Nov 3, 2009

Potential Stupid Question

This may be a stupid question but I don't know the answer so I'm asking it anyways...

Y'all know that I swaddle Jane at bedtime. I've tried a few times to let one arm out or both arms out and she ends up hitting herself in the face all night, thus, waking up a bazillion times.


My question is: When she's ready to be out of the swaddle, how to I use blankets to keep her warm? "They" say you're not supposed to use loose blankets, so how do you Moms out there who aren't swaddling keep your babes warm and cozy at night? What types of blankets are you using?


I'm pretty sure at this point if Jane did pull a blankie over her head she's easily able to move it away... but I'd still worry. >

I figure it's best to find some answers to this question now so I'm not freaking out about it when she's ready to be footloose and fancy free (remember that
first night in the crib?!?!). :p

Please share your suggestions and advice - the more the better!


Jen :)


PS - Here's a few pictures from Halloween... Jane's costume lasted about an hour before she peed on it (which, of course, never happens) and then she fell asleep!

17 comments:

Ange said...

I actually just stopped swaddling Chloe a few weeks ago & she's been fine! Some nights I still swaddle her legs though if she's being particularly hyper!

Another tip with blankets is to tuck one end of the blanket under the matress (the end closest to her legs). That way she can't pull it up over her head.

Already Happy said...

Gemma is only 9 weeks still, but she hasn't liked the swaddle since about 3 weeks! Usually what I do is just make sure she is in a cozy long sleeved sleeper and I wrap her from the chest down. Basically, exactly like a regular swaddle but her arms are out.

Just Jennifer said...

When my son was little, I didn't do much swaddling. But when he was "out of swaddling" I just put him in his thinger to keep him from turning over with one of those bag nightys. You know the ones that look like a clothespin bag with arms and a zipper? xD He was fine like that.

Nikki said...

I use the wearable blanket too, the one that zips up and its great, I got mine a sears, they are resonably priced there

Mama Kayla said...

I stopped swaddling Story when she was only 2 months old! Seriously! She hated swaddling. She would kick off her blankets just as hard as she could until she was exposed.

I know you aren't "supposed" to put loose blankets in the baby's crib... but I do. :-/

Meredith said...

Thanks for asking this...it was one of those things I've always wondered about too!

Lindsay said...

We'll use fleece sleepers and a sleep sac ... if we ever get to that point - I can see my son needing to be swaddled until he's 1!

Mike and Kate said...

Annika never really liked to be swaddled, so we gave it up after a few weeks. We also put her in warm sleepers and use sleep sacs. They're great!

Unknown said...

Hey! I do the tuck under the mattress trick as well....Parker can't pull it over his head...and trust me he tries :)

mommacain said...

I guess I have the odd children who loved to be swaddled until they where almost a year old, lol. Both where able to easily remove anything from their face by the time they decided they didn't want to be swaddled for bedtime anymore. I suspect Quincy will be the same way, he gets crazy arms when they're allowed to be free hehe

shu said...

I still swaddle Claire, but I have a sleep sac to try once she's ready for it. I've heard from a few people that they are awesome. Incase you don't have one, and want to try, I saw a fleece one 'marked down' at walmart for under $15....

Unknown said...

Our son loved to be swaddled but started breaking out of it around six months. After that we would put him in his jammies and a fleece sleep sack. He used those until he was almost two. I also was paranoid about blankets in the crib. He loved his "sleepy sack".

Jen said...

You guys are AWESOME!!! I do have a sleepsac and have used it before for naps but totally forgot about it for nighttime!

Jane is like Morgan's Quincy right now - helicoptering arms if I don't swaddle her - but I am so relieved that I have a few options now if in the middle of the night she decides she hate swaddling all of a sudden!

It could happen - it's like every 2 months, I'm given a new child!

Jen :) xo

Anonymous said...

we used a miracle blanke twhich our LO slept so well in, but started escaping about 5months and waking lots. we had lots of issues weaning from teh swaddle.. it didn't happen easily, we ended up using a sleepsack which is specifically for this purpose and our LO loved it! that might be an idae? called the Pekemoe and is from NZ. http://www.pekemoe.co.nz

Jen said...

That Pekemoe thing is AWESOME - that might just be my life saver. Jane doesn't need the swaddle for comfort, she needs it cause her arms swing, and she takes her nummy out to play with it and then gets pissed.... this would solve all those problems!

Definitely looking into this thing...

Thanks!

Angelene said...

I've also been wondering about this and "when" to stop swaddling. How old is too old for the swaddle? Abby loves it and is sleeping through the night now, so I am fearful to make any bedtime changes. I've got a few sleep sacs, but I worry her arms and hands will get cold - our old house gets pretty cool at night.

Jen said...

I don't think there is a "too old" to swaddle... like Morgan said above, all her babes were swaddled until 1ish. I think for most Moms (this is a guess) that eventually the babes don't like it anymore. Jane still loves it and needs it, so I'll do it until she hates it! Why mess with a good thing?!?! :p