That is the question...
It has been a nightly battle figuring out if I should swaddle Crew or not.
Crew has always loved having his hands right up by his face...
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Even in the womb we never got a single picture or glimpse of his sweet little face because his hands were always in the way.
But shouldn't all newborns be swaddled at night?
Isn't it supposed to be the safest way for them to sleep?
Won't they startle themselves when they are sleeping and their hands move?
These have all been questions going through my head each and every night as I struggle to swaddle him or leave him un-swaddled...
With Charli, there was no question.
She loved being swaddled up tight at bedtime (but only bedtime). So I guess that is why it has been so confusing this go around. I just assumed Crew would be the exact same.
But I am learning that it might not be the case...
I am one for consistency and routine and feel that all babies and little ones should have a routine, especially at night. I think that is why Charli has always been the amazing sleeper she is.
So you could imagine the anxiety I have right about now...
I always swaddle him initially so he has a 'routine' of knowing he is going down for the night. He seems to sleep great initially until his congestion is too much, or he gets pissed off because he can't get his little arms out of his "straight jacket", or he can only get one arm out...
I don't know what to do with my hands...
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So alas, the battle begins...
Some nights I keep him swaddled (arms in) and he just doesn't sleep that great (and some nights he does), other nights I go ahead and swaddle him (arms out) and there is no difference in his sleep patterns (and sometimes there is), I have also un-swaddled him all together and some nights he sleeps great, while other nights not so much... Sigh...
Then again, he is still super congested, so maybe that's what it is?
I just haven't figured him out yet...
But I know I will soon!
So until then... The battle continues!
We totally swaddled Mia but she kept breaking out of it as well! When Mia was almost a week old, a lactation consultant came to my house to help me with nursing and she said she just read a new study saying to swaddle your babes, but keep one arm out of the swaddle. It made total sense when she explained that in the womb their hands were most likely close to their face, so why take that comfort away? We started swaddling and leaving one arm out (we alternated arms, ha ha) and it made a total difference! It worked so great for us! Might be worth a try?
ReplyDeleteNone of my boys liked being swaddled...and all slept on their bellies from a young age, even though it is technically a no-no, they all slept better that way and I can't blame them because it is how I sleep too! You'll figure out what is best for him (and this will be the first of SO many times where he choses not to do the same thing as Charli. I am still finding that out everyday when I have two to compare Wells to!)
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