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Lately I have noticed that Morgan is wiggling more and more out of swaddles at night, thus causing me to be more nervous, because on a few occasions I have heard the smallest little baby noise from her and when I check, she has wiggled out of the swaddle. Before it has only been an arm or two. Recently (a couple of times) she wiggled herself down into the swaddle where the it covers her mouth and nose. Thankfully I am such a light sleeper I hear her getting frustrated and am able to redo her swaddle. I ask myself how I can stop this from happening, do I make the bandana tighter? I don't want to squeeze her too tight and I already tie it pretty tight as is.
Well the night before last night I look over at her and she has totally gotten out of the swaddle. Her entire bare body is exposed (naked with diaper). However the bandana is still tied in a knot and so the blanket is all bunched up underneath her back and neck, while the bandana is around her neck. I quickly jump out of bed with my eyes half open when I notice this on the monitor. My heart pounds and I am thinking "I am really starting to hate this swaddling thing". I never swaddled Hunter. I never heard of it then.
So anyways I googled "swaddling" and when is a baby ready to be unswaddled. Morgan shows all the signs. She recently screams and fights to not be swaddled, and as before she would often calm down automatically and be calm once swaddled. Now she gets mad and wiggles, and fights and cries when you go to swaddle her. BIG SIGN! Getting out of her swaddles more and more during the nights because she is moving more during her sleep. BIG SIGN!
Constantly wakes herself or can't get comfortable while you hold her swaddled and so she fights you, making it hard to get her to sleep. BIG SIGN!!!
Also she doesn't nap any more being swaddled and she sleeps great with out it during the days. BIG SIGN!
So tonight my little girl is in a "night gown" and no swaddle. By the way she has ALWAYS liked her feet to not be covered up, even when swaddled we would have to open the bottom to let her feet hang out. So cute!!!
Well its late and I need my sleep, lets see how night #1 goes with no swaddle!!! And please no snake dreams!!!! Ugh!!!
PS: Sorry for the bad photo, my camera was dropped the night of 4th of July and is broken. I plan on getting a new camera this weekend. Until then I have had to resort to the camera phone!!!!
Expert Answers
Wrapping your newborn snugly in a blanket, or swaddling her, can help her feel safe and secure and may even help prevent SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in May 2005 suggests that babies who are swaddled sleep better (have fewer spontaneous awakenings and fall back to sleep more quickly) and are more responsive to outside stimuli than babies who are not swaddled during sleep. Swaddling, then, may help your baby feel more secure sleeping on her back and enable her to wake up more easily if something is amiss.
Not all babies like to be swaddled, though, and most outgrow it quickly. "By about 2 months, your baby will be moving around more in sleep, and swaddling could make her uncomfortable and contribute to night waking," says Judith Owens, a pediatrician and director of the Pediatric Sleep Disorders Clinic at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. If your newborn starts to fuss when you swaddle her but you'd like to keep doing it a bit longer, swaddle her with her arms and hands free.
If you're worried that your unswaddled baby will be cold, dress her in a blanket-type sleeper at bedtime. And keep in mind that your baby probably doesn't need to be dressed as warmly as you think. Cooler temperatures are actually more conducive to sleep, Owens says.
Overdressing your baby or keeping her room too warm can put her at an increased risk for SIDS. The temperature in your baby's room should feel comfortable to you; 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit is a good range.
