I have a 9 week old and I'm trying to find the best swaddling solution. We have gone back and forth swaddling her really tightly with a regular blanket (which she finds a way to get out of) and the Miracle Blanket. We've been using the Miracle blanket exclusively for the last week or so and it is working fine, but I'm interested to know if others have had success with the Halo Sleepsack swaddle blanket. It looks like it would be much easier to swaddle a little one in than the Miracle Blanket but I'm wondering if it really holds their arms tightly in place. Also, I'm curious to know how long you ended up swaddling your baby - did it end up being months or weeks? My first daughter refused to be swaddled and I honestly can't remember how long their arms continue to flail and wake them up.
I can't remember the brand we used, but it was the kind of swaddler where the legs were in a little "pouch" and the arms were what got swaddled - cross body wrap with velcro. My little guy was swaddled for months - maybe 6 or 7? I've heard some babies love it, and some wiggle free. Whatever works for them. I think it's different for every baby.
I'm due any day with my first so I can only tell you what others have told me, but I went ahead and got the kiddopotmus swaddle me blankets from babies r us. I was told that they were great. I did get some halo sleepsacks as well, but the ones I got are just a sleep sack, they don't swaddle the baby. My best friend used the swaddle blankets for the first 3 months or so and now her little guy does great without them. Hope this might help a little.
With my kids we dressed them in light clothing and used two light blankets--the outer one being more stretchy....worked like a charm. They were swaddled til almost 7 months.
I haven't heard of those brands you mentioned. We use the Swaddle Me blankets, too. (at Babies R Us and now I recently saw them at Walmart!) The SwaddleMe blankets are a huge success in our home! I love the organic cotton blend one - very soft and it stretches a bit so I can wrap her very tightly with that one. She used to fight me on when I would first swaddle her, but once I got her tightly swaddled, she was happy and stopped crying. Now, she recognizes that swaddling means night-night time. So she stays put and is content when I'm swaddling her.
My daughter will be 4 months in one week, and she still needs to be swaddled to STAY asleep all night long. It really helps her to sleep longer. She can go to sleep without it, but she won't be asleep as long as she would if she were swaddled.
She's using the large size now - she is big for her age though. But we used the small size for a while.
I recommend buying at least 3 so you can rotate them -- and always have one clean in case baby has a blow out in her diaper or spits up a lot all over it.
We loved the Kidopotumus sleep sacs - you can get them for cheap at Walmart! THey worked great for my son - we kept him in them until he started rolling over and getting his arms free. I think that was around 4 months.... I plan on using them again with our next one.
I used both the kiddopotmus swaddle me blanket and the Miracle Blanket. Once I found the Miracle blanket, I never used the kiddopotmus again. My daugher loved the Miracle Blanket. I swaddled her until she was 9 months old.
My daughter never liked being swaddled, but we swear by the Halo Sleepsack in general. She's been sleeping through the night since about 10 weeks. Anytime we tried to go without the sleepsack, she would wake up 2-3 times a night. I would give it a try because it comes in two pieces and you can still use the sleepsack after she doesn't like being swaddled anymore. About weaning off the swaddle. I just read in Parent's magazine that some kids go as long as 8 months being swaddled and that they will let you know when they don't like it anymore when they start to struggle in it and don't sleep as well. They suggested that you wrap the baby toga style with one arm out as a way to wean. If they do okay that way, then remove the swaddle all together.
