Swaddling - when to stop??

[Debi - James' Mama]

I have a 4 1/2 month ds and i wondered when everyone else stopped swaddling their lo's?

He won't go to sleep unless he's swaddled.  He has control (just about) over his arms when he's awake, he grabs things off me etc. but as soon as i get him in the bedroom his arms go like helicopter blades!

Is it ok to continue swaddling him and when would anyone advise that we stop doing this.  I thought about trying the PU/PD method but i don't think that i can take him crying for such a huge amount of time when i can swaddle him and he'll be asleep in 15 mins!

Any advice would be much appreciated - Thanks

Debi

[Lilah'sMommy]

If your lo needs it, keep on swaddling!  My girl had to be swaddles up to 7 months!  By then, we still put the blanket on her, very gradually loosening the swaddle.  Though she woke up out  of the swaddle every time long before 7 months, that little bit of pressure was very calming right before she fell asleep.

[pjs mom]

My ds is 4 1/2 months as well, and won't sleep unless wrapped in his "miracle blanket" (like a straight jacket) - problem is he is rapidly outgrowing it.   What do you wrap a larger baby in - and a larger baby that can get out of any swaddle!!  We have tried a small sheet (cut to size), but he gets out of it in the middle of the night, and can't resettle himself because his arms keep flaililng about.  Any advice?

[tylersmommy]

We used a twin size bedsheet cut in half until Tyler was 7 or 8 mo old. We did a nice tight Aussie swaddle (instructions are at the top of this forum) and wrapped the sheet around and around and around him. We just did it for naps (he was never swaddled at night for whatever reason) and it worked like a charm. We still wrap his legs in a blanket at naptime, and he's almost 20 mo old!

[tylersmommy]

double post!

[Debi - James' Mama]

Thanks for the reassurance guys!

For PJ's mom - we use a double swaddle (or snoodle as we call it)!  He's first wrapped in a single (twin) duvet cover cut to size and then wrapped in his normal snoodle blanket which is a fine stretch jersey material.

My lo used to get out of his normal blanket so we added the thin duvet cover cut to size and it seems to have worked a treat!  He no longer wakes himself with those hands rubbing his face at night!

Hope this helps and thanks everyone for the advice.  :lol:  :lol:  :lol: