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Swaddling

11 replies

CarlyRose80 · 08/04/2013 20:15

Baby has always been swaddled and still is now at 4 months. How do I stop? If I don't swaddle him he just won't sleep, he has his hands in his face/ mouth constantly and pulls his dummy out. It's an endless battle but we are getting to the stage where he fights to have his arms out. He still settles swaddled each time he goes to sleep but I know it can't go on as surly he will be to big soon??

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rowtunda · 09/04/2013 12:44

Don't worry my son loved swaddling and did until 17 weeks ish. I tried him in a grow bag a couple of times with no success and then on the third occasion he just clicked and never looked back. Just keep on trying it - he will get used to his arms eventually!

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CarlyRose80 · 09/04/2013 21:59

Thank you. I put him down tonight with no swaddling and he went straight off. The test will be during the night as he has been waking pretty much hourly for the lady week fighting and crying to free himself so I'm hoping he will feel more comfortable having his hands free. Shame he doesn't know how to put his dummy in as well yet. Also I agree with your post on the previous thread about SIDS as my son sleeps in his own room and at times we can be made to feel as if we are bad parents.

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Onesliceortwo · 09/04/2013 22:11

Now, you may think I'm an utterly bad parent ..... but we swaddled our DD until she was 7months! She couldn't turn over until this point (a little bit late with that one!) so we just carried on ... we even had to start using a cot sheet to swaddle her with!
I too had the same fears about how to finish with is - but at about the point that you sound like you're at (fighting to get hands free etc) I put her into a gro bag (and covered her legs with a tucked in blanket - again, something they say you shouldn't do!) and she hasn't looked back. She also, out of choice sleeps on her tummy - something I wouldn't let her do whilst swaddled, so now she's not, she's a tummy girl all the way!
Hope that's helpful

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CarlyRose80 · 10/04/2013 06:26

Yeah it is. I'm really struggling with him constantly waking after he's had his feed around 1am. He went to sleep with out being swaddled and although I have to pop his dummy back in now his hands are free to pull it out he's waking constantly and I can't figure it out. I've tried all sorts but on it continues. Any advice?

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leelteloo · 10/04/2013 06:34

I swaddled my ds till 5 and half months, he loved it and I dreaded having to stop. When I stopped I put him in a gro bag, put mittens on him ( helps stop dummy being pulled out) and after some sleep research, played white noise all night. I found a free ap with some good ones, choose the washing machine sound. It worked like a dream. It carries them through sleep cycles and helps keep them asleep.

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CarlyRose80 · 10/04/2013 06:55

I use it in the day but have never at night so perhaps I might try that too. Thanks.

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shouldibecrossaboutthis · 10/04/2013 22:51

My ds is 6 months and is still swaddled! Have you seen those weird little baby sacks you can get? I'll see f I can find them!

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shouldibecrossaboutthis · 10/04/2013 22:59

www.pekemoe.co.nz/ these. I'm going to have to get one if I can't get him in a grow bag. He just waves his arms around and has a rave and like yours pulls out his dummy then cried because he wants his dummy!

I'm hoping the discovery of putting the dummy back in which we 'play' a lot in the day time, will mean once he has mastered it he can go in a grow bag.

Is it so bad to keep them swaddled? There is no way my DS could roll in his swaddle, he's not the best roller on dry land!

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CarlyRose80 · 11/04/2013 06:19

Well my LO doesn't roll yet anyway and I really don't mind swaddling him but when he does wake which is become more and more frequent at night he is proper crying to fight his arms out which is why I've tried not swaddling him. He's settles ok but the result is the same, constant waking with no dummy in. As soon as he's asleep he must pop it out then wakes and repeat process. Last night has been the worst with waking a from 10.30 almost every hour up till now where I'm waiting for him to go back off for an hour hopefully. Will have a look at your link.

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MortifiedAdams · 11/04/2013 06:26

Could you try swaddling him under the armpits? Then he gets the snugness of a swaddle but has his hands free?