Swaddling and arms development

[Mommy88]

I have some doubts about the swaddling: here in Italy there's no swaddling habit, so I purchased an Easy Swaddle by Aden&Anais on the Internet. It worked great: my LO even forgot to wake for eating since he was 2 weeks old, and I had to bf him in the night with him completely asleep. Now he has outgrown it (he is 11 weeks old), and before purchasing the bigger size, I have some doubts to solve. Is swaddling 100% safe about arms development? Here in Italy swaddling is seen as a wrong old habit, because it constricts baby's lungs in a not-natural position. The Easy Swaddle lets the legs stay in the frog position, so it's ok to prevent hip dysplasia, but  what about the arms? Is it really safe to let them stay straight for so many hours? For now I'm trying the Bubbaroo Joey Pouch, which leaves the arms more free, but it doesn't look to work as the previous swaddling system (he's waking many times because of his jolts) AND it looks a bit dangerous because when LO is moving the fabric is really close to his mouth and nose and I'm afraid he can't breath well. So, what do you suggest me to do? Going back to the straight arms system is really safe for his growth?
Thanks a lot!

[LittleSplasherMum]

Ciao, sono italiana ma vivo in UK, rispondo in inglese!

We have swaddled both our children until 4 months for our first and our second is now 3 months old and he's still been swaddled (I tried today not to swaddle him as he was coming out of it during the night, but he couldn't fall asleep!). We haven't had any problems at all and I'm sure other ladies on this forum can confirm that swaddling does not damage arms or prevent their developments. I would go back to your fist choice of swaddling blankets, we have one called Miracle blanket or something like that from Mothercare and it's the best we have tried.

I say keep swaddling until your baby sleeps well in it. Hope this helps. xx

[Katet]

Honestly it's something I never really thought about, it was just a recommendation to help my children sleep & it mostly worked.  We stopped swaddling DS1 ffor all sleeps around 4.5months old because it got too hot (we didn't have air con in the house & over summer it would regularly be 30 C in the house & his room, so even in a light swaddle he got very hot, would still swaddle for night sleeps but not day.

Anyway my DS1 is 13yo now & in school PE class they did fitness & dexterity testing... his hand eye coordination & reflex coordination were the top in the year (232 students), now there could be multiple reasons for that, but my point is if it did impact arm development there are many many many years for him to catch up if he is just that little bit slower than babies who aren't swaddled. IMHO if he sleeps well with one then the brain develops well because that is aided by sleep, so all the other factors will develop well too.

I don't remember when we stopped Swaddling DS2, I'm thinking it was older if I go on weather being the reason to stop & he is a very good (10th in our State for his age) in Discus & Shot Put throwing... so I'm kind of guessing that his arm muscles developed ok too LOL 

So that's both of my children who were swaddled who have (IMHO) above average arm power - so maybe the swaddle aids it not slows it!

I always used the "Aussie Swaddle" method with a wrap or sheet (when they got bigger) so I could loosen it around the arms when started to wean them from it.