swaddling and sleep

when we first bought dd home from the hospital, she would grunt all night long and sleep very short stretches. I watched her one night and realized that she was startling every few minutes, even when there was no apparent stimulant. She seems to have a very strong startle reflex. Then we discovered the miracles of swaddling. I had read reviews of the kiddopotamus swaddle blanket and people made it sound like a miracle. It was. Now, at 11 weeks, she is starting to wake squirming trying to get out. But if i release her arms, she flails like crazy until i wrap her back up. Literally within 10 seconds she sighs and passes back out. I have tried having her sleep with one arm out, but that doesn't work- that 1 arm flails around keeping her up. She can squirm out of it if i have it loose and ends up flailing.

Has anyone come up with a solution for this problem? Or, can you recommend another product? I don't mind swaddling her- she obviously needs it. But she also wants to be able to stretch,

By the way- to any moms struggling to get sleep, i HIGHLY recommend a swaddler., We thought she didn't like being swaddled so we stopped when we brought her home. While she may sometimes struggle for a short time, you can feel her body relax. She went from waking every few minutes to going 2-3 hours btw feeds. it's also fantastic that she can fall asleep without being in our arms.

[nursekim]

I had the exact problem as you.  I went against the grain with the advice of my pediatrician.  It was suggested to me to try tummy sleeping....and it worked miracles.  He had the freedom to stretch and squirm a bit but also the comfort of being able to pull his arms and legs under him.  We started this after his 8 week check up, and now at 16 months he still sleeps on his tummy with his legs and arms under him.

[jenkaye21]

Me too.  I hesitated to give this "contravsersial" advice, but it's what's worked for me.  Cooper was waking 10+ times a night, and in one night went to sleeping thru or getting up only once as soon as we tried tummy sleeping.  He is a different, happier baby.

[ziggysgrl0724]

I used the same swadders for DD when she was little.  It really did help her sleep better.  She would have nights like your describing though.....I would wrap her she would fall asleep.  She would wake not long after looking like she was using all her strength to get out of the wrap, so I would unwrap her.  The she would be so restless then she wouldnt go back to sleep......Then I would wrap her again and within a few minutes of squirming and fussing she would be out.  My only problem with the whole swaddling thing is that it was a hard habit to break....I think ahe was like 8 months old and I was still swaddling her....

[Sasha80]

Nursekim and jenkaye---you swaddled your lil ones first and then put them on their tummy's for the night or do you put blankets over them??? My DD is 12 weeks and flails her arms as well.  Wakes her all the time (after she squirms out of the swaddle) and sometimes several times a night (sometimes she is up once and then there are days she is up 6-10 times).  

[jenkaye21]

I stopped swaddling after 2-3 weeks.  No matter what i did, he got right out.  I've been putting Cooper on his tummy to sleep since he turned 3 months, about 2 weeks now.  I do put a blanket over him, kinda tucked in.  He barely moves in his sleep now; i've never found him uncovered.

[nursekim]

I at first used swaddling too....but he found it too restricting.  I just put him on his tummy and he tucked his arms and legs in himself.  I never did use a blanket, but it was September when we started tummy sleeping and I live in south Louisiana so there was no need for a blanket.  When it did get cold enough for a blanket (January or so) I used one of those halo blankets that snap at the shoulders and are like a sack and cannot come off.

[tiredbuthappy]

Sasha80- have you tried the cotton swaddle me? the lightweight cotton one is a bit stretchy so you can get a really tight swaddle. If dd's arms are down by her sides, she can't get out of it. Also, blankets are considered dangerous for young babies. You may want to consider a sleepsack like the halo. i also have cheaper gerber ones. it's a wearable blanket with no risk of suffocation.

nursekim and jenkaye- I am too paranoid to tummy sleep right now. Espcially because she's in a bassinet with a slightly padded mattress.

Jenkaye21-Just a thouught- i'd be a bit more concerned because he doesn't move much in his sleep. i think deeper sleeps are linked to SIDs, and it indicates he may not be moving his head much in his sleep. I almost think it would be better if he did roll around a bit.

thanks for the input. Anyone else know of a good product? Luckily, she only did it once last night, and it was when she was hungry. I think sometimes she wants her hans because she tries to put them in her mouth when hungry.

[peekawho]

Please, do not place your very young infants on their tummies to sleep, unless specifically directed by your pediatrician to do so.  
Implying that this is a safe position for sleep is going against decades of research that has proven that tummy sleeping increases the risk of SIDS.  

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TBH--usually around 12 weeks, swaddling is no longer feasible due to the strength and activity of the infant.  If the baby is old enough to turn over on his own, then tummy sleeping IS an alternative to consider.

[Sasha80]

thanks for the input ladies.  I am on my second child and I have never heard of a halo.  I will look into them.  I have been using a light blanket.  

Peek--I haven't heard of the 12 week "rule" per say.  Perhaps it's time to stop swaddling her then.

[tiredbuthappy]

i don't know Peek, i think this kid will be swaddled in her college dorm :)

She's extremely sensitive to sensory input, which partly explains the colic. Wonder if kids who are sensitive as infants continue to have problems throughout childhood> I have some sensory issues myself- particularly sound and light. I also cannot sleep without covers or socks, even in the dead of summer

[mlb1234]

So cute!!  I LOVED the Kiddopotamus Swaddle Me blankets too!!!!!!  They were my one indispensible baby item!!  After our dd was a couple months old, she too, was like Houdini getting her arms out of those blankets!!  There was nothing we could do so we just starting fastening it under her armpits nice and snug.  We used them until she outgrew all sizes!  Luckily they came in a bigger size!

[peekawho]

There's no "rule" about 12 weeks, but its about 10-14 weeks or so when the baby gets way too strong to remain happily swaddled.

Some don't like it even earlier.