Elli has always been swaddled at night. If she's not wrapped up super tight, her hands go crazy and she'll wake herself up. We were even swaddling her when she was in her bouncy seat beside our bed and she did fine. Now that she's in her pack 'n play (and if you're wondering why she's not in her crib, just read a few posts down!), she HATES to be swaddled. She seems to be okay when we first put her down, but after a few moments of serene silence she has a meltdown and starts screaming. The thing is, if we take it off of her she can't sleep b/c her arms still seem to have a life of their own! So, what to do?? I'm thinking of retiring the actual swaddle blanket, but maybe just using a regular blanket instead (though I have to say that I haven't had much luck with that in the past). Any of you mommies out there have a similar problem?? I'm all ears if you have any tips or solutions!
8 comments:
Try a sleep sack - Saw liked to be bundled up, but not "stuck" - this kept his hands free, but under a "blanket". A real blanket was scary for me, because he was such a mover and I thought he would suffocate underneath it. Solution for me - sleep sack.
Her little arms are gonna be all over the place, but she should get used to it soon...Sawyer used to pet himself to sleep.
And I hate to say it, but a little screaming it out might be in order. I hated when people would tell me that, but I'm really glad we did it. Sawyer self soothed really early on and that has made a VERY easy 2 1/2 yr old to put to bed. Just a thought!!! :)
Have you tried a miracle blanket. I've never actually used one, but I've heard rave reviews. I also have to agree with Jennjilla and let her scream for a couple of minutes. I might seem cruel at first, but she will eventually stop crying and learn to soothe herself.
I agree with Jenn. Drew NEVER liked the Swaddle blankets, so we used regular blankets to wrap him up. After a while, he didn't want his arms wrapped up, so we wrapped him with his arms out. He scratched himself a lot, so he wore socks on his hands for a really long time. After he outgrew the blankets, we put him in a sleepsack. He's nearly 18 months, and he still sleeps in a sleepsack at bedtime AND naptime. He never sleeps as well without it.
The boys hated to be swaddled. WAY back then they only had regular blankets to do it with ;-) They always wiggled their arms out.
At first they would wake themselves up and cry with the wild out of control arm movements. They soon outgrew them (or got use to their arms being able to fling around) and the crying stopped. I just gently pressed their arms back to their bodies and "sssshhhhhhed" back to sleep. I couldn't let them CIO this early.
She'll adjust and you'll find the perfect trick, then insist on teaching everyone the perfect trick. Then she'll change her mind. Welcome to parenting.
I think you should try the sleep sack too! It still will confine her arms but not very tightly. You can get them in fleece or in cotton.
Aden and Anais muslin cloths. they are huge and super easy to swaddle with. Lane wanted to be swaddled prob until he was 2.5-3 months old for night and naps. then we did a one arm out swaddle, then both, and now he just sleeps solo. She will let you know
Another idea is to try swaddling with her arms out. We had to graduate to that after awhile. It's tighter than a sleep sack, but is essentially the same with their arms out.
Have you been having any luck? Emme is doing the same thing when we put her down. She will be out cold, then put her down, and in t-less than 5 minutes she will start screaming. I have resorted to the unthinkable, co-sleeping, and she is the soundest sleeper that way. I won't be, I just lay there and stare at her.
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