How long do you swaddle for?

[Hubbafer]

My 3 month old now gets fussy and FIGHTS to get his arms out once he wakes up or even when we finish swaddling him to put him down to sleep (be it for naps or bedtime).

I'm wondering if I should start weaning him off the swaddle.. how long do you usually do this? He gets really aggressive in the crib if his arms aren't out.

I'm afraid to not swaddle, as his arm coordination isn't 'stable' and he still throws his arms around (worried he won't settle to sleep, etc).

Suggestions?

[Katet]

My lo is 3 mo & I do a loose swaddle, in a muslin, so he can move his hands, but still be wrapped. I did the same with my first ds & started weaning him around 4 months old, but that was so other people could look after him & not have to worry about the swaddle.
Depending on what type you do, try leavin one arm out as a starter or even both & just wrap his body & legs

[Gigismom]

i know how nerve wracking losing the swaddle is!!  we started doing one arm out at 3 months.  by 3.5 months, she was completely out of the swaddle.  i think once they start "escaping" then it is time to start weaning.  don't worry if his coordiantion isn't perfect.  he just needs a little practice.

[Hubbafer]

Thanks!

I tried it today... his afternoon nap was a 'partial' success. lol!

Gave him one arm out...he almost panicked like "What the heck is this out for?" He's soooo used to being swaddled.  So I undid both arms. He fell asleep for only 30 mins, but woke up crying. I ended up re-swaddling him....

Will take time.. and patience I guess Will work on it

[MyBella]

I actually did the opposite with my dd.  She too was fighting it, in fact, she "got" the routine so well that she would start crying and protesting right before I would start swaddling her.  However, keeping Tracy's advice that spirited ones benefit from it, I kept with it and came up with newer and more clever methods of keeping her swaddled.  So after a few weeks of fighting it, she really dug being swaddled and in fact, she would calm down instantly when swaddled and fall asleep very easily (and most importantly, stay asleep).  Because she was sleeping 12 hour stretches with the snug swaddle, I was reluctant to mess with it.  She is 26 weeks old now and we just recently weaned her off.  But honestly, it takes her a lot longer for her to calm down now - I do miss the days of the swaddle. 

PM me if you'd like me to share with you my many houdini-proof swaddling methods.

[lil'monkey]

I still loosely swaddle dd for bed.  It is just part of her routine that she knows that it is nap/bedtime.  Of course she tends to get out of it and roll around before sleeping.  Now a days, dd doesn't show me any of her sleepy cues until I start to wrap her.

[KatieG]

The advice I have been given is that swaddling is to stop the startle reflex. That is, so that babies do not wake themselves up when they "startle" or move their arms.
This reflex only happens up till 3 months and after that, the swaddle or wrap is "not required". Once they do start to get out of it, it is time to get rid of the wrap. So perhaps that is what you are being told by your baby!
My 8 1/2 month old month old has always loved being wrapped and is only now figuring out how to get out of it. So this week we have stopped using it completely.
Hope this helps
Katie