To Swaddle or not to swaddle

Which works best?

When I registered for our panda cub I of course, like most mothers did my research.  I read the reviews and had friends recommend different products.  Like any new mother, I of course wanted what was best for my little cub and I still do.  I wanted to have what was recommended, "what worked." Of course we learn that what works for some may not work for others. Some babies love to be swaddled, others do not.

Why Swaddle?

Swaddling can help to comfort agitated infants, or those that cry excessively.  Some feel that it provides a "womb-like" environment.

Arms are free mom and I'm wide awake!

We learned at the hospital how to swaddle with her blanket. We pretty much just used her Aden and Anais blankets to swaddle and also the stretchy pink and white stripped blanket from Carters. We liked the stretchy fabric because she could kick and move without coming out. Eventually panda cub got stronger, as babies should, and started to break free, kicking or trying to get her hands to her mouth. At this point I turned to our swaddle blankets.  Because, as any parent knows, sleep is important to both mother and child. So I was desperate to find a solution to her waking multiple times during the night.

 The miracle swaddle blanket: 

I actually used this one the least.  It has plenty of flaps to wrap the arms to prevent them from moving. It's true, it is almost impossible for a little one to pull his/her arms out, although I'm sure it isn't impossible. Several mothers that I hung out with though swore by this one and would wrap their babies in this at all times. They felt that it truly quieted their little one down.  Maybe if I had started with this one from the beginning I would have felt the same way, but I just felt there was too much wrapping and folding. 

The Summer Infant Swaddleme:

I received this in the cheetah print with pink border.  I also received the sage microfleece one for colder months.

Bother are nice. The cheetah one is more practical during warmer months since it is made with lighter cotton material. This was has velcro fastenings.  The swaddleme has the typical pocket for the legs/feet with velcro at the top. What is nice about the swaddleme is that it allows the parent to partially unswaddle to change the diaper without removing the arms. This is a great feature, but with anything that has velcro, it is loud when undoing it. We started using this when she was about 3 months old. What happened with our little one is that she would wiggle her arms out and then her arms would wake her up. She'd start sucking on them or they would hit her. If we swaddled tighter it would prevent this from happening, but she would cry out of discomfort. 

I think that if was had started earlier with this one it would have worked out better for her.  I like the option that you can purchase for different seasons.  Very practical.

HALO Sleepsack Swaddle:

We also had this swaddle. What I liked about this swaddle is that it was wider at the base which allowed for more leg movement. You also have the option to have your child's arms wrapped in, or they are able to be wrapped out.  The HALO sleepsack is available from newborn sizes all the way up to children who weight 36 lbs.  As the children get older the arm swaddle option disappears.  I like that this swaddle zippered from the top down so that the zipper part was away from the child's face.  This also allows for a parent to change their child without fully pulling them out of their cozy environment. 

The latest swaddle that we invested in was the Zipadeezip Slumber Sack:

Our PC has been sleeping in that since Dec 23rd.  She's now 4 months old and this has been working great.  We call her our little flying squirrel when she's in it, or our little penguin.  You can see from the picture why we do. You can also buy this in different sizes, prints and fabric(cotton/fleece).  They are more expensive than the other swaddle options.  With this "swaddle" your child is able to move their legs around, as well as their arms. Now however my baby's arms don't wake her up and she isn't struggling against her swaddle to free her arms.  This is more of a transition from being truly swaddled. We occasionally put her in it to nap as well.  What's nice is that your child can still hold things and even be buckled into their car seats, or other baby items that require a belt.  Your child can also be put to sleep on their stomach because they do have the use of their arms, whereas, normal swaddling does not allow for this.

I'm ready to fly!

I also like the story behind the zipadeezip.  Many of us don't have the ability to stay home, though we wish we could.  This sleep creation was designed by a mother who also really wanted to stay home with her daughter, but knew financially that it wasn't an option.  You can read more about their story here. 

I wish I could think of something like this.........wheels in my head are turning.....

These are just some of the swaddlers we've used, obviously there are many more out there. I just wanted to do a brief review of each of the ones we've used. Each has their pros and cons and you'll figure out what works the best for you and your little one.  Sleep deprivation is normal in the beginning and randomly throughout, but at some point we ALL want our little ones to sleep soundly and hopefully throughout the night. Peace of mind! Phew! Happy Swaddling!

What swaddle has worked best for you?

When did you stop swaddling?