Hi Moms!
I've been swaddling my 15 week old daughter at night and she sleeps BEAUTIFULLY. However, she is getting very big and no longer fits in the SwaddleMe wraps properly. She is way too long for the small, but she's too skinny for the large to wrap snugly around her. She is too active for any swaddling blankets that don't use some sort of a fastener.
We've been trying to break her of the habit for the past week or so, as she's getting older and too big. First we tried leaving her arms out, and only wrapping it around her waist. Now we've tried putting her in a Sleep Sack. She is not sleeping nearly as well and neither am I!
Any advice for what to do? I know she can sleep, and she still falls asleep on her own. She's having issues waking up during the night.
Thanks for all of your help. We ordered a miracle blanket which (FINALLY) arrived yesterday. She slept much better! (Somehow she managed to get out this morning, so I'll have to work on my wrapping skills.)
why not try I think there called wedges where you have 2 pillows attached to a balnket and one of the wedges adjustes to the size of the baby i bought mine at babies e us and my son loves it and my daughter hated it....good luck
My daughter was also a very long baby and LOVED to be swaddled as she slept. A friend gave me a blanket from www.swaddledesigns.com and it was huge....I then bought 2 more along with matching lovies....the blankets are 42x42. I used them until she was almost 6 mths old...hope this helps!
Jen
Good Morning!
I would recommend the Halo SleepSacks? Our 2yr old son LOVED them.
Here's the website:
If you google this product, you'll see they are sold all over the internet & locally. There's a store locator on Halo's website too. I know for sure BabiesRus & Burlington Baby Depot sell them. Possibly Target & Walmart, but our son is 2, and I haven't looked for them in a while. I think the price range is $15-20 per sleepsack. Easy to wash & dry. No special directions at all for laundering. Our ds slept very well in them after he was too big to swaddle. It's basically a zippered up sack that has holes for the arms & head. It also a SIDS prevention certified product. There are heavier material blends for the winter & lighter blends for the summer. We used them until he was too big for the XL size. We had no problems transitioning him from swaddling to SleepSacks. They are much safer than blankets too. I am also a big fan of Tracy Hogg, The Baby Whisperer. I agree her books & website are a HUGE help in transitions from one stage to the next especially for sleeping, eating, & discipline/behavior issues. Again, it's about what's best for your family. Everything in modification, nothing is "by the book" when it comes to our little ones!
Good Luck! Judy
My daughter was what we affectionately referred to as "burrito baby". We (I kid you not) swaddled her until about 9 months! She wanted it, loved it and so we just did it. It was a little weird, but it worked. We used a lightweight, hand crocheted baby blanket that was open-weave enough to be airy and comfortable, yet warm enough in winter and air conditioning. It was big enough so that when she was wrapped, the last part you wrap around her was under her back, and since she was such a back sleeper, it stayed put.
22 months after she was born, her baby brother came into this world and I think we swaddled him for about 9 minutes! He HATED it and actually was one of those who refused to sleep unless on his tummy! Talk about no sleep! I was constantly on edge, thinking about crib death.
The other thought I had was maybe it's time to adjust her schedule a little. Sleep begets sleep and if she's not getting enough daytime sleep, it could actually be causing nighttime troubles. There really are any number of things that are very minor, but "unfixable" and therefore, annoying, that could be causing the trouble. A "phase" she's going through, if you will. It may be she's simply becoming increasingly aware of her surroundings and that is causing her trouble. Perhaps her last feeding is not quite enough. She may need to just cry it out... Anyway, hope this helps!
Hi A.!
I work as an evening post-partum doula and run into this problem ALL THE TIME! I highly, highly, highly recommend the Miracle Blanket (I think it's www.miracleblanket.com). It is an amazing thing, better than anything else I have seen out there. It looks a little strange, with the flaps that go over the arms, but if you think about it, it makes total sense. Make sure you swaddle with your baby's legs straight though. If you don't know how to insure that; I usually put my fingers right under the lower back (lumbar area) and raise the baby's bottom half just slightly up (like lifting for a diaper change). Baby will straighten her legs 9.5 out of 10 times. Then you can put her feet into the pocket and wrap, wrap, wrap. I've seen babies in these blamket up to 4-5 months depending on size of baby of course.
Check out their web site. If you have any problem finding it, don't hesitate to e-mail back. I LOVE this blanket (did I mention that?). I recommend it so much they should give me stock!
Good Luck,
L.
A.,
Sleep patterns do change, but if your daughter still needs to be swaddled, and it sounds like she still does, you can learn to fold a blanket so you can use that to swaddle her. I recommend Dr. Harvey Karp's book The Happiest Baby on the Block for advice on swaddling and more. At her age, you both need as much sleep as you can get right now. I would not consider this a habit that needs breaking. Also, she may sense you are going back to work or know that you already have gone back to work. Be prepared for major disruptions in the sleep routine if you go back to work. This is a major change for such a young baby.
Amy
Hi A.,
Your 15 week old is old enough to be sleep trained.
Please read the following tips and let me know if you need help. I sleep train babies. adriana vermillion ###-###-####
Despite their small size, babies can wield tremendous power over their parents. Some new parents will go to extreme lengths to get their baby to sleep, rocking them to sleep in their arms for hours or driving them around town until their eyelids finally flutter shut.
Bedtime doesn't have to make parents and their babies crazy. Below, Jodi Mindell, PhD, a professor of psychology at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, offers some tips on getting your baby to fall asleep on his or her own, and then stay asleep, so everyone in the family can get the rest they need.
How much sleep do newborns need?
Newborns typically sleep anywhere from 10 to 18 hours a day, so there is incredible variability in how much a 2-week-old or a 4-week-old is going to sleep. There is no differentiation between night and day, so they're sleeping anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours around the clock. Starting around eight weeks, they're awake more during the day and sleeping more at night.
How much sleep do infants and toddlers require?
Infants (3- to 12-month-olds) need between 14 and 15 hours of sleep a night. They get between 10 and 12 hours at night, and then they nap during the day. A 3- or 4-month-old is taking three to four naps a day, and a 12-month-old is typically taking two naps a day. Toddlers (1- to 3-year-olds) are sleeping 12 to 14 hours a day and have shifted to one afternoon nap.
At what age will babies start to sleep through the night?
One of the problems answering that question is the definition of sleeping through the night. The original definition in 1957 was a baby who sleeps from midnight to 5 a.m. is sleeping through the night. I know as a parent that, if I was woken at 11:45 p.m. and at 5:15 a.m., I wouldn't feel like they're sleeping through the night. So if you're looking for 12 hours straight, they will be at least 6 months of age until they can sleep for that long without a nighttime feeding.
What's the best setting for sleep?
For all children, adolescents and adults, you want a bedroom that's cool, quiet, dark and comfortable. All babies should sleep on a firm surface. There should be very little bedding in their crib, so that there's no concern about suffocation. And, of course, all babies should be put down on their backs to sleep to decrease the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
How important is a consistent bedtime and bedtime routine?
A consistent sleep schedule with set nap times and a set bedtime is going to set their internal clock and make it so they fall asleep quickly and stay asleep. A typical baby bedtime is between 7:30 and 8:30 at night.
One of the key things in getting a baby to have good sleep habits is a bedtime routine. You want that bedtime routine to be 20 to 30 minutes long and include about two to three activities, which are exactly the same every single night. A typical bedtime routine may include taking a bath, massaging the baby, reading, singing lullabies. You want activities that are soft and soothing. Now, if your baby hates taking a bath or can't sit still for books, you want to do that at a different part of the day.
What are some signs that your baby is sleepy?
One of the most important things that you want to do as a parent is figure out the sign your baby gives when he or she is sleepy. Does she rub her eyes? Does she pull her ears? Does she twirl her hair? One baby I knew used to stare off into space. The mom thought the baby was bored so she would sort of do antics, but, really, that was a sign for the baby that he wanted to go to sleep. The moment your baby gives you that sign, that's your window of opportunity. You want to go right away and put them down for their nap or for bedtime.
Why do babies wake up during the night?
All babies naturally awaken between three and six times throughout the night. As they change from one sleep stage to another, they're going to have a normal arousal. The question is whether or not a baby can fall back to sleep on their own.
A baby who can fall asleep on their own at bedtime is a baby who's going to fall right back to sleep when they waken during the night. The National Sleep Foundation data from the Sleep in America poll found that 46 percent of children are being put down awake in their cribs rather than asleep. So the majority of children are being put down asleep. But children who are put down awake fall asleep faster and sleep, on average, one hour more at night. A baby who's rocked to sleep, nursed to sleep, driven in the car to sleep, pushed in a stroller to fall asleep at bedtime is going to need that exact same thing to fall back asleep at 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 every time they naturally awaken.
What should you do if your baby won't go to sleep or stay asleep?
If a parent has a baby who's having a difficult time falling asleep or staying asleep, they may choose to do what we often refer to as sleep training. So you do your bedtime routine, you put your baby down awake in their crib and then leave the room. At that point, you want to check on your child. How often you check is going to depend upon your tolerance as a parent and your baby's temperament. For some babies, it makes them more upset to check on them than not to check on them. Every time you go in to check on your child, you want to go in for just a minute or two, be really calm, let them know everything is OK and leave. It's best not to pick them up, but, if you need to, that's OK, as long as you put them back down.
The first night, they will often fuss (that's our nice way of saying they may be upset) for 30 to 45 minutes. The second night is going to get worse, because it's sort of "last night was a fluke, tonight I really mean it." By third night, you're going to see dramatic improvement and, if you stick with it for a week, what you're going to find is a baby who falls asleep very quickly at bedtime and will start sleeping through the night. The most important thing parents should do when they start sleep training is consistency. If they're consistent, they are going to see a major improvement.
If there are two parents, how can they work together?
When there are two parents in the household, sleep training always takes some negotiation. You both need to come up with a plan that you're going to stick to. If there is one parent who can't tolerate any crying by their child, you may want to send them out to the store or to a friend's house, so you can help the baby get over the hump.
The other thing that's important for parents to realize is that they're doing this for the benefit of their baby. Some parents feel as if they're being selfish. You have to realize that a baby waking three times a night is going to feel as awful the next day as a parent waking three times per night. Also, having a parent who's well rested is going to have huge benefits for babies.
I didn't swaddle my kids so no advice there, but sometimes babies sleep cycles will change for a week or so. Whenever you try something new that doesn't work, sometimes it helps to wait a week or so and try again. Good luck!
A.,
Our daughter too was a swaddled baby and we struggled with different contraptions. We found something called the miracle blanket at Amazon.com and it truly saved us. It seems a bit like a straight jacket at first, but it worked wonders for our daughter and was safe (not too big/small). We swaddled Emily until she was nine months old. We eventually left out her feet then her, hand, the other hand etc. We then switched to a pajamas and a sleep sack. She did really well. Your little one will let you know when she's ready to sleep without being swaddled.
Hi A.,
I swaddled for as long with my daughter too. Right about at your point, we started to wean her from the swaddle. I would swaddle her arms with a receiving blanket and then put her into one of those zip up sleep sacs from Carters (to hold her tight). She could break out of the blanket, and the swaddling blanket with velcro, so this way she stayed in there. she was napping during the day without the swaddle so i knew she could do it at night. We just started her every night on her own, then swaddled if need be, then one night it worked, and she slept without the swaddle, just in the sac alone! Does she have a 'lovie'(a burb cloth with a ribbon on the edge can do, or we have the stuffed animal head and a little blanket attached kind of thing to reassure her that she is 'not all alone'? I nursed with it and slept with it a few nights, then put it into her bassinet/crib...that seemed to help.
Good luck!! Congrat's!
I was always told when they start breaking out then it is time to wean them. Another individual gave you advice on how to wean. The weaning part can be tough, but like any stage it does not last forever - - promise!
A good book on sleep is "The Baby Whisperer Solves all Problems." You don't always have to follow all the rules you read in all the books. You can pick and choose.
"They" also have a great website - Babywhisperer.com. There is a great community of supportive people. Lot of forums and message boards about sleep. You will receive a lot of advice on it.
Good luck.
Maybe it's not the not being swaddled is the problem, babies sleep patterns change too often, maybe she's just shifting top a different schedule. Whatever it is I hope you can figure it out so the both of you can sleep. I know the feeling, I have a 4 yr. old and an 18 month.
ask your doctor to be sure but you could try putting a teaspoon of rice cereal in the babys bottle at night and that will usually cause then to sleep longer at night. it worked on both of my kids but most doctors dont really recommend it until they are six months so you have to try it at your own discretion.
HI A.,
I think you might like this product its called the Sweet Pea Cozy Cocoon.
www.naturalfamilyboutique.com/?rebeccaw
I can help you with sizing or answer questions you have aboutthe cocoon, we used it and loved it, our daughter was the same she needed to be snuggled and she is super tall and thin.
Let me know if you have any questions,
R. Wolpinsky
Hi A.,
I vote for the Miracle Blanket as well. We swaddled our daughter well past the 15 week stage and she LOVED the blanket. When we weened her off the blanket I did just what you tried so far...I left her arms out and then gradually no blanket. She'll let you know when she's ready...one day my daughter just started sleeping comfortabley without it and that's when we stopped using it...test it out here and there...I know lots of people say you should decide for her. I say let her decide and you'll both be much happier.
If you can sew, I would suggest sewing velcro to the blankets, to make them swaddling blankets. Other than that, no real suggestions. My kids were the wierd ones who didn't like swaddling!
My daughter is nearly 7 months now and needed swaddling until almost 4 months due to her colic. I suggest using the real light fleece blankets from target and swaddling her in those....I also reccommend the book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Karp from the library, it gives great help on the swaddling.
In terms of breaking the habit, try swaddling with one hand out and if she can't do that give it another week or two...once she's ok with that then do two hands out, and then eventually wean her completely....it's a 3 week process usually.
Hope that helps!!!
J.
Does your daughter have a favorite blanket?? My little girl is now four and still sleeps with her favorite blanket that I used to swaddle her when she was a baby. She does not sleep as good with out it. Sometimes it's not the swaddling but the blanket itself. Not sure if this applies to your case...
