Swaddling & safety sleeps...

Last night mum and I had a bit of an argy bargy over the way we (DH and I) usually put Erin down to bed. How we do it at the moment is swaddle her (arms in) and then put her inside the safety sleep, THEN put blankets or just sheets up over her depending on the temperature. Oh, and she is also right at the foot of the bed.

Apparently what the problem was, is that mum had done some "investigating" and found out that a) Plunket doesn't "endorse" Safety Sleeps, and b) that "none of the babies on the Safety Sleep website are wrapped up, they all have their arms out"... THEREFORE *I* must be doing it wrong ! She went as far as to say she was very "concerned" at the way I was doing this, and that I should try unwrapping her as it was more 'natural' and would allow for more movement.

Before we put the safety sleep on Erin's bed, we had an incident one morning where she completely unwrapped herself, and had turned 180 degrees around in her cot ! We then tried her inside the safety sleep but without wrapping her, but because she still had some movement and her arms were free - wouldn't sleep, and then wound up screaming because she was overtired. Last night we put her down at 7:30pm (unwrapped) and she was hysterical by 8:10pm, and so was I. So after I had calmed down a little and done some "research" of my own, I rang mum and explained to her what had just happened, and I *finally* got an apology.

I guess what I'm trying to get at with my novel here is what you ladies' opinions are... is wrapping Erin up (arms incl.) and then putting her in the safety sleep a bad idea? Or dangerous?

And as far as wrapping goes, when did you stop with your babies, and how did you do it? I'm not prepared to do it just yet (stop wrapping her), so am arming myself with a plan for the future I guess.

Thanks for listening

Edited by jax

I swaddled Maya in the safety sleep until she was about 7 months or so (I think, she might have been a bit older). Ad I swaddle the twins as well.

I have heard horror stories of kids nearly hanging themselves etc. but it's the only way my girls will sleep. When Mercedes SS was in the wash last week she turned herself right around in the cot and got her arms out and woke herself up. Sienna hates being wrapped so I tried putting her in the SS unwrapped but she wouldn't sleep until I wrapped her (funny baby , she fights being wrapped but won't settle without it!).

IMHO - your kid, your decision. Like I said yesterday I'm lucky that my Mum is pretty good, she only dispenses advice when asked and doesn't try to force things on me, but you know Erin best and you know what's best for her.

I'll keep doing what I'm doing with the girls in their SS until they get old enough not to swaddle, then they'll just be in the safety sleep.

Oh and I don't pin the SS to their clothes/wrap like the official imstructions tell you to either.

Oh and when it's hot I strip them down to a singlet and nappy and wrap them in muslin to keep them cool.

I used to put Alyssa to bed exactly the same way as you jax and I don't believe there is any danger in it! And like you said, depending on the temperature you just adjust what blankets they have on accordingly.. When she was ready to wake up in the morning she used to wriggle her arms out.

These days Alyssa sleeps perfectly fine without her arms wrapped up at all so I leave them out now..however she used to not sleep well unless the arms were in..

Thank you so much for your support and reassurance ladies ! I did point out to mum that because it is hot we are using muslin, and she goes to sleep in only a singlet and nappy because of that too.

And Peace, of course I will come and sing to you, but only if you like Twinkle Twinkle ! Hehehe

i must say i have never looked after a baby who was swaddled and in safetsleep - i didnt know that was the intention behind sts system?
I agree tho it is getting hotter so maybe swaddle in muslin for the nights too?
maybe contact sts and ask them? I used to know the woman who designed and set up the company but that was many moons ago so no help there now...

haha definately arms up and legs spread knees bent the little slappa!

Re the advertising on the website & not being wrapped thing - I'm sure none of the babies on there had their Safety Sleep pinned to them either like the instructions say to do! Well... Not pinned to them but to the clothes they're wearing. I never pin it. And I don't think I will until she discovers how to undo it herself. So like someone said above, the pictures on the website aren't necessarily instructions on how it should be done.

Ashlee was swaddled for all of maybe 3 weeks?

I think you just do what you think is right for Erin.

We swaddled Charlotte until she was 8 months- she used to wake quite a bit during the night and Mum always told me it was because she couldn't get comfotable because she was swaddled so tight. We had to do it tight because if she got her arms out she woke herself up and wouldn't sleep! We were at her house for a week or so over Christmas and she worked on me over a few days and eventually got me to agree to try her without it- she slept the whole night through without waking.

I was so shocked/horrified that she actually knew better than me. She honestly sounds exactly like your Mum- they are just trying to do what they think is right and I know it sucks but sometimes they do know what they are talking about. In saying that though- she is your bub and Charlotte was older when we took her out of hers. In hindsight I think she would have been ready to come out of it at about 5 months because thats when she started to really fight going into it and getting out of it during the night.

I pinned Maya into hers when I started leaving her unwrapped about 7 or so months because she would take it off and stand up in the cot (yes she was standing at 7 1/2 months ) and then couldn't figure out how to get back down again.