So I have 2 questions that I have been contemplating lately. First, how long do you swaddle your baby? We just swaddle Elliott at night and she sleeps like a champ. We have been doing her last feeding at 9 or 9:30 and then she has been sleeping until 6:30 or 7 (when we start our day routine). Can I say I LOVE this routine! There is something about getting a full night sleep that makes you feel human. I was reading on another blog and then thebump.com that you need to stop swaddling when a baby is 3 or 4 months, because it helps their development to be able to move around at night. WHAT?! Who would have thought. My hold up is I'm afraid if we stop swaddling she'll wake up at night, and the thought of that makes me cringe. She does move a lot when she's swaddled and when we get her in the morning, she has moved up in the swaddle blanket so her shoulders are totally exposed. I don't know if this means she is ready to be unswaddled or what. Thoughts?
Question 2...I'm wondering if she will be ready to drop a feeding soon and how we go about that. I'm thinking I would like to lengthen the time between feedings (right now I feed her every 3 hours), and then maybe try putting her to bed a little sooner, but I'm wondering whether or not she's ready for this. There are definitely some feedings where she acts disinterested in eating so maybe this means she is ready?! I definitely don't want to change too many things at once, and since I'm working 3 days a week, I have less time to try things (I want to be here when we make the changes). She has definitely had more wake time lately which is really nice.
Any thoughts about these questions? I would appreciate the input. Now I'm off to clean the house. We're hosting a couples shower at our house tonight so I'll let you know how that goes.
Hey girl! I saw your blog on fb and took a peek. I'm a blogaholic! Anyway, Jake was swaddled until he was 7 1/2 months old! He LOVED his swaddle and slept soooo good in it from a very young ago. My pediatrician said to continue until he gets out of it on his own. The only reason I stopped it was because he rolled over in his belly and I didn't think that was very safe. And it was not easy transitioning out of it! Im a huge fan of swaddling and I say do it as long as possible! Cassie gentry
ReplyDeleteSome good advice I was given when I had my first, "Don't mess with a happy baby". I think we put so much pressure on ourselves as mothers. Trust yourself and give yourself a pat on the back, she sounds like she is in a great routine and you dont need to mess with it :)
ReplyDeleteI think with swaddling...do it as long as you want to, as long as it is safe. I swaddled my son till he was five months and stopped because he was rolling over. I think it really gives them a sense of security.
With the feeding, 1st off, nice job with work and Bfding- that is so tough...I think every three hours sounds pretty good to me, sounds like what I was doing at three months with both my babies. You can try it , and if it doesnt work just add it again.
Good luck Momma!
I'm not much help with the swaddling - Callie didn't really like it (she liked her arms up and out). She's been in her crib without it and she sleeps on her side and in the same spot. Does Elliot nap without being swaddled? If you want to progress out of swaddling, maybe you can swaddle with her arms out and phase it out slowly.
ReplyDeleteI have the same questions about feeding which I hope to get answered when we go to our 2 month appointment. My pediatrician's website seems to suggest to drop the last feeding of the day (so in your case, the 9pm) and spread out the rest of the day feedings a bit more (to 3 1/2 to 4 hours spans). But, I can't tell if he does that around 3 months or if he incorporates that at 4 months when cereal is introduced. Hopefully I'll find out.
Sorry I don't have too much help for you today. I look forward to future posts on how things work out for you. :)
I swaddled my daughter until she was 7 months. Even though she would break out of it during her sleep time, it really helped her fall asleep and sleep longer. I was really sad when the swaddle was over. Like every other transition in her life, there is about a week of her being off-schedule and getting used to a new routine. On the feedings, I have a great one-page guide to how often/how much babies should be eating in that first year that was my "bible" for her. I'll search for it, scan it and email it to you!
ReplyDeleteswaddle for as long as it works!! then if you have issues transitioning try the Peke Moe! :) we developed it when having issues with a houdini who couldn't sleep without the swaddle! :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pekemoe.co.nz
all the best!