Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

To get DD to sleep, what has been working best is to swaddle her in the SwaddleMe and give her a pacifier, and then either rock her in the glider or put her in the swing until she falls asleep, then transfer her to the crib.

However, that means that if she wakes up, she can't get herself back to sleep because the paci falls out and she can't get to her hands to suck on them. That means sometimes I am in her room 3 or 4 times replacing the paci to get her back to sleep.

I hate having to swaddle her (she hates it too, but needs it) but I am afraid to stop because she still has that newborn startle reflex.

Any advice?

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

I wouldn't. I swaddled until they were 6 months and were constantly breaking out. They weren't able to get the pacis into their mouths themselves until around that age anyway.

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

In looking at your profile, I see that your DD is not quite 2 months yet.

My DD is almost 5 months and she still can't put the paci back in her mouth by herself if it falls out in her sleep.

When DD was swaddled, we were putting the paci back in her mouth constantly through the night. The reason we stopped swaddling her was because she started rolling over in her sleep.

I would say that if you think DD's arms are going to be a problem in waking her up at night, keep her swaddled. Swaddled or not, she is probably too young to get that paci back in her mouth by herself and you will have to continue to do it anyway. Does that make sense???

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

Can you swaddle her with her arms out?

Loey hadn't started putting his fingers in his mouth at that age yet (I don't think)... but she might be able to maneuver the wubbanub back into place - KWIM?

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

Sorry, I should have been more clear - she sucks on her fist to soothe herself if she can't get to her pacifier, I didn't mean that she could get the paci back in her mouth. So swaddling her is preventing her from getting to her hands and sucking on them.

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

Posted by jerseypanda

In looking at your profile, I see that your DD is not quite 2 months yet.

My DD is almost 5 months and she still can't put the paci back in her mouth by herself if it falls out in her sleep.

When DD was swaddled, we were putting the paci back in her mouth constantly through the night. The reason we stopped swaddling her was because she started rolling over in her sleep.

I would say that if you think DD's arms are going to be a problem in waking her up at night, keep her swaddled. Swaddled or not, she is probably too young to get that paci back in her mouth by herself and you will have to continue to do it anyway. Does that make sense???

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

Posted by headoverheels

Posted by jerseypanda

In looking at your profile, I see that your DD is not quite 2 months yet.

My DD is almost 5 months and she still can't put the paci back in her mouth by herself if it falls out in her sleep.

When DD was swaddled, we were putting the paci back in her mouth constantly through the night. The reason we stopped swaddling her was because she started rolling over in her sleep.

I would say that if you think DD's arms are going to be a problem in waking her up at night, keep her swaddled. Swaddled or not, she is probably too young to get that paci back in her mouth by herself and you will have to continue to do it anyway. Does that make sense???

I am sorry, I guess my OP was confusing - I want her to suck on her hands, not the paci

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

Posted by nickipa

Posted by headoverheels

Posted by jerseypanda

In looking at your profile, I see that your DD is not quite 2 months yet.

My DD is almost 5 months and she still can't put the paci back in her mouth by herself if it falls out in her sleep.

When DD was swaddled, we were putting the paci back in her mouth constantly through the night. The reason we stopped swaddling her was because she started rolling over in her sleep.

I would say that if you think DD's arms are going to be a problem in waking her up at night, keep her swaddled. Swaddled or not, she is probably too young to get that paci back in her mouth by herself and you will have to continue to do it anyway. Does that make sense???

I am sorry, I guess my OP was confusing - I want her to suck on her hands, not the paci

You can try it if you think it will soothe her. We tried around 2.5 months and it was a no go, the startle woke him up much more, I think one night was up and down 7-8 times before I gave up and swaddled him. I tried again at 3.5 months and he did it---I am now working on him going to the crib drowsy but awake---its a process

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

DD hated being swaddled with her hands in. She would spend 45 minutes just trying to get her hands out, once her hands were out, she would be able to self soothe and would be asleep within minutes.

Once we stopped swaddling her hands in the Swaddle Me, she was able to self soothe and would be asleep within 10 minutes, instead of fighting the swaddle for 45 minutes.

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

I would not stop swaddling yet. We only recently dropped the swaddle at just over 3 months because DD was dying to roll over and also to suck on her hands so it became a hindrance instead of a help and she started waking up A LOT at night again because she was frustrated and would move her hands within.

I personally would not give up the swaddle until you have to - it's such a great cue for them for sleep and that reflex is around until sometime between 11 and 16 weeks. DD's is gone now, but it still took her a few days to adjust to the sleep sack - now she loves the freedom and sometimes sucks on her hands (we can see her on the monitor). She is still not capable of reaching for the paci to put it back in so I'd be surprised if your DC could do it yet - I don't think they can do that for a few more months. They don't even usually stick their hands in until about 3 months I think so without the swaddle, your DC will really have no outside soothing mechanism to help her yet.

Message edited 5/6/2010 1:17:42 PM.

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

Re: Need advice - should I stop swaddling?

Here's what I did for the LONGEST time--I swaddled him from the chest down. Made him feel safe but gave him free use of his hands. It was a nce inbetween step from losing the swaddle altogether. hth