5 month old swaddle: 5 MONTH OLD STILL NEEDS TO BE SWADDLED TO SLEEP.. IS THIS A PROBLEM??

When and How to Stop Swaddling

 Swaddling can be a great way to help younger babies settle easily and sleep for longer stretches at naps and overnight. The swaddle suppresses their startle (moro) reflex and recreates the cozy feeling of being in the womb. Sadly though, there will come a day when you need to say goodbye to the swaddle and this can cause some disruption to your little one’s settling and sleep.

In this article:

• When to stop swaddling
• How to stop swaddling: Gradual Method and Quick Method

Yes, I want more sleep!

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When to stop swaddling

Most babies don’t lose their moro reflex until closer to 5 months so we generally recommend keeping your baby swaddled until then (if you are able to), so that they won’t startle themselves awake once the swaddle is removed.  

Once your baby starts to roll though, it is no longer safe to keep them swaddled, as they will need their arms free to be able to lift and manouever their head and shoulders. If your baby is still quite young when they start rolling, you might want to consider a transitional swaddle that is safe for rolling such as the Sleepy Hugs or Zipadee-Zip. 

If your baby is still swaddled and starts to show signs of rolling, such as rolling up onto their side or rolling from belly to back – don’t panic! You don’t have to rush the swaddle away immediately as it may be some time yet before they actually succeed in rolling over onto their belly, especially while they are in bed. Instead, continue to monitor them closely and if you feel they are ready, start gradually removing the swaddle.

If your baby gets to 6 months and is still not showing any signs of rolling, it’s worth discussing with your doctor, but since their startle reflex should have disappeared by now, we would recommend going ahead and removing the swaddle.  

How to stop swaddling

Removing the swaddle can be a tricky period for your little one, as they will have come to associate the swaddle with sleep and sleeping with their hands free will feel very new for them. 

Having your baby in a predictable nap pattern for their day will make this transition a lot easier, as you can guarantee they’ll be perfectly ready for their naps, which will mean a lot less overtired or undertired fussing once the swaddle is gone.

Firstly, we would recommend setting up some positive sleep associations and ensuring their sleep environment is spot-on before attempting to ditch the swaddle. Our recommendations are:

1. 1. Introduce white noise and play it as loud as a shower for all naps and overnight. You can find our white noise album here.
2. 2. Make the room nice and dark with no stimulating toys or nightlights. This promotes the release of the sleep hormone, melatonin, which helps our little ones to fall asleep and stay asleep.
3. 3. Give your baby an age-appropriate lovey or comforter they can hold once free of the swaddle.
4. 4. Replace the swaddle with a baby sleeping bag (if you don’t already have a swaddle that transitions to arms-out)
5. 5. Encourage your baby to fall asleep independently, or self-settle, without active settling from you – this is often much easier to achieve while they’re still swaddled!

From there, we have two methods to transition out of the swaddle…

Gradual Method

During this transition, keep everything else the same in your baby’s sleep environment: dark room, white noise etc. If you feel it is appropriate, you can add a cuddly for them to hold to help control their newfound freedom with their arms.

This method works by doing the unswaddling bit by bit, nap by nap.

Day 1

Remove one arm out of the swaddle at the morning nap first, as this is the easiest for your baby to go to sleep. Give them the chance to settle themselves to sleep, but if they are struggling, it’s okay to actively settling them all the way to sleep while they get used to not having the swaddle (this might mean patting or side settling to sleep). For the rest of their naps and overnight, keep both arms in the swaddle for now.

Day 2-3

Overnight – once your baby is used to having their arm out for the morning nap, take one arm out of the swaddle for their overnight sleep. Keep both arms in for their other daytime naps for now.

Day 4-5

Lunchtime nap – once your baby is used to having their arm out for the morning nap and overnight, take one arm out of the swaddle for their lunchtime nap. They may wake after one sleep cycle, in which case you can go and resettle them back to sleep. Keep both arms in for their late afternoon nap for now; as this is often the hardest nap to achieve. If your baby is resisting the afternoon nap, you can try doing this nap in the car, stroller or front pack during this transition.

Day 6-7 & Beyond

Once your baby is doing all naps (except the late afternoon nap) with one arm out, take the other arm out, starting with the morning nap, in the same way you did the first arm. Begin with 2 arms out for the morning nap only, then overnight, then lastly the lunchtime nap. They may wake after one sleep cycle for their naps in which case you can go and resettle them back to sleep. Once both arms are out, you can also implement this for the late afternoon nap, or continue to do the afternoon nap in the car, stroller or front pack if you prefer.

It is very normal for your baby to be a bit unsettled during this transition – they just have a new “normal” to adapt to that is very different from what they’ve known. It will get better!

Quick Method

With this method, you go cold turkey on the swaddle for all naps from day 1. You can actively settle your baby to sleep if they’re not settling well, being mindful to reduce the settling after a couple of days so as not to create a new sleep association.

Day 1 might be a bit tricky, but day 2 and 3 will be much easier! Since the late afternoon nap is usually a hard nap to get your baby to sleep, we recommend doing this nap in the car or a stroller or front pack during the removal of the swaddle.

Once unswaddled, your baby may wake after one sleep cycle at the lunch nap and/or after bedtime. You can just resettle them back to sleep if that happens. Do the same with any overnight wakes (allowing for feeds if your baby normally has them). Try not to panic! These wakes are usually only temporary while your baby is adjusting to having their arms out.

By day 3 your baby should be getting used to having no swaddle, so start to give them the chance to settle themselves to sleep if they were previously self-settling.

Any change for your baby is going to be hard and it will take some time for them to adjust, un-swaddling is no exception. What will make this transition much easier is having your baby in a good nap routine so they already have clear sleep associations and expectations.

If you need a hand getting better naps happening with your little one, or troubleshooting tricky patches like losing the swaddle, our Little Ones App has all the answers! When you subscribe, you’ll also get instant access to our Little Ones Village, where our certified sleep consultants are available, day and night, to provide more personalised guidance and support.

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Bibliography 

Nelson, A. M. (2017). Risks and Benefits of Swaddling Healthy Infants. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 42(4), 216–225. https://doi.org/10.1097/nmc.0000000000000344

Transitioning Out of the Swaddle

If you’ve taken Will I Ever Sleep Again? you know that newborns long for the womb those first few months after birth. They love the security of feeling snug while sleeping, and this is exactly what swaddling offers.* However, as the saying goes “all good things must come to an end,” and this is the case with swaddling. Let’s talk about transitioning out of the swaddle.

*If your little one hates to be swaddled, this class addresses that too. You can learn more about why I recommend swaddling, even for swaddle haters.

When do I stop swaddling?#

There isn’t a universal baby age for coming out of the swaddle; instead, you’ll want to stop swaddling when it’s developmentally appropriate for your baby. We stop swaddling when your little one rolls from back to tummy, or you suspect he is about to start rolling from back to tummy.***

For most babies, this happens between 3-5 months of age (However, every baby is different; there is no reason to worry if your baby is a little ahead or behind this range.). The reason to stop swaddling at this point is safety. Once a baby can flip onto his tummy, he needs his hands free to push up from the mattress.

Again remember, every baby is different. This transition really does require patience, and then for some babies, this transition is quite easy. With that in mind, don’t rush out of the swaddle; if your baby is not showing signs of rolling over, there is no reason to stop swaddling yet.***

I recommend transitioning out of the swaddle into a sleep sack.

Four options to conquer this transition:#

1) Cold turkey#

Just move her into a sleep sack with arms free. For some, this truly is the most effective option.

2) Swaddle with one arm out#

This works great with a swaddle like The Ollie Swaddle (Use code takingcarababies for 10% off.). Swaddle snuggly like you have been doing but leave one arm out. This gives your baby a chance to adjust slowly, but she will still be safe if she rolls onto her tummy. Do this for 1-4 weeks; then, when your baby is adjusting well with one arm unrestrained, allow both arms free and transition to a sleep sack. Follow your baby’s lead on the exact timing.

3) Partial night#

If your baby hasn’t yet rolled, the “partial night” option may be best. With this technique, you may implement one of the above suggestions. When he awakens, swaddle him back up with arms inside the swaddle. Each night try to go a bit longer with arms free. Babies coming out of the swaddle too early can cause major sleep disruptions. When your baby is able to sleep through the night with both arms out, transition to a sleep sack.

4) Implement a transitional item to help with this transition#

One fabulous transitional item is Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit. This 3-layered suit provides babies with the comfort they need by helping to muffle their twitches and startle movements that can wake them prematurely. Code: CARA15 can save you 15%.

When your baby is ready, you can transition into a traditional sleep sack.

Want to see this in action? #

Have a baby older than 5 months and still struggling?#

For babies who are over 5 months and struggling with sleep, The 5–24 Month Collection will give you a holistic, fully customizable, step-by-step plan to follow that will help you establish consolidated sleep. It will cover bedtime, night wakings, night weaning, early morning wakings, and naps too. Sometimes, just having it all laid out for you by an expert you can trust is exactly what you need.

*** If you’re unsure about swaddling in the first place, check out my blog all about swaddling and swaddle safety. I’ll walk you through all of the research. Of course, you and your doctor should make the best decision for YOUR baby about when swaddling should be discontinued.

If everything is correct, the baby sleeps well: how to swaddle a baby

Types of swaddling

There are several types of swaddling: tight, loose and wide. In all cases, diapers should be chosen from natural fabrics.

Anna Alekseevna Pchelintseva, a pediatrician at the K+31 West clinic, told Gazeta.Ru about the pros and cons of different methods of swaddling.

• Firm . This is a traditional type of swaddling, which was used by our great-grandmothers.

The specialist speaks of this method as follows: “In this case, the diaper fits very tightly to the baby’s body, fixes the arms and legs in a stationary state, the baby is deprived of any movement. But this method is not physiological, it can interfere with the normal physical development of the newborn, and also increases the risk of respiratory and circulatory disorders.”

• Free . This method has two options: loose swaddling with arms and legs and free swaddling without hands.

Dr. Pchelintseva explains how loose swaddling differs from tight swaddling: “The baby still has the ability to move. Taking into account the fact that physiological hypertonicity is observed in children during the first months of life, it is recommended not to stretch the arms along the body, but to cross them on the chest. In the second option (without arms), only the legs are swaddled, the fixation is loose.

• Wide . This method is used in the pathology of the hip joint.

The pediatrician clarifies that with such swaddling, the baby’s legs are fixed in the “frog” position. To do this, it is necessary to put a small pillow or a roll of diapers between the legs, hands can not be fixed.

Swaddling a baby is not too difficult. A pediatrician at the K + 31 West clinic shared with young parents a brief instruction on the free type of swaddling.

Free swaddling technique with arms and legs . Lay the diaper on a flat, firm surface, tucking the top of the diaper slightly inwards. Place the baby on the diaper so that its upper edge is at the level of the lower part of the back of the head. We cross the arms on the chest. We take the left corner of the diaper and put it under the back of the baby. We fix it loosely so that the child has the opportunity to move. We do the same with the right corner of the diaper. We take the lower free corners of the diaper and put it on the baby’s legs. We take the right edge of the diaper and wind it back, then the left one and bend the corner – we fix the diaper. There must be enough space for the child to straighten his legs .

It is important to remember that under no circumstances should a child be left unattended on the changing table!

What are the advantages of swaddling

Supporters of swaddling point out several advantages of using diapers and undershirts made of natural fabrics.

Among them is the ability to maintain the optimal temperature for the child’s body, as the natural fabric cover creates a warm and cozy cocoon. In favor of swaddling, it is worth noting that it helps the newborn sleep better. The fact is that in the first months of life, babies are not able to control their movements, so they can move their arms and legs, which is why they wake up. Swaddling a baby does not allow him to make unnecessary movements.

In addition, for many parents, diapers and undershirts are also economical children’s clothing.

Swaddle a newborn baby or not? As Dr. Pchelintseva notes, this is the choice of parents. But sometimes there is a need for wide swaddling: it contributes to the normal formation of the hip joint.

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Is it true that swaddling helps with hip dysplasia

In favor of swaddling, many parents recall its ability to have a beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system. Is wide swaddling really used for hip dysplasia?

Nikolai Petrovich Batsalenko, pediatric traumatologist-orthopedist, candidate of medical sciences, specialist of JSC “Medicine” (Academician Roitberg’s clinic) told Gazeta. Ru about this:

depression, thus stimulating the formation of ossification nuclei. This applies to the immaturity of the hip joint, which lies under the brand name of dysplasia. But dysplasia is still a separate diagnosis. Now various types of diapers are successfully replacing wide swaddling, because the baby’s legs are bred. Swaddling can be used as an additional measure, but this is quite an outdated method, few people use it.

Dr. Batsalenko emphasized that exactly the same effect can be obtained when using slings: “A woman wraps herself in a sling (a strip of fabric with which the baby is attached to the mother’s body) and threads the free end of the fabric through the rings. The child is placed in a fabric pocket formed on the mother’s chest. Such a model provides reliable fixation of the baby in a physiological position: horizontal or vertical. The effect of slings is almost the same: the head of the femur presses on the acetabulum, stimulating the formation of ossification nuclei. ”

Why swaddle a baby at night?

As mentioned above, involuntary movements of the baby’s arms and legs can wake him up during sleep.

Anna Alekseevna Pchelintseva, pediatrician at the K + 31 Zapad clinic, explains this feature from a scientific point of view: “The Moro reflex is a physiological reflex when, in response to irritation, the arms are abducted to the sides and the hands are unclenched, after which the hands return to their original position . The reflex can occur during the falling asleep phase and will easily wake the child up.

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Therefore, the baby’s tendency to move its arms and legs should not scare you – it’s natural. The way out is to swaddle a newborn baby at night.

Until what age should a baby be swaddled? The pediatrician replies that this reflex fades by 3-4 months , therefore, in the first months of life, it is preferable to use swaddling with arms and legs. But during wakefulness, the child should not be in a diaper or a vest with closed handles, otherwise he will not be able to explore the world with the help of touch.

How to swaddle a baby tightly?

As Anna Pchelintseva explains, too tight swaddling of a baby can lead to problems with children’s health: “Circulation and breathing may worsen, movement in the hip joint is limited, which can play a role in the development of dysplasia.”

How do you know if your baby is swaddled correctly?

• If the swaddle is too tight, the baby’s skin color may change and cause anxiety.

• If everything is correct, the child sleeps peacefully.

• If swaddling is too loose, the baby may become unswaddled.

At what age can you stop swaddling your baby?

Many parents are interested in: until what age should a child be swaddled?

The pediatrician at the K+31 West clinic answers that the duration of swaddling is individual. But in general up to 3 months it is preferable to use swaddling with arms and legs, and then, if necessary (if the child is woken up by the movements of the arms and legs at night), switch to a free type of swaddling without hands. At the same time, the doctor emphasizes that today there are devices for children that can serve as an alternative to swaddling, for example, cocoon diapers.

At the age of 3 to 5 months, babies make their first attempts to crawl . During this period, comfortable clothing made from natural fabrics will be the best option for a child. Swaddling a baby while awake is highly undesirable.

Swaddling: This is how you keep your baby asleep | kidsroom.de

A child wrapped up and sleeping quietly. Only one head peeks out. As if the stork had just brought it. When visiting new parents, one can often see such a scene. When interviewing young parents, we learn that small children are swaddled. The tight wrap is designed to help babies during the first few weeks while sleeping, it has a soothing effect. Swaddling has become a real trend. But still, how does it work and where does this trend come from, and what exactly does “swaddling” mean?

What is swaddling?

Swaddling is a technique in which your baby is wrapped in a swaddle and has a calming effect on him. The main objective of the technique is to create a narrow and comforting space that is familiar to the child from the womb. In addition, swaddling should have a positive effect on reducing the Moro reflex. This reflex is innate in every child and manifests itself in children from a sudden noise or vibration, the baby jerks his arms and legs and spreads his fingers. From a sudden noise or vibration, the baby jerks and stretches his arms and legs and spreads his fingers. This process occurs during the falling asleep phase, and thus wakes up the child.

Modern swaddling is not a new invention at all, it is a modification of various and sometimes very old methods of swaddling. In Germany, these methods were widely used until the 19th century.

Modern swaddling is not a new invention at all, it is a modification of various and sometimes very old methods of swaddling.

One of the main differences from traditional methods is that swaddling is now mainly used to calm the baby and provide him with a more pleasant sleep.
Previously, it was believed that the soft body of the child should be supported and given shape, in connection with this there was a tight “lacing”. As criticism of tight swaddling grew louder, it began to disappear from Western culture from the 18th century.

The basic idea of ​​the old method of swaddling, which is widely used today among many primitive peoples, has been revived. A 2011 scientific study by L. E. Meyer and T. Erler (“Swaddling: a traditional care method rediscovered”) claims that swaddled children have longer and more restful sleep. In addition, with the help of swaddling, the likelihood of spontaneous awakening is reduced.

Benefits

• More restful and longer sleep
• Many babies calm down faster in a diaper
• The risk of SIDS is reduced because the child cannot turn on his stomach

Risks

• Doctors warn of swaddling babies too tight as nerves can be pinched
• Risk of hip dysplasia (deformity of the hip joint) is increased
• Too tight swaddling increases the risk of overheating

How to swaddle your baby correctly

Swaddling promotes restful sleep and helps your baby calm down. Swaddling for too long poses risks for poor posture and can lead to overheating, one of the main causes of sudden infant death syndrome. Use swaddling only for falling asleep. You can choose a special changing bag or a thin blanket or diaper. Whichever option you choose, technique matters! Your obstetrician will help you with questions.

Swaddling made easy

Step 1: Place the blanket in a diamond shape in front of you. Place the top corner over the bottom corner to form a triangle. Put the baby in the middle. The head should protrude above the blanket, and the shoulders should be below the fold of the matter.

Step 2: Place your baby’s right hand flat against your body. Now lift the right side of the blanket and put it on the baby. Make sure your hand is properly positioned under the cloth. Tuck the edge of the blanket under the body.

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Step 3: Fold the bottom of the blanket up over your baby’s legs.

Step 4: In the final step, hold the child’s left arm against the body and wrap the child. The remaining material is then pushed under your treasure. Ready!

Important

Make sure you don’t wrap the blanket too tightly around your body at all stages.

When to stop swaddling

However, there are situations when you need to stop swaddling. At elevated body temperature of the child, in no case should you swaddle, this threatens to overheat due to the fact that the heat cannot escape. Swaddling with congenital hip dysplasia should also be avoided so as not to aggravate the situation.

Pay attention to your baby’s reactions. As is often the case, even this method is not recommended for all children equally. Whether your child is already having a restful sleep, there is no need to swaddle. For some babies, swaddling has the opposite effect. They don’t like to be wrapped, it only annoys them. If you notice that swaddling does not bring comfort to your child, then you should not insist.

When to stop swaddling

Swaddling is used mainly for calming and counteracting the “Moro reflex”. It is recommended to swaddle a baby only in the first few weeks of life, as the Moro reflex decreases after the second or third month of life. The desire of the child to move increases with age. Your baby wants freedom of movement to develop motor skills. Swaddling in this case will restrict freedom and thus affect the development of motor skills. The increased joy of movement creates additional risk during swaddling. Your child may roll over on their stomach and will no longer be able to return to the supine position on their own. The prone position increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Especially if the child is not observed for a long time during sleep, swaddling should be abandoned.

A good alternative to swaddling, recommended for babies after the third month, are baby sleeping bags.