How to stop swaddling a swaddle junkie....

5*Mom

Tue, Nov 15 2011, 12:57 pm

momsters wrote:

A newborn and an infant who spend so much of their time sleeping, should not be restrained from moving around and exercising their muscles.

She doesn't want to move around and exercise her muscles while she sleeps; it startles her and she can't sleep. In fact, I do not think I have ever seen a 5 mo old moving around and exercising her muscles while sleeping.

Honestly, horrified at swaddling??

imaima

Tue, Nov 15 2011, 1:22 pm

momsters wrote:

I was told by very experienced PT's and OT's that swaddling is really bad for the baby's motor development. A newborn and an infant who spend so much of their time sleeping, should not be restrained from moving around and exercising their muscles. You should for sure stop swaddling...I am horrified!! shock

I heard that it is good when the kids have their legs spread, they are supposed to be in a frog like position. But it still means that the hands can be tied. I also think that when the child does not enjoy swaddling and wants to spread her legs, she will let you know. Otherwise, it is just as important that she gets enough sleep and learns to sleep unassisted. If you worry about muscles, you should massage and exercise her while she is awake.

MommytoB

Tue, Nov 15 2011, 1:30 pm

PTs and OTs also hate "back to sleep" because it slows childrens gross motor skills but they understand that it needs to be done -- to compensate you give tummy time when awake. Childrens brains make important connections in sleep, they grow in sleep etc. During the first year a huge priority should be helping a child learn to sleep well. And if that is only accomplished my swaddling than that is the method you should use.

I did specifically ask my doctor this question and he said it was fine to swaddle during naps and bedtime for as long as baby needed it. Just do tummy timeduring day.

momaleh

Tue, Nov 15 2011, 1:39 pm

momsters wrote:

Why the intense reply? Do you have personal experience with this? My first two daughters were swaddled until 8 months and were walking by ages 10 months and 11 months respectively.

the world's best mom

Tue, Nov 15 2011, 3:18 pm

momsters wrote:

How do you know that OTs and PTs hate it? Maybe you met one or 2 who did, but it's definitely not all. I use an excellent PT for my kids, and she is the one who keeps telling me about these studies that show better brain growth in babies who are swaddlied. She tells every one to swaddle, swaddle, swaddle.

chocolate chips

Tue, Nov 15 2011, 4:06 pm

momsters wrote:

Horrified?? sorry you picked the wrong place to say this and besides for that you are so wrong! First of all, swaddling helps a baby sleep and the more sleep the more growth occurs in the baby and in the baby's brain!
second of all, during sleep, a baby should not be moving all over the place and if they do, well then they wake up! swaddling doesnt stop the baby from moving, if the baby really wants to move, trust me they can (you can get special swaddles which allow some movement but not flapping of the arms!) it just keeps them cozy, snug and relaxes them to sleep.

and now, if you dont agree with swaddling, so be it, quote who you want and hate it all your life. OP is not asking what you think of swaddling (you can find that on another thread) but she is asking how she can stop her baby from needing to be swaddled so where does it come in to tell her you are HORRIFIED that she even does it?!!?

And please can you tell me which ot/pt told you its so bad for the baby? bh my baby was swaddled till 5.5months and even though he grew out of it, still only sleeps if his hands are tucked with a blanket, he can roll, sit, almost crawl and has plenty energy in his hands for grabbing and banging kah!

Capitalchick

Tue, Nov 15 2011, 8:43 pm

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate all the advice.

To the lady who was horrified at my swaddling, I just want to note that basically my baby falls asleep in my arms, then I swaddle her before putting her in her bed, and then she fusses as soon as she wakes up and I run over and unwrap her and take her out of her crib. She is never swaddled awake....so I don't get the problem. She wouldn't be developing her muscles while sleeping. AND....I don't swaddle her hips/legs tightly, just her arms and tummy.

To everyone else, I've decided to 'go with it', as y'all suggested. I'm going to continue swaddling her until she's clearly ready to stop. In the mean time, I went to the fabric store today and bought some awesome stretchy cotton fabric that will be great for swaddling. The fabric lady cut me a swath that's large enough to keep my kid swaddled 'til college if need be! LOL....

So here we go....onwards with the swaddling.

Thanks!

FranticFrummie

Wed, Nov 16 2011, 3:37 am

Disclaimer: My DD hated being swaddled from day 1. She could get out of socks, a hat, scratch mittens and a tight swaddle in two seconds flat! shock

The nurses at the hospital were constantly yelling at us for "unwrapping her", but she's be out of the wrap before the nurse left the room. We called her the Houdini Baby. She hated baby wearing of any kind, too. She was just one of those kids who had to have her freedom. She'd been cooped up for 9 months, and she was DONE! (She could lift her head and look around the room within the first 24 hours, too. The nurses were astonished.)

That said, MOST babies like the feeling of being in the womb, and need that sense of security in order to relax. They'll grow out of it on their own, although some kids and even adults need the covers tucked around them tightly before they can fall asleep. There's nothing wrong with that, at all.

7 months is a long ways away, and your child has a ton of growing to do in that time. She'll manage to wiggle out of the swaddling when she'd had enough, although she may need a blankie wrapped around her in order to fall asleep for a while. Hold her tightly against you, rock her and hug her, and make sure she gets lots of deep pressure sensory input. If she grows up to be a kid who has a high need for sensory input, you can always buy her a weighted blanket by the time she's a toddler. Those things work wonders! As a matter of fact, I just bought one in adult size for myself. Yes, I confess, I like being "swaddled" and having heavy covers on top, even in the summer. It helps me turn off my brain and it lets my muscles relax.

Bottom line, leave her alone for now, and let her get her sleep. Right now, deep sleep (for both of you!) is way more important than what a daycare is going to want some day down the road. If you need a bigger swaddle, try using a bath sheet and roll her up like a burrito with one end open.

Count yourself lucky that you've found something that works. I'm babysitting a two year old who fights sleep like crazy, and I have to put her in a full body lock and let her rage and tantrum it out before she will fall asleep. That kid is STRONG, and it's all I can do to keep her from hurting herself and everyone around her when she is overtired and can't switch off.