Author Topic: Baby hates being swaddled but can't sleep without it  (Read 5489 times)

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Offline MGardner

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Baby hates being swaddled but can't sleep without it
« on: July 06, 2006, 02:01:07 am »
My LO is 3 months exactly. He HATES the swaddle. Bedtimes get to be a screaming session as soon as we swaddle him. However, tonight and other times I have tried to skip swaddling to see how he does and he just ends up waking up in 10 minutes by his arms flailing all over the place. Bedtime routine is good, and everything is calm until out comes the swaddle. As soon as we lay him on it (we use the Miracle Blanket), he starts screaming. We get him wrapped and he continues to scream for an hour and eventually tires himself out. I mean basically he is crying himself to sleep everynight. I know this is a stupid question by is there any other way we can control his arms without swaddling? When do they get more arm control? I really want to drop this swaddling, if only he could sleep without it...

Offline Luca's Mommy

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Re: Baby hates being swaddled but can't sleep without it
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2006, 10:08:00 am »
Can you try dropping the swaddle more gradually?  Take one arm out for a few days, then the other?  One thing I have done when he is riled up is gently yet firmly hold his arms down by his side while he is falling asleep.  He will actually hold my hand/finger sometimes.  I lay him close to the edge of the bed so I can easily reach him and kneel/sit next to his crib putting my arms between the slats.  If you can stay w/ him till he gets past the jolts, he might be okay unswaddled.

Also consider whether you have an adequate winddown routine or whether perhaps he is already overtired by the time you swaddle him.

Offline Raquelita1

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Re: Baby hates being swaddled but can't sleep without it
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2006, 11:37:18 am »
Our dd didn't like being swaddled but also really needed it to be able to sleep.  We ditched the miracle blanket and used the adapted aussie swaddle technique - i'm sure there used to be a sticky post here telling you how to do it, but i can't find it now.  This worked because it allows dd to have her hands up by her face, rather than strapped down by her sides which she hated.  Basically lay a cot size sheet horizontally and fold a flap down about 8" deep.  Lay baby in the centre with head on folded over flap, tuck each arm under the flap so they are next to baby's face but enclosed in the sheet, then fold sides over and under baby's back/bottom as normal.  Perhaps you could give that a go?



Offline Jaime

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Re: Baby hates being swaddled but can't sleep without it
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2006, 20:11:35 pm »
here's the link for the Aussie swaddle - i agree i think it could work quite well for you  :)

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=1439.0
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Offline estherofi20

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Re: Baby hates being swaddled but can't sleep without it
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2006, 02:41:50 am »
hi there

my DS did like to be swaddled but i had to wean him from it at 4.5MO, 'cause he just kept getting out of it and waking up, so i tried the one arm swaddle but it was dissastrous for us, so then i "tucked him in", here is the link to the explanation https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=63879.msg474327#msg474327  maybe this will help your LO feel some sort of "restriction" in his arms, but a bit more freedom too

HTH