Has anyone swaddled past 7 mo's old

[MPalmer]

Hello all~

I was just curious if anyone continued to swaddle past 7 mo's.   Our DS is 7 1/2 mo's old and we do a full swaddle for naps and one arm swaddle at night.   He busts out of his full swaddle at naptime when he's done sleeping, and THANKFULLY will continue sleeping when he busts out of his swaddle at night. 
If I don't do the full swaddle at naptime, he'll do the 40 minute nap and that's no good for any of us!  Also he doesn't roll over in his crib.

I was just curious if I'm the only one hanging on to the swaddle this far in the game...

Thanks!

[Colin Macs Mom]

Absolutely. For the spirited especially, swaddling can be the key to sleep!

I think around 6 mo or so we stopped swaddling in the traditional sense because DS is too big for it to really work, but then we switched to a burrito-style wrapping and we still do it now. He doesn't mind if he gets out of it, it's more of a time-to-sleep-now cue than anything else at this point.

[TDR'smom]

We still swaddle my sprited son who will be 1 YEARS OLD in a few days!!!  Same as Colin Mac's Mom, it is more a "time to go night night" cue.  It is not a full swaddle.  His arms are free but from his chest down he is wrapped up. 

My friends tease me and say that he will be 18 years old and coming to me to be swaddled at night.  I have the last laugh, because my ds is sleeping!!! 

[MPalmer]

Whew....thanks for the replies!!!!!   

A lot of people (who never swaddled theirs) give me a hard time about it and of course it can get to you after a while.  But it has always been such a STRONG sleep cue.  I even showed my mom's group the swaddle one day and he instantly got all calm and sleepy looking as soon as I started wrapping him! ha ha

Honestly...thanks for the reassurance!   

P.S.  Colin Mac's mom...we live in Eastern Washington!   How cool to talk to someone in your home state and someone else in another country at the same time!

[Colin Macs Mom]

Swaddling is a funny thing, the los either LOVE it or will have nothing to do with it. I think that people with los who hate it just don't understand how important it is for those who love it.    Don't listen to them. Whatever works is my motto!

So where in eastern WA are you??? Do you ever get over this way?

[tylersmommy]

We Aussie swaddled Tyler for naps until he was 8 mo, then we wrapped his legs in a blanket. The only reason we stopped the full swaddle is that I got tired of being the only person who could put him down for naps...nobody else could do it right! We kept that up until just last week when he moved into a big boy bed...and he's 26 mo! He's spirited and swaddling was a big sleep cue for him. As long as you and your LO are happy, swaddle away!

[MPalmer]

I totally agree!  

I think our lives would have been so stressful without the swaddling!  I went thru many periods of guilt thinking he had to be uncomfortable or whatever, but it has just worked wonders for us.   And YES, it is very frustrating having only my husband and I know how to do the swaddle.  I would actually like to have a sitter sometime so I can get out and have a life~!  haaaa

I live in Clarkston WA...on the border to Idaho.  Your post doesn't say where you live in WA...   But you'll be glad you don't live here this week...it's going to be in the 90's!!!

Ohhh I just thought of a question.   How do you keep your LO's arms & hands warm at night?   We've got him in heavy PJ's, but by morning his little arms & hands are cold, but his body is very warm from being swaddled.

[Colin Macs Mom]

Oh yeah I know where Clarkston is. Actually it's 80 degrees here today and was yesterday too!!!    I can't remember ever having an 80 degree day here in May. I live in Bothell, just north of Seattle.

We always had the same problem with the hands, and I never did find a very good solution, other than trying to keep them tucked in, but that was a losing battle. 

[woopster]

I still swaddle Sam - he's nearly a year. As soon as I put one arm in, he puts his fingers straight in his mouth and closes his eyes! 
If it ain't broke...

[corrina01]

I swaddled my DD until she was 81/2 months, then she started to roll, so then I had to get rid of the swaddle.  She now sleeps in a grobag, as when I swaddle her legs she would roll around so much trying to get in a comfy position that she would come unswaddle.

[Jahmum]

My daughter is only 4 months and she loves to be swaddled to sleep. We tried to wean her off the swadle at around 2 months and realized it wouldn't work. The swaddle is an instant sleep cue as she stops fussing as soon as we swaddle her. I've been wondering when we would have to stop swaddling her and it's nice to hear that u can keep swaddling until a year or so. She outgrew her receiving blankets so we cut up a pillowcase and that has been working well as she continues to grow! 

[Alibobs]

We swaddled dd up until she was almost a year. We tried having one arm out but she refused to sleep. We did buy her a grobag though and for some reason, she doesn't mind those so we've switched. We have managed one night without it, (it was way too hot) but it was very difficult to get her to sleep. I guess some babies just like to be wrapped up. In fact I think it goes for some adults too. I can't sleep without a duvet, even when its hot. I have to have my bottom covered or I can't relax.  (TMI?) I throw it off my top half and my feet, but have to have a strip there. Weird, I know.