Miracle Blanket / Swaddling Questions

[beansprout13]

We are trying to figure out the best way to swaddle DS2 (just born - now 5 days old). I am totally "swaddle challenged" so using the hospital blankets has not worked (DH can do it pretty well, but since I am the one swaddling at 3AM, I need a solution that will work for me!) DS2 definitely sleeps better when swaddled...

I have a couple of the SwaddleMe blankets, but DS2 is too small for them (he can bust out of those in about 2 seconds).

I was digging through my blanket supply from DS1 and found a Miracle Blanket (who knew!) that I never used for DS1 (must have been a gift.) Anyway, I was looking on line at how to use it and my question is about the arm flaps - do the babies actually like to have their arms pinned to their side?? Whenever DH swaddles DS2 with the hospital blankets, he has been putting his arms across his chest - not at the side. Has anyone noticed that their DC doesn't like the "arms at the side" part of this blanket?

Does anyone have any other suggestions for swaddling a 7lb (and very skinny) baby?

Thanks!!

[wendibird22]

We never used our miracle blanket with DD because she was born in the late summer and it seemed too hot for that much material. But, we did swaddle her with receiving blankets (and yes, I was swaddle challenged at first too). I have heard good things about the miracle blankets from friends, so yeah, I guess lots of babies do like having their arms pinned. I know when we swaddled DD with the blanket we put her arms to the sides. I also have friends whose babies hated having their arms swaddled and had to have them up by their face. So, do what works for you.

[nov04]

We swaddled dd1's arms to her chest but I think she would have liked what we ended up doing for dd2, her hands near her face (just like in their u/s)

[SnuggleBuggles]

We went through phases swaddling ds2 (never swaddled ds1). When he was really little we used the Swaddle Me but kept his arms pretty loose because he was a finger sucker. AS he got older we did the swaddle while his arms were flush against his sides. We took some breaks from swaddling in the first 2 months. Lots of trial and error!

Beth

[gatorsmom]

My Post Partum Doula who had a lot of experience with twins swore by the Miracle Blankets. She recommended them and the cradle swing on full tilt as a sure-fire way to get a little baby to sleep. She was excellent by the way. She used to say that unborn babies are used to not being able to move those last few weeks so having their arms pinned down doesn't bother them.

I guess you'll know if he likes it by whether or not he cries.

[american_mama]

Oh, do I have an opinion about this! DS is 7 weeks old and we are LOVING swaddling. The Miracle Blanket rocks. Arms by sides works for babies. No, it's not their natural position in the womb, but neither is flailing around with their arms startling them awake all the time. If you swaddle with their arms/hands up on their chest, they work themsleves free pretty easily, in my experience, and startle themselves awake. This usually happens to DS in 10 minutes or less witout a good swaddle. Interrupted sleep isn't good for babies, not too mention mom and dad. You need to put arms by their sides for them to stay in the swaddle, thus relax, thus stay asleep.

I have Miracle Blanket, which always works, and two very lightweight and wonderful feeling muslin swaddling blankets by Aden and Anais, see http://www.adenandanais.com/. Sometimes my swaddle is good with those, sometimes it's too loose. I tend to use them during the day during times when it's not so important that DS sleep. But at night, or if he hasn't napped well during the day, I use the Miracle blanket. He hasn't yet gotten out of it.

Swaddling is hard for many of us to accept since we are not surrounded by swaddled babies in our culture. We think babies feel confined by it and that's bad, but really confined is good for newborns.

I was convinced of that watching the video "Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Harvey Karp. I HIGHLY recommend the video: an easy 30-40 minutes long, very soothing, shows how effective swaddling is, shows how to do it, and very informative to me, a third time parent.

He says use the 5 s's. 1) Swaddle the baby with arms at sides 2) Shush the baby louder than it's crying to mimic the sounds baby heard in utero (or use white noise like a vaccuum, oven vent, white noise machine) 3) Side or stomach position: Carry baby on her side facing outwards laying on her stomach on your arm 4) Swing or jiggle the baby especially letting her head wobble gently (use swing on highest setting if using a swing) 5) Suck: let baby suck on breast or pacifier. If baby won't take a pacifier, don't jam it in. Instead, try tapping it gently almost out of her mouth so she thinks she's losing it, which usually makes a baby suck harder and start to take the pacifier.

To do the swaddle, he says use a big square blanket and fold one corner down. Lay baby with shoulders lined up at the fold. Put baby's left arm at side and wrap blanket tightly over arm and tuck under opposite side. Then go up from feet, lay baby's right arm against side, and tuck blanket under right shoulder. Then take right side of blanket and pull tightly to chest. Keep a finger on it, and then take all the extra blanket and wrap it over that spot your holding, around baby, around back and hopefully have enough to tuck a little corner in somewhere. He calls this DUDU: Down to side, then Up to shoulder, then Down to chest, then Up to other shoulder.

I swaddle DS multiple times a day. I am still not a great at the technique using my swaddling blankets, but it's no fail with the Miracle Blanket.

I am on a swaddling soapbox now! We thought our first child hated having her arms confined, but I think we just didn't give her a chance to adjust to it, nor did we know the other techniques that went with it. She was not a great sleeper and we were all somewhat misable because of it. Swaddling would have been a boon for her and us.

P.S. Miracle Blankets has great re-sale on ebay. They are like $33ish new and often sell for $25 or more used on ebay.

[nfowife]

Nothing compares to a MB!! They are the best for a tight swaddle!