Help to get baby to sleep un-swaddled

[Tabby]

hi all

My DD will only sleep swaddled up in a wrap or 2 but have just had a major scare with her nap, I found her with the wraps all up over her face.
http://img177.imageshack.us/my.php?image=feet004en4.jpg
Now she hates her feet in so wriggles and squirms till they are out but in the process can get her wrap so loose its over her face.
I did have her cot head elevated with books for her mild reflux so am removing them once she awakes as they make her slide down during the wriggles making it worse. ( will try a thickener at last feed instead )
I have let her feet out but shes still squirming in it.
So what I would like help with is how to get her out of needing to be swaddled to sleep. She wont even nap in my arms without it. (wakes constantly )
I have read to remove 1 arm at a time then wrap chest down and then none but I was hoping for something faster.
any help/advice appreciated
Also if your bubs was swaddled to sleep at what age did he/she stop needing it?
Vicki

[babylover111]

You poor thing! It would scare the living daylights out of me if I found a bubba with the wrap over their face like you did :hugs:

You could try the one arm out then the other and just the body wrapped but if you're looking for something faster have you considered a sleeping bag? They have ones made especially for babies that keep them feeling secure and different fabrics for all seasons.

[InSaneOne]

i would try a sleeping bag too. you could always unpick the bottom and leave it open if she likes her feet uncovered (mum made me one last winter with the bottom open so bubs could walk. when she was alseep we just did up the bottom with a zip. (or you could use buttoms)

i was kinda lucky - when they swaddled beth in the hospital she screamed until we undid the wrap she just didn't like it - so we never wrapped her. she was also a tummer sleeper who crawled by 3.5 months too.

[babylover111]

With when they stop being wrapped it really depends on the individual, a little one I care for only stopped at about 19 months (thank god for the pumpkin patch huge wraps). She had full body plus arms up until about 14 months then just liked body until 19 months then she just likes to hold them while she sleeps as a security thing. Also as soon as her arms were free we gave her one to hold so she got used to just holding and slowly made the wraps looser and looser until she lost interest and was more focused on the one she was holding.

[Tabby]

Thanks everyone.
Will have a hunt for a summer sleeping bag I think although dp has been out of work for weeks so $ are short at the moment so until then looks like one arm in and see how that goes tonight :thumbsup:

Billie&Beth: Great idea to unpick the end and replace with a zipper, thankyou. Am hoping the local carpark swapmeet will have some * fingers crossed *

[belinda1976]

Vicki

Try Ebay. I bought my DD a sleeping bag off their. They have brand new and 2nd hand ones.

[Tabby]

Thanks Belinda! I always forget about Ebay for things.
By the way your Emma is a cutie!!!

[pebilz]

I found my DS like this a few times and decided I just couldn't wrap him anymore. He was a total houdini too but just wouldn't settle without it. BUT having said that it was just too scary to do it. So we went cold turkey. It was hard as he would startle constantly but he just got used to it.

If you need a sleeping bag I have a lightweight summer one from my DD that's a size 0. I'll be happy to send it to you if you can't afford one at the moment. Just PM me if you want it. :)

[mum33]

we never wrapped DS so it was never an issue...

we tried to the sleeping bag on DS though because he likes to kick off the blankets and we thought it would be warmer in winter but he hated the sleeping bag too. but we ahve two, one that is enclosed at the bottom and one that has a removable end and can be used as a dressing gown also.

so i would imagine you wouldnt have to unpick one, as there must be more out there with removable bottom ends.

[Tabby]

Thanks sw33tn3ss
I never wrapped my first 2 either so this is a first for me, from day 1 she has slept better with it.
The dressing gown one sounds like a good idea. Will keep an eye out

and
pebilz: Have pmed you.
Yep and wishing that maybe the early days I should have done the same as you and just let her get used to being without it.

Tried the one arm out with her nap this arvo and no luck. She flayed her arm about just as if she was unwrapped and wouldn't settle.
I did take out the books from under cot so she didnt slide quite as far into the wrap.
:fingerscrossed: DP gets a job soon! This not being able to afford things as I need them is the pits :(

again thanks for the tips/advice

[babylover111]

How are you wrapping her in the first place? Maybe that has something to do with the way it's going on her face, I've never had a wrap go on a babies face. Sorry that sounds rude, I'm not trying to be rude at all just want to help!

[choplits mum]

Hi

My daughter was wrapped until 6 months. The last week was a nightmare, I was up 9 times on the last night re-wrapping..then in the morning i went in her room and she was fast asleep unwrapped and that was the end of that!!
Maybe try letting her fall sleep then actually taking her arms out yourself to see if she wakes...It may be that when she gets her arms out while stirring is what is upsetting her...

[Tabby]

no offence taken babylover111 :D
Am doing it as was done in hospital and read on swaddling sites, folding corner and holding arms in on folds etc, from about 4 weeks i have had to use 2 as she was getting out of them otherwise lol.
I think the problem with creeping up was because of the cot elevation for her reflux. She slides down when wriggles as well. have removed them and nap time it wasnt so bad creeping up but she still got out of it.
even in womb she was a nonstop and hard kicker/mover and has been since home.

choplits mum: I have actually tried that and have left her but her sleep is very restless and broken, unless I redo it and re-settle.
Shes even so dependant on it she wont sleep soundly pram/in my arms etc without it.
That said I still leave her for a bit and see what happens if she does get out and will keep trying it
May just have to deal with it till shes ready

pebilz is kindly giving me one of her sleeping bags so a huge thanks and :fingerscrossed: it works.

thanks for the help

[babylover111]

Just one more suggestion, if you buy a bigger wrap like the pumpkin patch ones you can wrap them tightly and after you cross their arm over you can wrap it all around to their bottom and way behind them and its nice and secure.

Does that make sense :laughing:

ETA- To save money you could always cut up old sheets and use them as wraps so they're bigger.

[littlejoy]

I use one of DS flat cot sheets to wrap him (he is 7 months though)
I find it really difficult to get DS to sleep in a sleeping bag as he just flaps his arms around.
What I have started to do it tuck the left over 'tail' bit of the wrap underneath his mattress ... he doesn't move at all.. and he is crawling. Mind you that may not help if your little one does not like her feet wrapped. sorry after all that I don't think I was much help at all:o

[ETsMum]

Maybe try a sarong?

[Tabby]

Thanks everyone!!
ALL great ideas that i will try till I get one that works
I actually have quite a few cot sheets so ill try that tonight. all great ideas of a bigger wrap,(sarong/sheets etc ) because when I do think about it there isnt a lot spare under her so that may well be my problem, after all she is twice the weight/size etc since when we brought her home and would explain why all of a sudden shes unwrapping.

littlejoy, Ill try what you suggested with tucking end under even tho she doesnt like it, its cooling down now so she might not worry... not useless advice at all :thumbsup:
will let you know how it went tomorrow

[funnyfarm]

You might have more luck with a sheet. I found i could never use cheesecloth to wrap my dd's because it had too much give in it and they could easily wriggle out and get tangled. My DD's have both been wrapped in cotton wraps (like a sheet). My DD's never like anything on their feet, so when i wrap them, after i have wrapped both the left and right sides and they look fully wrapped, i find their feet and legs, fold the fabric up to expose their legs and wrap it around them for extra security (hope you get that explanation, i am having trouble following it myself:D )

DD1 was wrapped until 11 months and DD2 is nearly 4 months old and still loves being wrapped.

Good luck

[2eliK42]

Hi, I don't really know a way to get your baby to stop sleeping wrapped up, but I do know of a device that can help you to relax while your baby is sleeping. It's called "Nanny" and what is is a monitor that sets off an alarm or signal if your baby's breathing is irregular (ex: doesn't breathe enough times in a minute). I've heard they are highly recommended and even use them in maternity wards... Here's a website where you can check out the Nanny. Though I hope you'll be able to find a more natural solution! http://www.mediquipped.com/mediquipped-search.html

[Tabby]

funnyfarm: great idea to use the excess from feet area to make more secure wrap, thanks

2eliK42 (http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/member.php?u=15916): thanks for the link! Would absolutely love to able to afford one of those, but my partner has been out of work for many weeks now and lets just say centrelink are not co-operating either so things are very hard at the moment BUT it will definetly be on my list no1 soon as we are back on our feet.
I would sleep much better knowing I had one.

Well last night I tried a cot sheet and as it was cooler feet end wrapped and excess tucked around and under, argh lol
there she was all arms out and loose at 5am
I do think I have mostly solve any issue with it going on her face again tho by not tilting the cot head, so thats good and reflux better now with thickener in anyhow so no need tilt.
Am hoping the sleeping bag will help.
thanks everyone for all your help and advice and I will continue to try everything that has been suggested and hope we find one that works

[blubber]

DD1 was wrapped until 9 months and in the end we had to use a single bed sheet and two of us to do it. She just wouldn't sleep wihtout it. She eventually did without it of her own accord.
With DD2 we were determined to have a non wrapped baby. Was so excited when after getting home from hospital she slept well without it but alas it seems she prefers it. However arms are out. After all of this we are not sure if it is the answer as she is not the best sleeper.
Weather is warm and trying to establish how much bed linen/clothing is not too much yet trying to keep her in one position is a nightmare!!

[Tabby]

Weather is warm and trying to establish how much bed linen/clothing is not too much yet trying to keep her in one position is a nightmare!!

yes! That was also one of my problems, I was always worried of overheating her. now the weather is much cooler..phew!

Ive resigned my self to the fact we shall swaddle and re-swaddle as much as needed till shes ready to not be. Her sleeps are not deep enough without it and wakes constantly.
At the moment am using what was suggested pm, fold the first wrap halfway and use like a band, then the second wrap as usual. It has helped a lot. but..she still houdinis out but not until she wakes so thats good.