Swaddling (x-posted in family sleeping)

[AustinKate]

My son is a big 11-week old, and has at this point outgrown every swaddling blanket design out there. The problem is, he really won't stay asleep with his arms loose. During the day he sleeps attached to me in the Moby, and at night has been in a co-sleeper. He's been sleeping almost through the night until the last few nights, when he's kicked his way out of his Miracle Blanket.

I switched him to a sleep sack, but since that leaves his arms free, he jerks himself awake. I'm desperate to get past this, back to the good, long sleeps he'd been having! Any ideas?

[NicoleS]

My second daughter had to be swaddled until nearly 9 months old or she wouldn't sleep. I ended up going to JoAnn's and getting some light-weight fabric and cutting it into a larger swaddling blanket for her.

[busymama77]

W is the same way!! Swaddle, swaddle, swaddle! I had thought about sleep sacks because it seems so much easier, but didn't think about the arms being free. I wonder if that would cause a problem for him. Hmmmm......

[aramat]

We swaddled our middle daughter to almost 1 year old (maybe 9 months?); when she outgrew the swaddlers, we used a terry bath towel! You can also find a sewing pattern online for a swaddler that ties closed instead of velcros, and just make an oversized blanket. If you made it out of fleece, you wouldn't even have to sew the edges.

[AustinKate]

OK, we had a nice long nap together, and now I feel a little better. Unfortunately not before I bit DH's head off, poor guy. But I called him at work to apologize, and we were able to laugh about it.

Someone on the nighttime parenting forum suggested a Woombie; I went ahead and ordered one, so we'll see if that helps. For some reason I convinced myself swaddling had to stop by 3 months, and now I'm realizing that was only with the Miracle Blanket, which we've been using, because it's such a tight swaddle. It seems like looser swaddles are OK to do for a fairly long time - but whenever I swaddle him in a light blanket, he's out in an instant. So, I'm relieved to have found something that's more secure and comes in bigger sizes (one of their sizes is Mega Baby, sounds like my guy!) and a lighter fabric (it's HOT in Texas during the summer, which is gearing up now), so hopefully this will do the trick. I'll let you ladies know how it goes once it arrives....thanks for the input!

[JustSimplicity]

Woombie! This thing seriously saved my life. I have the Lil Houdini version because DS can get out of every other kind of swaddle, even the velcro ones and the double swaddle. I love the Woombie because he can move his hands around inside it but not get them out to wake himself up. Seriously one of the best purchases I have made - we really should have two for those times I have to wash it but I hope it works for you too.

[loulie]

wow - just checked out the woombie - think i'll definitely be getting me one of those! only problem is that they say newborn is to 13lbs and then go into the next size. I think Saffie's about 12 lbs. Do you think i should buy the next size up? Or would that be too baggy to work?

It makes me very sad to hear about you mums having to go back to work already. I never realised how lucky we were in the Uk, getting money from the government for 9 months! OK, it's not much money, but it is funds nontheless. It's so unfair that you ladies have to even think about going back at this point. Credit to those of you who persist with breastfeeding whilst working too, you're truly amazing.

[JustSimplicity]

I got the Lil Houdini in the next size up - Big Baby I think. It fit him at 11.5 lbs.

[OlyR]

I would second the suggestion to go to Joanns and get some light fabric b/c we are using the aden and anais muslin blankets (47"x47") and they seem like they will work for a long time. I don't fold up at the legs so I mainly just get his arms swaddled and then the bottom is pretty loose which he likes. If he breaks free he sometimes wakes up but easily goes back to sleep.

those wombie things look neat though too. I just don't think J needs something like that now since he doesn't always wake up if he gets his arms out.

[arianascrunchymama]

I'm not from this DDC but I just wanted to let you know that I had a little Houdini on my hands! We tried everything from the Miracle Blanket to the SwaddleMe from Kidoppotomus at babies r us. Noting worked and she loved to be swaddled at night since shes slept in the sling or on my chest during the day. We stopped swaddling around 4 months old because she was sleeping fine with one arm busted out of the swaddle.

We take on children in the system when they're foster parents need a reprieve. We've had 3 babies for a couple days over the past 6 months under 4/5 months old. I've been reading up on the woombie and tried one out on them all. It was AWESOME! The slept like they would swaddled in a blanket, but wouldn't startle awake. They would slowly wake up and just look around for diaper changes and night time feedings!!! What I love best it that seeing a little baby move their hands around or just wiggle in the woombie is exactly how DD looked toward the end of my pregnancy when she moved around in the womb! They can even get their fingers out of the top if you have a thumb or finger sucker and the rest of them stay snug inside.

I recommend it to EVERYONE!!!!