swaddling problems (i'm crazy)

[starparticle]

So our 9 week old has been sleeping very poorly, and he was always tired and incapable of falling asleep. On a whim we decided to swaddle him one night last week (after watching him whack himself in the face with his little hands while trying to fall asleep!) and sure enough he fell right off.

Now we are swaddling him for his naps and and night. He wakes up SO happy and clearly rested (finally!) and can stay awake for longer stretches happier. He falls right asleep once swaddled and is now sleeping 4 hours at a time (and 1-2 hour naps).

but....I HATE SWADDLING!

I feel like he hates it (at first), and I can't stand listening to him cry like that. I also feel like he is sort of a zombie while swaddled, and I miss cuddling with him. He doesn't have as much eye contact while swaddled (although when he is out he is very happy).

Anyways, I'm thrilled something has finally helped, we were in serious sleep deprivation (waking every hour or two at night, no naps, exhausted screaming baby) but I'm just not sure this is okay. I feel just wrong about tying him up...I know it is a temporary situation and he'll outgrow it, but I'm just not sure it is okay.

I don't know if I need reassurance or to be told this isn't okay. What are your thoughts and experiences??? I know I sound totally crazy... :nut

THANK YOU!

rachel

[wannabe]

My feeling is that yes, it's nice to see them engaged with the world, and interacting, etc. BUT - to fall asleep they need to DISengage, zone out and let go, and that's hard to do when you're only little, and you don't know that letting go and letting that drifty sleep feeling take over is what you need.

If your partner was trying to play and make faces and giggle with him while trying to help him sleep, you'd intervene, wouldn't you? This is just part of that continuum - he needs a different energy to change states, and wrapping is how you can help him do that.

When my daughter discovered her hands we went back to swaddling, and the effect was dramatic - she'd been totally unable to let go and stop moving those hands around (kind of like me at 3am trying desperatley to acheive some goal in a computer game and unable to stop).

And besides, it's helping him fall asleep, sleep longer, and feel better and happier when he's awake - all very good things.

[alexsam]

For us, I would set up our swaddling blanket in his sleep space. Then I would nurse ds to sleep and after he drifted off, put him down on the blanket and swaddle while he was snoozy. It helped a lot.

[Heatherb917]

Just think about how swaddling reminds your sweet baby of being in your tummy. They do not know what straight jackets are...so they don't feel like they're in one!

Sleep is so important to your sanity and for your baby's development. Do what it takes to help you all get some sleep! Have you read The Happiest Baby on the Block? There is also a DVD. It talks about the benefits of swaddling. I have read that it also helps reduce the risk of SIDS. Somehow it helps babies sleep more soundly, but they also somehow awaken more easily. So if baby was in distress he could wake up.

I know what you mean about missing the cuddling. I co-sleep with my swaddled ds and really there is no snuggling, but I like knowing that he's right there, and I'm sure he likes knowing that I'm right there too!

Swaddling is an ancient pracitice. It is used less today than in times past. I hope you will be able to come to terms with it and enjoy the fact that your babe is getting some much needed rest!