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Weaning off swaddleing?

Shannon - posted on 02/03/2009 ( 7 moms have responded )

Hi all-

I have a 3.5 month old who's actually sleeping pretty well- 6-8 hour stretches, then back down for 2-4 more hours. My concern is that this only seems to work when he's tightly swaddled. When he breaks free, he wakes up. The problem is he's getting too big for the swaddling tools that I have and he's breaking free more often.

Does anyone have any advice on how to wean off the swaddling? At what point should you do it? Is he still too little and I should just getting a bigger blanket, or is he telling me that it's time to stop?

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Melissa - posted on 02/19/2009

Quoting Nicole:

I haven't been swaddleing mine for a while. he's about the same age as yours and sleeps 10 hour nights then eats and goes down for another 2-3 hrs. he prefers lying on his belly. if he is on his back he wakes up every couple mins. try him on his belly and cover him with one of his heavier blankets without tucking him in it tightly.

If you don't have to put your child on their stomach, don't risk it! It's a SIDS risk. Once they can roll over on their own don't worry about turning them back to thier back.

http://www.aap.org/publiced/BR_SIDS.htm

This is from the above website:

I know it's best to put my baby to sleep on his back, but what else can I do to prevent SIDS?

Place your baby in a safety-approved crib with a firm mattress and a fitted sheet.

Never put your baby to sleep on a chair, sofa, water bed, cushion, or sheepskin.

The safest place for your baby to sleep is in the room where you sleep, but not in your bed.

Place your baby's crib or bassinet near your bed (within an arm's reach) to make breastfeeding easier and help you watch over your baby.

If bumper pads are used, they should be thin, firm, well secured, and not "pillow-like."

Blankets, if used, should be tucked in around the crib mattress. They should not reach any higher than your baby's chest. Try using sleep sacks or sleep clothing instead of a blanket to avoid the risk of overheating.

Keep pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, and stuffed toys out of your baby's crib. They can cover your infant's face—even if she is lying on her back.

Other ways to reduce the risk

Do not let your baby get too warm during sleep. Use light sleep clothing. Keep the room at a temperature that feels comfortable for an adult.

Do not smoke during pregnancy. Also, do not allow smoking around your baby. Infants have a higher risk of SIDS if they are exposed to secondhand smoke. One of the most important things parents and caregivers who smoke can do for their own health and the health of their children is to stop smoking.

Pacifiers may help reduce the risk of SIDS. However, if your baby doesn't want it or if it falls out of his mouth, don't force it. If you are breastfeeding, wait until your baby is 1 month old before using a pacifier.

Avoid products that claim to prevent SIDS. Most have not been tested for safety. None have been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Home monitors should also be avoided. While they can be helpful for babies with breathing or heart problems, they have not been found to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Give your baby plenty of "tummy time" when he is awake. This will help strengthen neck muscles and avoid flat spots on his head.

Share this information with anyone who cares for your baby, including babysitters, grandparents, and other caregivers.

Published online: 2/07
Source: SIDS: Important Information for Parents (Copyright © 2006 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 11/05)

Melissa - posted on 02/19/2009

My daughter is 3.5 months old and I just swaddled her at night. When she was about 3 months old she would start to break out of the swaddle every night about every hour. I was worried she would wake up and wouldn't sleep as well either. I waited until I had a few days off from work and just cut her off from the swaddle. She actually did well without being swaddled. She sleeps for 6-8 hours every night and will go back to sleep for 3-4 hours after her morning feeding. She still takes her naps during the day in her swing, but she has acid reflux so it helps that she is upright in her swing. She's also found her thumb since she isn't swaddled anymore. Good luck!

Tiffany - posted on 02/15/2009

Yeah same here. I have to swaddle my baby when she sleeps. If not she won't sleep. My mother in law and husband don't like seeing her swaddled so much but when ever they try to un-wrap her she wakes up. At this point I figure if it'll get her to sleep longer then i'll keep doing it until she doesn't want me to.

Shannon - posted on 02/15/2009

My baby is the same way. My MIL made me a large receiving blanket that he can't break out of and now he sleeps 11 hours straight. I plan on swaddling him for as long as it works.

Julie - posted on 02/15/2009

I am weaning my 4mo daughter off the swaddle. I'm starting with just swaddling with one arm out. After a couple weeks, I will move to both arms out.

Candi - posted on 02/07/2009

I still swaddle my little one. I actually recieved a larger recieving blanket as a gist. It is made out of a yard of material. It is cold here so I swaddle her first with the oversized recieving blanket and then with a waffle-weave stretchy blanket. My daughter sleeps so soundly and I figure that if it works for her, we'll swaddle as long as possible.

Nicole - posted on 02/03/2009

I haven't been swaddleing mine for a while. he's about the same age as yours and sleeps 10 hour nights then eats and goes down for another 2-3 hrs. he prefers lying on his belly. if he is on his back he wakes up every couple mins. try him on his belly and cover him with one of his heavier blankets without tucking him in it tightly.