Swaddling question

[neeter]

Hi all - I'm a new mom of a one-week old! We've been swaddling the baby, and he seems very calm and content. The best kind of swaddle, it seems, is when the baby's legs are all scrunched up into a fetal-like position. If we let his legs stretch out, he can easily kick himself out of the swaddle. Is it okay to keep his legs bunched up like that for long periods?

For the past 2 days we've put him in a halo sleep sack for during the day, and the tight swaddle at night just to give his little legs some room, but wanted to see if there were any recommendations on this.

Thanks!!
Anita

[Momof3Labs]

I'm sure that he loves having his legs scrunched up - that's how he spent his last 9 months! He'll let you know when he is outgrowing that, but for now, if he's content and comfortable, go with it!

[Karenn]

Anita,
I did the same thing that you did when DS was newborn. Swaddled at night, unswaddled during the day. (He loved to have his knees bunched up too!) I worried that if I had him swaddled all the time, his legs might not get to move around as much as they should.

I think though, that if I were to do it over again, I probably wouldn't worry so much about making sure his legs had "free time" and would have swaddled him whenever he was sleeping, day or night. Colin slept better (and often longer!) swaddled but I was so worried about restricting his legs that I didn't swaddle him during the day. Over time, good sleep became much more important to me and I regretted the fact that I hadn't done whatever it took to get him better quality sleep early on.

Your DS may not need the daytime swaddling, but if it does seem to help him, I really wouldn't worry too much about the bunched up legs.

[lynettefrancois]

We've got a 2month old that has always fought to keep her legs free and often straight (no wonder my ribs hurt SO badly the last trimester)! Do whatever YOUR baby sleeps best with! Most like to be scrunched up. We tried to swaddle her legs too at first, but she'd wake up trying to get those legs free. Now I just swaddle her without trying to get her legs. She sleeps MUCH better swaddled. I put her arms straight down at her sides, since she bops herself with her hands otherwise and wakes up. I found that she can get out easily and accidently wakes herself up if I try to swaddle her with her arms in front of her. Also make sure the blanket doesn't touch her face or they wake up from the rooting reflex. HTH! Lynette :)

[neeter]

Thank you! :) :)

[Ann972]

I'm still swaddling my 2 1/2 month old. We use the Amazing Miracle Blanket with a blanket sleeper at night now. But when she was smaller we used receiving blankets to swaddle and the best position was when her legs were bunched up nice and tight. Lately, I've been trying to keep her legs unswaddled during the day but her arms still fly everywhere if they come out. She's going to daycare when I go back to work in March so I hope I can get her used to not being swaddled soon. I used to worry about bunched up legs too until I read Happiest Baby on the Block. They have babies swaddled for 3 months - the missing "fourth trimester."