to look for when your baby is ready to sleep unswaddled would be more helpful.

That doesn't make any sense to me. Because I'm encouraging it means they aren't ready???


Exactly. If your child was ready to not be swaddled, you would know it. For example, they would hate it when you swaddle them, they would not be content when actually swaddled, and they would fight to get out of it.

If your child just happens to get loose but still enjoys being swaddled and sleeps better while swaddled, then maybe you just need to adjust your technique, or try a different blanket. I think there is actually a blanket made specifically for swaddling that Velcros shut. I can't remember the name of it though, sorry.

Then why do we call it 'weaning from breastmilk'??? We encourage that when a child reaches a certain age don't we?

I don't. I believe in child led weaning. But that's a whole 'nother thread. :D

All the books that I have read say to start weaning from swaddling around week 8.

Books are nice as a reference, but ultimately YOU are the mother, and the chances that your baby fits the ideal that the author was referring to are SLIM. Follow your child's cues, he won't lead you astray. ;)

So why isn't it 'necessary' to wean them from swaddling. It's the same concept isn't it?

Weaning is when WE impose a change on our children. We think, by some predetermined time, that our children should be doing [insert activity here]. I do not believe in this concept. I believe we owe it to our children to follow their cues and respect them as individuals. When they are ready to sleep unswaddled, they will. When they no longer need to nurse, they won't. When they no longer need to be held to sleep, they won't.

Trust me, your baby won't need to be swaddled in highschool. ;)

If your baby wants to be swaddled. Swaddle him. You are not going to cause irrevocable damage by swaddling your child past the age of 8 weeks. My breastfed, co-sleeping, still swaddled, 9 month old is fiercely independent, brave, outgoing, adventurous, and loving. She has shown no impediments from having been swaddled since birth. When she no longer wants to be swaddled I won't continue to do it anymore.

I wouldn't worry about weaning. A day care provider I know told me that she has babies who are 6 months and still like to be swaddled. I don't believe it causes any harm. I think your baby will be fine.

I don't see any need personally to stop swaddling if it makes your little one comfortable and content.

On the flip side, a pediatric therapist told me that around 3 months you should attempt to stop swaddling. (not exact words here) Something about a reflex that newborns have that can continue too long if swaddled for too long. (That may not be completely accurate, it was months ago that I saw that woman and I don't remember her word for word)

Thanks for all the replies. Just for the record, I do NOT want to stop swaddling my baby. I think she sleeps better that way. I don't care what the books say at all. She fights the swaddle when going down, but I honestly believe that is because she tries to stay awake because she doesn't want to miss anything. Once I get her past the fussiness (2 - 5 minutes), she calms and falls asleep.

The problem is my DH thinks that we should try to stop swaddling her because she's "8 weeks" (because that's what his ONE book he read said).

I believe in swaddling for as long as it works for DD.

I just wanted to post this question to see the responses. Now I can print it out and show DH that babies can go longer than 8 weeks being swaddled. I don't want to give into this battle with DH. I stopped co-sleeping (bassinet next to my side of the bed) at 5 weeks because he wanted her in her crib.

Anyway, how do you all deal with a different opinion of care for you babies with your spouses?

Oh, and I swaddle her in the special made swaddle blankets - Kiddopotumus. I LOVE them! We only had one to start with, but I ended up buying 2 more so we weren't waiting for it to get out of the wash. Blanket swaddling didn't work so well for us (probably technique) but the swaddler blanket is awesome!

Plus she's so darn cute when she's swaddled - my little snuggle bug!!! :D

I agree with the others, that there is no reason to stop swaddling now if she does well with it. Most babies do not sleep very well flat on their backs, especially unswaddled. Chances are when she starts rolling over on her own she will probably want to sleep on her tummy, and that could happen within the next month or two. When it does, she will probably be more comfortable without the swaddle and the startle reflex will also disappear. As for the books, you could read 100 different books about 100 different subjects on infant and child care and get 100 different opinions and suggestions. One books says to wean from the bottle or breast by 12 months, another one says 18 months is fine and another one will say to let the baby decide. One book says to start potty training your infant. Another book says to wait until they are two and yet another will say to let the child take the lead. You are the one who ultimately decides (and in many cases your child does too), so you do what is best and what seems to work best for your own baby and your family.

Nancy

I just wanted to post an update on this thread because it was causing me so much stress (as you can tell by the dates of the posts). DH and I finally decided that we were going to just keep swaddling her until she let us know when she was ready.

We did give up worrying about it until the past two weeks because she is an expert at rolling over now and I was afraid that she would roll over onto her tummy. I'm not too concerned about tummy sleeping BUT, we only swaddled her arms with a wrap so her legs were free. I was worried if she did get over onto her tummy she would not be able to adjust herself because her arms were still wrapped up.

So we DID end up weening her from swaddling - even though everyone told me I shouldn't have to do that. We started with letting her sleep unswaddled for naps. We did that for all of last week. Then Friday night I let her sleep unswaddled and she went the whole night. And she's been swaddle-free ever since. I was so happy when I packed that swaddle away!

She sleeps the same now, so I don't think she misses the swaddle at all.

She never did show any signs of not wanting to be swaddled like some posters had mentioned.