Is 4 Months Too Old to Swaddle?

Sometimes I swaddle my baby when she is fussy and she's almost two. She was a preemie so I think it's okay.

I swaddled my baby girl until she was 4 1/2 months old. She was so restless at night if we didn't do it that she would never stay asleep or get herself back to sleep when she woke up. She started sleeping through the night pretty much at 11 weeks. Until then she would only wake up once for middle of night feeding and she was an early riser. If she got out of swaddle though, she would be up 3 to 4 times a night! My doc didn't have a problem with it. She is in a sleep sac now, arms free, at 7 months. Don't see any problems with her development or sleep so don't know why you have to stop. My best friend is the one who recommended swaddling to me and she did it with both kids for at least 4 months. Hope this helps!

Hi K.. Do you play games with your baby that makes him move his arms? Like patty cake, or playing with rattles or one of those mobile-like toys that hang above him while he is laying on a blanket or the kind that are attached to a saucer? I guess I'm asking if he moves and uses his arms while he is awake? Everyone moves while they sleep, that is normal...and at 4 months you want him to be using his hands and arms...it's almost time for the crawling and rolling to begin! You should move away from swaddling...use blanket sleepers to keep him warm on long winter nights (they never stayed covered up). One of the most important things you can teach your child at this age is indepentdant sleep and self-soothing (so that if he wakes in the night he can get himself back to sleep). Listen to what your Doctor and your common sense tell you, they are your best guides as you travel this long road of parenting. Best wishes.

No way! Our daughter was swaddled probably until 10 months at least, until we switched to a sleep sack (she liked the confined feeling, I think). She just shucked the sleep sack in July, when she was 2.5 - which is good, as she was outgrowing the XL size and the 'toddler' sleep sacks are $10 more plus shipping.

I don't remember being told to "stop swaddling" at a certain age either...if he likes it, I would do it until he just sort of doesn't want it anymore. Good luck!

My son started daycare at 6 months and he was swaddled there for at least 1-2 months for his naps - that's the only way he'd sleep.

Hmmm. Two things to consider.

1) Any sleeping habit you support becomes harder to break as time goes on.

but, at the same time,

2) Every child is different. Maybe it doesn't matter if he needs swaddling a bit longer. Although, if it's hard for him to sooth himself, the sooner he learns the better....

Good luck deciding!

We swaddled until at least 6 months (may have been longer). I'd check with your ped and ask why he says 2 months-- Happiest baby on the block says they are at least 3 months before they can sleep without swaddeling. Unless he has a compelling reason, I'd say keep doing what works.

You know the saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"?? DON'T FIX IT! :) LOL. Swaddling is awesome, and I bought my son (now 7mos) the large Swaddle Me from BRU when he grew out of the smaller one. It was great! He now sleeps on his belly, so doesn't need to be swaddled. Also, I know it is a very taboo subject, but I have been letting him sleep on his belly since he was 3.5mos (he can roll now so can't stop him anyway!). It is much more comfy for them (*IMO), and helps them feel secure. I don't know what your mom did, but all 3 of my mom's babies slept on their bellies per the doc's orders! And so you know, the statistic for SIDS in the US is less than 1%, and that did not change after the "Back to Sleep" campaign. I know the less than 1% is still very scary, but it's just something to keep in mind. HTH!

Do what works for you and your son! If it makes him happy swaddle him. Use a sleep sack, that might be easier to keep his arms tucked inside.

I had the opposite. I kept trying to swaddle her and she would wriggle her little arms out! She did not like it or the sleep sack!

Peditricians/doctors are not always right. Swaddle him until he doesn't want it anymore.

That seems silly to me. What could possibly be the harm? I swaddled my kids until the blanket was too small!! If he is comfortable and sleeps better being swaddled... go for it!

K.,

I swaddled my daughter until she was 5 months old for the same reason you stated. I talked to my pediatrician and was told I needed to do what the baby needed (always nice to hear that you didn't mess up =O}). She did warn me that when she started to roll we would need to keep an eye on her (possible strangulation from wiggling out of the swaddler. She is now 8 1/2 months old and happy as can be =O}

best wishes

Hi K.,

I kept my son swaddled until he was 5 months old. I know of people who keep their babies swaddled while sleeping up to 12 months of age. You are the only one who knows if this is right for your baby - and it sounds like it is from your comments. Your pediatrician shouldn't care if you are swaddling your baby. If it helps him sleep, keep doing it.

Congrats on your new baby!
J.

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my 3 yo daughter was swaddled till she was 9 months old! she absolutely LOVED it. she would giggle and smile as soon as we layed her on the bed to swaddle her every night! i eventually had to buy 60 in x 60 in pieces of fabric to use b/c every other blanket was too small! i say go for it if he likes it and it help him (and you!) sleep!

TBPH, I am unsure why your Ped would have advised against this. My Ped told me that as long as my baby was confortable it was advisable for as long as he desired. If he doesn't roll in his sleep and is stationary I wouldn't see an issue. However, if he rolls he might not be able to use his arms to help life himself and his face might be "stuck" in the facedown postion. That would be very dangerous for him because of CO2 building up. BUT some babies are quite comfortable in the swaddled positon, and do not have this issue. I would do what feels right for your child with an eye on his devolopment to avoid any problems :)

We swaddled our kids as long as it worked for them. I know it was well past 2 months. Probably well past 4 months. Of course, the older they got the easier time they had getting out, but it hleped them fall asleep initially so we kept at it. I had never been told to stop at a certain age.

I'm not sure why your Dr. said you should stop at 2 months (we swaddled until close to 6 months, I think), but when you are ready to stop swaddling, go slowly. Start by swaddling his arms, but leave his legs loose for a few weeks. Once he's used to that, then you can start leaving 1 arm out of the swaddle, and leave 1 arm in for a few weeks. Once he's used to that, you can leave the other arm out, but wrap the blanet around his chest so he still feels "cuddled". Once he's used to that, then you can start making the wrap more and more loose. Each step you take, he may wake a few times, but hopefully not as much as if you tried to take it away all at once.

Good luck!

Hi K.! My baby girl was swaddled until she was 6 months old and my pediatrician said that there was nothing wrong with that. She just wouldn't sleep any other way. At around 6 months she started waking up several times a night when she was trying to move and was constricted by the swaddle. At that point I switched her into a Sleep Sack and she has been sleeping great ever since. Remember that some cultures keep their babies swaddled for the first year of life....I think your little one will let you know when it's time to stop. Good luck and enjoy your little one : )

we swaddled my daughter, now 18 months until she was almost a year old! It helped her sleep so we didn't mind one bit. Don't see any reason to HAVE to stop swaddling. So keep at it, he'll eventually grow out of it (or at least his blankets!)
~R.

Hi K.,
I too am a first time mom, my little girl is 27 months old. I think most babies have that arm issue where they fling them in the air when sleeping and on top of that, my daughter was a really bad sleeper...she didnt sleep through the night until 9 months! Anyway, we swaddled her as long as we possibly could since it helped her sleep! We swaddled her when she was 4 months but we ended up having to buy bigger swaddle blankets. Until we saw that she no longer wanted to be that way, we swaddled her and I am thinking it was until 4 or 5 months. And shes fine.....
Now looking back, I say do what you need to do in order to help your child sleep (and so that you can sleep to). Obviously, as long as its not harmful but I dont think its harmful! Good luck!
K.