Do babies have to be swaddled?

My baby is 2 months and she is not a fan of being swaddle. When shes sleeping her hands/arms go up in the air (the startle reflux) occur, which makes me concern for her. Any tips or advice on what to do?

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Get the DVD The Happiest Baby on the block or view it on YouTube (I believe it is in three sessions.)

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When our daughter was born she didn’t like to be swaddled either. So we did not swaddle her, we just put her in regular little fleece footie PJs and eventually the startling reflex went away. I’m not exactly sure what you’re concerned about? She’ll be fine it’s normal and goes away. I also co-slept with my daughter because she was breastfeeding. Is she waking herself up when the startling reflex occurs? If your daughter’s not waking herself up like I said it’ll go away she’s just getting used to all the room outside the womb.

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I never swaddled mine. She hated it. So we let her be. She will be fine

My son is 9 months old now and he never liked swaddles so we stopped trying. When I went to to my wic appointment at maybe 4 months they told us that it is no longer recommend.

My little boy ( now 4yrs old ) sleeps with his arms stretched above his head and has done since he was born. I used to put him in a warm onesie over night. Then once he was old enough I started using grow bags.

It’s normal and means she’s healthy

None of my babies ever liked to be swaddled. My daughter hated it from day one and would actually wriggle out of even the tightest swaddles. My twins tolerated swaddling for maybe 3 weeks or so before they did the same. They just liked sleeping with their hands up by their heads so sleep sacks became our friends. As long as they’re safe and comfy I’ve never seen a problem. :slight_smile:

My son hated being swaddled after like 6 weeks. I would leave his arms out of halo swaddle blankets or just made sure he was nice & warm in his pjs & he would sleep like that. Hes now 16 months & HATES anything touching him when he sleeping…

I have 2 kids (working on growing the 3rd now) my 1st HATED swaddles. He hated anything that confined his arms or legs. He was a stubborn little fella from the moment he came out. He started rolling to his belly really early and would freak me out. My 2nd loved his swaddles and didnt start rolling to sleep on his stomach till 6ish months. Every baby is diffrent and as long as you are practicing safe sleep with them they should be fine

My LG hated swaddling and slept with her arms up and still does now at almost 1 :joy: I just bought her a baby sleeping bag x

My youngest hated being swaddled and my oldest couldn’t sleep on his back. Listen to the signals your baby gives you. They are not one size fits all

Just don’t swaddle her if she doesn’t like it. Try a sleep sack that let’s her arms be free

Sleepsacks worked wonders for my 2. Both mine still sleep with arms in the air, we call it the “touchdown”

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Do you like to be held tightly unable to move?maybe your child doesnt either

She’s 8 weeks? It’s not recommended to swaddle passed the 8 week mark due to the higher risk of SIDS.

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My littlest did the same. I just stopped swaddling her n put her on her stomach cuz shed scare herself awake everytime

My eight month old hated swaddled… She loves sleeping on her side

Swaddle her with her arms out

My baby hated to be swaddled. Let the Baby sleep. He will be fine. That startle sleeping arm motion is normal.

My first hated to be swaddled from day one and is my best sleeper. My second loved being swaddled and it was rough getting her to sleep without the swaddle when it was no longer safe. In my opinion, it’s a good thing.

My daughter hated being swaddled. We did end up getting the sack that you zip up though, and she didn’t mind that, and her hands could move freely.

My daughter hated swaddling cuz she liked her arms free. I just put her in warm jammies n would check her temp at night.

my daughter is almost 11 month and still has her startle reflux i just didn’t swaddle her and she was a preme. but she won’t even sleep in the footie pjs she has to have a 2 piece and the doctor said she would grow out of it it just takes time. I thought she was having little seizures at first her brother who’s 2 does and they look a lot a like but I wouldn’t worry so babies just don’t like being swaddled just like some don’t like passies its nothing to worry about and it 'll make it easier in the long run

After 8 weeks you can swaddle just the arms need to be out. You could try a sleep sack. That will keep her warm and safe!

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My son was pretty strong and I would lay him on his tummy and he was always close for me to monitor

My son would could not stand being swaddled from the moment I brought him home, and he has slept on his tummy since he was a couple weeks old,now 8 months old, and if I ever put him down on his back he wakes up🤷 let her be comfortable just keep a close eye :grin:

Mine also never liked it. Oh well

Then don’t swaddle her. :woman_shrugging:
Babies don’t HAVE to be swaddled.

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Not only did my son hate being swaddled he had a terrible startle reflex and the only thing that got him better with his startle reflex was letting him learn how to control it I had to stop swaddling him and let him learn how to control his arms it’s they just have to learn

We used the Love to Dream swaddle. And I had full nights sleep by 6 weeks. It keeps their hands covered and up and movable but helps with startle reflex. It was AMAZING!!

My son hated being swaddled so i just didnt swaddle him

Both mine didn’t get swaddled. They were and still are perfectly fine without me doing it. I couldn’t get the hang of it either and since they were more content not having it done, they just slept without it. And better too.

I couldn’t swaddle my son due to a medical condition, we made sure he was dressed warmly& we gave him a tiny blanket (was a little smaller than him) to go to sleep with& took it away when he fell asleep

Zipadee Zip transitional sleep sack.

We did this thing that I called a “Straight-swaddle” Which was a normal swaddle that left the legs out. So just put the bottom part between baby’s legs instead of under baby’s feet. My kids all liked it for the same reasons. The startled during their sleep, but HATED their legs to be trapped.

My kids hated it from the day they were born they would never settle being swaddled so never did it

My little girl only likes to be swaddled from the armpits down. She HATES when her arms are constricted. She waves them in the air when she’s sleeping too but it doesn’t seem to bother her. :woman_shrugging:t3:

My son never liked being swaddled either and would always get his hands out. You could try swaddling her but not her arms. What worked for me was putting my son down in a rock n play or dockatot because he still felt secure.

2 month , no there will be many change over the next 3 yrs.
But …
Keep the atmoshere quiet and serene.
Warm and comfortable for her.

Use a love to dream swaddle so that her arms are up in the air, will stop her startle reflexes and keep her cosy

If she doesn’t like it don’t do it.