Dr. Harvey Karp, the author of The Happiest Baby on the Block, says that parents should imitate the womb for a baby's first three months of life. One of the five ways of doing that, he suggests, is to swaddle your baby. We did that, it worked for a while but now things have changed.
Alex is trying to use her arms and legs a lot more now, she can almost hold her binky in her mouth. To swaddle a baby you must wrap them very tightly in a blanket, arms and legs included. The main reason behind this is so that they don't wake themselves with their flailing arms. Well now that Alex is getting used to life outside the womb and making better use of her arms and legs she absolutely rejects being swaddled. The problem is that she still startles herself awake!
I try not to swaddle her too much because I know she doesn't care for it and her arms and legs need the exercise. But sometimes I have to and she protests like it's the end of the world. She's smart, now she quickly gets her one arm free before I fold over the last corner of the blanket. It's quite a struggle and I often feel bad...but it works.
To swaddle or not to swaddle.
6 comments:
Swaddle- I swaddled Syd with a double swaddle so she couldn't get out, she would wake herself too, she loved it and knew tht swaddling inherently ment sleeping time!
I've threatened to double swaddle. This confirms it. I'm doing it. Thanks Mel.
mean :(
its not mean:) better sleep means a happier baby, which equals a happy mommy and will equal a happy hubby, and ends with a happy family!
I know, it really does help her sleep better. But she flips out and sometimes even wakes up b/c her arms are restricted...we'll keep at it though :)
hmmmmmm, auntie could use a little pratice with the tight swaddle. somehow i most often let her escape. . .
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