Baby hates swaddle but sleeps better with them

[vtdiamond]

We swaddle DD either in an A&A blanket or a Summer Infant Swaddle me (usually at night).  She hates both and will constantly try to get her arms out of them.  THe only way we've been able to get her in them without struggles is if we put her in them when she's really drowsy.  She will them somewhat put up with them while sleeping in her RNP.  

The problem now though is that we're trying to transition her to the crib.  We put her down drowsy or asleep for 1 nap a day.  She will go down somewhat ok, but when she wakes up the first thing she does is try to fight the swaddle.  We've tried given her a paci to distract her and get her back to sleep but she'll spit it out after a minute then fight the swaddle again. When we've tried unswaddled she wakes up more frequently after knocking herself in the face and her flalling arms. 

So, I'm wondering for the transition to the crib do we continue to try it with her swaddled or try unswaddled?  Or any other ideas?  It's her arms that are the problem so I don't think a sleep sack would solve this but who knows. 

[motzie]

DD2 is 8 weeks. I swaddle her with her arms free and that works for us. She fights SO hard when I tried to do a complete swaddle. She would grunt and struggle until she freed herself and it just wasn't worth it. Just having her chest and legs wrapped does the trick when it's time for sleep.

[rbp]

Babies don't know what's good for them. If she sleeps better swaddled, I would ABSOLUTELY keep it. We started double-swaddling M around two months because he would break out of a single swaddle. We found that a large flannel blanket was better for swaddling than a muslin blanket. (I know that they're marketed for swaddling but I don't like them for this.) We used this method for swaddling: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Osbg3fJRn5M Then we put a Swaddle Me on top of the flannel blanket for extra security.

I wouldn't worry if she seems to "hate" the swaddle. M sometimes hates having his diaper changed, but that doesn't mean I don't do it.

Are you using loud white noise?

[kaycee]

We used the sleep sacks with the swaddle attachment or those woombie type sacks. She hated the A&A blanket and miracle blanket.

[thatgirl2478]

The only swaddle dd2 can't escape is the woombie. If you can stand buying one more swaddle device, try it.

[vtdiamond]

Jan 4, 2015 11:23:15 GMT -5 rbp said:

Babies don't know what's good for them. If she sleeps better swaddled, I would ABSOLUTELY keep it. We started double-swaddling M around two months because he would break out of a single swaddle. We found that a large flannel blanket was better for swaddling than a muslin blanket. (I know that they're marketed for swaddling but I don't like them for this.) We used this method for swaddling: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Osbg3fJRn5M Then we put a Swaddle Me on top of the flannel blanket for extra security.

I wouldn't worry if she seems to "hate" the swaddle. M sometimes hates having his diaper changed, but that doesn't mean I don't do it.

Are you using loud white noise?

I totally agree babies don't know what's good for them.  I'm just wondering if it's worth trying the transition to the crib with her fighting the swaddle when we're going to have to unswaddle her arms once she starts rolling in a few months. 

I'm thinking we might just need to keep with the swaddle and get it as tight as possible, as if there is any looseness I think that just eggs her on to try to escape.  Maybe she'll give up if her arms are really secure. 

Yes, we are using white noise. 

[redheadk]

I don't think many kids love being swaddled while awake. We swaddled anyway, she needed it to help her sleep.

It helped us to swaddle her just before nursing her. Kept her hands out of my way and she was very into the boob so happiness about eating trumped unhappiness of being swaddled.

The Merlin's Magic Sleep Suit is also an option if your baby is big enough to fit it.

[linz]

Do you keep her arms down? My dd fights it sometimes but if her hands are in the swaddle but by her face she's more content. They used to wrap her that way in the nicu. Bend the arms so hands are up. I keep them swaddled bc they it gets them to sleep easier. And I worry about their hands getting cold

[redheadk]

Jan 4, 2015 11:30:37 GMT -5 vtdiamond said:

Jan 4, 2015 11:23:15 GMT -5 rbp said:

Babies don't know what's good for them. If she sleeps better swaddled, I would ABSOLUTELY keep it. We started double-swaddling M around two months because he would break out of a single swaddle. We found that a large flannel blanket was better for swaddling than a muslin blanket. (I know that they're marketed for swaddling but I don't like them for this.) We used this method for swaddling: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Osbg3fJRn5M Then we put a Swaddle Me on top of the flannel blanket for extra security.

I wouldn't worry if she seems to "hate" the swaddle. M sometimes hates having his diaper changed, but that doesn't mean I don't do it.

Are you using loud white noise?

I totally agree babies don't know what's good for them.  I'm just wondering if it's worth trying the transition to the crib with her fighting the swaddle when we're going to have to unswaddle her arms once she starts rolling in a few months. 

I'm thinking we might just need to keep with the swaddle and get it as tight as possible, as if there is any looseness I think that just eggs her on to try to escape.  Maybe she'll give up if her arms are really secure. 

Yes, we are using white noise. 

YouTube Escape-Proof Swaddle.

They like having their arms out so I don't think it'll be a big deal to ditch the swaddle when she's ready.

[rbp]

Jan 4, 2015 11:30:37 GMT -5 vtdiamond said:

Jan 4, 2015 11:23:15 GMT -5 rbp said:

Babies don't know what's good for them. If she sleeps better swaddled, I would ABSOLUTELY keep it. We started double-swaddling M around two months because he would break out of a single swaddle. We found that a large flannel blanket was better for swaddling than a muslin blanket. (I know that they're marketed for swaddling but I don't like them for this.) We used this method for swaddling: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Osbg3fJRn5M Then we put a Swaddle Me on top of the flannel blanket for extra security.

I wouldn't worry if she seems to "hate" the swaddle. M sometimes hates having his diaper changed, but that doesn't mean I don't do it.

Are you using loud white noise?

I totally agree babies don't know what's good for them.  I'm just wondering if it's worth trying the transition to the crib with her fighting the swaddle when we're going to have to unswaddle her arms once she starts rolling in a few months. 

I'm thinking we might just need to keep with the swaddle and get it as tight as possible, as if there is any looseness I think that just eggs her on to try to escape.  Maybe she'll give up if her arms are really secure. 

Yes, we are using white noise. 

Those few months can be a lifetime if the baby doesn't sleep. I would keep swaddling. Using a flannel blanket and double swaddling make a huge difference for us. Just the Swaddle Me didn't get tight enough.

[pugz]

we swaddled for close to 6 months, but DD was a late roller and we kept her in the RnP til she was almost 6 months as well. I think we ditched the swaddle one week, and transitioned to the crib the next.

I would absolutely still swaddle at 2 months. We switched to the miracle blanket once DD got strong enough to bust out of the swaddle mes.

[Narwhal]

We swaddled until they were over it. Even when they began rolling over in the swaddle, we swaddled to sleep. we would get them to fall asleep swaddled in the RnP and wait until they were absolutely out. Then I would quickly unswaddle them, put them in their cribs and pray it wouldn't wake them up. We did this for a few weeks and then they were fine being unswaddled.
At first we used the AA swaddle sleep sack, but switched to the HALO sleep sack. I loved the halo because I could get it tight enough. I could never get a swaddle blanket to stay tight. Plus, the NICU used the halo, so I was used to it by then.
Good luck!

[rex]

L hated being swaddled (she would fight to get out) but slept so well. i got to the point where the only thing that contained her was a miracle blanket inside a sleep sack. her startle reflex was really strong. once she found her thumb i did one arm out though.

[Deleted]

Babies think they hate the swaddle but we know better. If they can break out of it that means the swaddle is not tight enough. Tighten it up or get the Miracle Blanket. B used to scream his head off at swaddle time every night. I made my husband do it most of the time because I couldn't bear it. Stay strong.

[rbp]

Jan 4, 2015 13:15:05 GMT -5 rex said:

L hated being swaddled (she would fight to get out) but slept so well. i got to the point where the only thing that contained her was a miracle blanket inside a sleep sack. her startle reflex was really strong. once she found her thumb i did one arm out though.

Yeah his is basically what we did. M started sucking his thumb around 4 months, when it was about time to quit swaddling anyway.

[thebreakfastclub]

I transitioned to the Halo velcro ones then. They are much easier to get a snug fit.

[zarapipe]

Ditto the escape proof swaddle. Watch the video.

[Deleted]

We have one of the Halo sacks that has the option to swaddle the arms and then the Summer Infant version in large now that DD is getting toward the long end of the Halo sack.
I change DD's diaper, put her in the sack, don't wrap the arms, and then feed her. Once she is sufficiently drowsy, I swaddle her arms, put in the binky and then put her down. Works like a charm for me.

[speckledfrog]

With DS2, we found that he needed to have his arms out. He would struggle to free them and then fall asleep, so around 8 weeks or so we just started wrapping him with his arms out.

[Jalapeñomel]

You can also swaddle with one arm out.