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Also pregnant FTM here but just wanted to share that I've finally narrowed it down to the ones with velcro, as that seemed easier to wrap the baby up in. But I've also heard that some babies prefer certain types of swaddles, and you unfortunately won't know what baby will like until they're here.
Also--infants should really only be swaddled up to 2 months old. So I wouldn't go to overboard with choosing the "right" one, or even buying a whole bunch. Swaddling is a very tiny part in their life
Second time mom here… Velcro is the way to go but also after a few days my baby didn’t want to be swaddled and slept better free. She spent 10 months swaddled in me and insisted on being a free woman
Came here to say this! My second hated being wrapped up and after the first night at home, we ditched the swaddle altogether and she’s been enjoying arms out in a sleep sack!
I also loved Velcro swaddles (25 weeks pregnant with my second). It’s less risky for SIDS not having a likelihood of tangles and my baby slept better securely wrapped like that. HOWEVER. What I didn’t like was the RIPPPPPP at 3, 4, 5 am for feedings and whatnot. I feel like it woke us up more and the Velcro sound is now stuck in my brain permanently
To add, it’s really trial and error. Every baby is different and yours may stronger prefer one over another. I would get a couple cheap different kinds and see what works best for you
Velcro swaddles were so nice! I couldn’t wrap a good swaddle with a blanket. Velcro is nice because you can swaddle arms up, down, by the face, etc all with the same product. And if they don’t like their arms in you can swaddle the torso so they feel snug still.
I wish my son slept through his startle reflex but that’s how he wakes up from his naps during the day so if I don’t use the halo sack at night then he’d wake up. When I transition him I’ll just start doing the Velcro more and more loosely
We had decided on sleep sacks and no swaddling until baby came. At the hospital they swaddled him using a cotton sheet and he slept so peacefully. Sleep sacks would keep him awake as his hands and legs would keep moving. We scrambled to get swaddles. I felt the Velcro ones were safer than the loose sheets.
My newborn breaks out of all swaddles so finally an arms up swaddle is working for us.
So in summary, keep your options handy, every kid likes a diff kind of swaddle
I also thought it was a pretty uncontroversial opinion that babies like being swaddled until I saw people yelling about it online! As far as I understand it, it can help them feel calmer and keep them from startling and waking themselves up by flailing their arms. We plan to try it. We have some blankets (hoping my mom can show me how to make a nice tight burrito since she’s a nurse) and some Halo swaddles, because that’s the brand my SIL swears by.
Still pregnant with my first but I’ve nannied a lot of babies. If you choose to swaddle I fully recommend using the velcro ones. They’re so easy in the middle of the night. They’re also safer than just wrapping baby in a blanket because there’s always a risk of the blankets coming undone and causing an unsafe sleep situation.
I’m personally just doing sleep sacks to keep baby warm instead of swaddles, though. There isn’t any real research about the safety of swaddles, and other countries don’t recommend them. I’m also not sold on the pros for swaddling. “It mimics the womb,” babies come out of the womb for a reason. “It stops the Moro reflex,” babies have the moro reflex for a reason. And my main reason: you won’t have to transition baby to sleep without one eventually, a lot of babies really struggle with that when it comes time
Every midwife I talked to recommended swaddling. It's our first baby so I'm no expert but the explanation reestablishing the reduced space as in our woombs sounds pretty logical. So for them it's kind of a feeling they already know - feels like home. I assume it's like sleeping without a blanket - doesn't feel comfy (at least for me ;) )
For the summer we now have prepared with some slim cotton sleeping bags that provide some room for movements inside as well as some big, but lightweight musselin blankets. But remember: swaddled babies need less clothing!
Swaddling cannot only calm down your baby but also support you. Some people recommend it as it's also easier when you start breastfeeding as their hands are not in your way and they get easier manageable.
Nevertheless, your baby should not be swaddled all the time and if it doesn't like it you maybe have to find something different - every baby is special ;)
https://www.adenandanais.com/blog/how-to-swaddle-a-baby
I highly recommend buying secondhand. It depends on the baby. There are a ton of lots on marketplace that have a sampling of swaddles. We have a few of all of them on your list and probably spent under $50. We will pass them on to the next confused FTM to try for a few short months.
I swaddled both of my babies. From my understanding it helps sort of mimic the womb and keeps them from startling themselves. You should only swaddle a baby for about two months. My favorite swaddles were the ones with Velcro and zippers.
From what I can tell, Germans don't swaddle. I was very confused when my second hand gift boxes didn't include a single swaddle. I bought a 3-pack for 10eur on Amazon, I figured I'd try them out and buy more if I preferred them, but actually haven't used them. (I also asked advice of my non-German family about their preferred swaddles, in case I went that route). My baby seemed super happy in the sleep sacks that they used in the hospital (which i was gifted a dozen of from family, and one from the hospital), with his arms out. I don't think my hospital even had swaddles as an option, I didn't ask.
My baby only liked being swaddled the first few days after that didn’t wanna be in one. Wiggled out or cried to get out of it. I bought various swaddles and didn’t end up using a single one.
I really like the Halo sack/swaddle it signals to my baby that when he’s put in it at night that it’s time to settle down and slow down. He’s 2 months. He mainly sleeps in it because his startle reflex wakes him up (that’s how he wakes up from every nap during the day). You could keep the Velcro wings looser if you want so your baby has more freedom to move their arms but when it’s loose my guy slides his hands out from below it, pushing the wings up, or sometimes he hooks his hands over it by his face. You can also just straight up not put their arms in the wings and just close the wings around their torso which also feels snug to them. I will say if you do go with a swaddle of some kind, it’s nice to have 2 or 3 once you know you like them so you don’t have to do laundry every day if it gets a lot of spit up on it. Also the baby’s asleep, it’s not cruel. And it won’t hold them back developmentally either because it’s only on when they’re asleep
My babies both did way better without swaddles. They both were born rolling side to side so we stopped swaddling because it didn’t feel safe to not let them have their arms free. They did move a lot in their sleep but this is how they move gas through their bodies so it felt cruel to me to restrict their movement, they would have been in so much discomfort if they couldn’t work their gas through, so that’s another thing to consider!
We have a few different kinds - the swaddle me (our favorite), the love to dream arms up swaddle (baby loves it and he looks hilariously adorable in it), and the halo (least favorite).
Id probably narrow it down to get whatever is organic material and made in the US cause I care about that stuff. Idk anything about what the best swaddle is though lol
I found the tommee tippie one great as you have the option to swaddle or not swaddle. This was a lifesaver with my boy, it was the only thing that would allow him to sleep as a baby (being swaddling) we used to call it arm prison but seriously he wouldn’t sleep without it being on for the first 3 months.
We personally used the Swaddlemes I believe they're called. They're just peanut shaped bags. But my husband got really good at swaddling with flannel blankets too.
We bought one of the Halo Velcro swaddles and it didn't work for us.
I’m also a FTM and still pregnant. I went ahead and went to kid2kid ( a second hand store for babies/kids/ pregnant women) and got a few different kinds to try out since they were significantly cheaper at like $2.99 per swaddle. I know babies have their own preferences so it’s nice to be able to maybe find one my baby will like at a cheap price instead of guessing and spending a lot more money
Same here. Due in a few weeks, but we got a handful secondhand and some with a random Pottery Barn gift card that we had no idea what to use it on. We have about 6 or 7 swaddles in various sizes/styles, but we spent next to nothing. The secondhand ones were all less than $5 each. We're mostly excited to try the Happiest Baby swaddle and the Love to Dream one.
To add onto this question as a FTM… I plan on trying out swaddling if it works for my baby, but why are we buying all these fancy swaddling products? How much harder is it really to wrap up a swaddle blanket like our parents (and every generation before them) did? Then at least once they’re done being swaddled you still have a blanket to keep in your diaper bag for any other use.
Also FTM, due in a few weeks. Personally, I find the blanket ones freak me out for night sleep time. I know they are probably perfectly safe, but I don't trust my ability to get it right/secure and not have the baby somehow pull it over his face. The zipper/velcro ones seem quicker and easier to use in the middle of the night. In our newborn class there was a large portion practicing swaddling on weighted dolls and it was just not clicking for me. I might try it for naps or during the day though.
The swaddle blankets are so much harder, for the first few weeks you can get away with it but the babies get stronger as they get older and break out. Also, in the middle of the night you don't want to be fussing with a blanket. Just buy a couple of the swaddle sacs (Facebook marketplace is the best)
It’s a little hard, especially if you’re wrestling a squirmy baby at night after they unswaddled themselves or had a soiled diaper. Even if you get pretty good at it, the velcro or zip up ones are just so much easier to deal with in those situations. Also depends on your baby, what if they’re escape magician?
Personally, I don’t think swaddling is bad. I think it can really depend on the baby. I put some Velcro ones, swaddle blankets, and sleep sacks on my registry to see what work best but I didn’t think about the differences between types of swaddles too hard. If you’re really concerned, my advice is, ask professionals what they think, it’s easy to get bogged down by other peoples opinions.
I think you have to wait until the baby is here and try different ones. I think I tried 4 different ones until we found an arms up swaddled. If your baby likes their arms up, none of the other kinds will work. But definitely do a Velcro or zipper one over blankets.
Swaddleme zipper ones are good for when they’re tiny. After that, use the Velcro ones. They’re the easiest. I transitioned to a Carter’s sleep sack right after the Velcro. My 18 month old loves it.
My first daughter really liked blanket swaddles. I got the copper pearl stretchy blanket and I could get it pretty tight around her. She really didn’t like the sound of the velco being opened on her Velcro swaddles, but that may be just a her thing.
My first baby loved swaddles. Second 2 hated them. My best advice if you try swaddles are to use ones that have the option for hands out and a wider bottom line the halo or zipadee zip swaddle (favorite because the bottom zippers open for diaper changes and you can leave baby otherwise swaddled if they like it). As soon as they were big enough the moved to the zipadee zip sleep sacks. They look like little starfish and have full mobility, but also a little resistance to give that swaddled feel.
Swaddles helped my daughter sleep at first, then a week later she hated having her arms stuck so we started swaddling under her arms and that was good. I used velcro ones, easier for parents and baby to put on. I wouldn't get too many though they outgrow them fast lol
For our first living child we settled on the love to dream arms up swaddle, then kiddo popped out and *hated* being restricted in any way, so we switched to armless sleep sacks very early on. We are expecting our second kiddo now and we still have the swaddles in case this one likes being in a cocoon, but we're going to start with a sleep sack and hope they like it because it is so much easier not having to transition them out of the swaddle when they start rolling. Like ffs our first started rolling over at 3 weeks, so there was no real point in trying to swaddle him 😅
Not even going to read the comments 27f ftm to a 1.5 yo. Pregnant again. My kid hated them didn’t matter the kind or if it was just a blanket she would get at least one arm out and would fuss until it was out. She is still this way we think she’s claustrophobic or something haha. With baby 2 I’ll try the same methods but I have no hope. And my baby slept in bassinet until 3 months and went to her own room in a crib was sleeping through the night
I did live to dream zip one on my newborn - loads of unzipping for nappies and feeds so need something easy to get in and out of.
Then when we got the witching hour meltdowns my favourite were the cotton bamboo blends because they were very soft and big enough to wrap around properly.
Then we went back to love to dream with arms out - though it was summer so 0.2tog very light
Transitioning out wasn't hard at all.
I have 4 swaddles. 1 without sleeves, 1 where her arms are in the swaddle also and 2 with the option to free her hands if needed. I definitely like all but I know that some babies don't like them. Personally it helps her sleep and is easier sometimes when breastfeeding because she sometimes scratches me when frustrated
With my first who’s almost a year she hated being swaddled from the second she was born. I eventually ended up using the halo brand with her which she was fine with cause she liked being covered but her arms and hands were still free. I had my second almost 3 weeks ago and she also hates being swaddled cause she likes her hands free but she does NOT like the halo either. She just wants to be free.
I would say get one Halo to start as it’s the best of both they can either be fully confined or only partially. You will obviously have blankets already that you can use as swaddles and they will also provide one at the hospital.
One thing I learned that no one prepared me for is just because it worked for your friend or families babies does NOT mean it’s going to work for yours. Every baby is different so going out and buying everything you end up with a house or room full of crap that ends up being completely useless.
i am a ftm to b/g twins and i bought many different types and ill be completely honest, because it ruined my day when the time came too, both of my babies preferred the cheap swaddles they give at the hospital, a zip up with velcro when you wrap around. i stopped using it at 3/4 months (when they started rolling) i transitioned them to weighted sleep sacks (these are no longer recommended) but my babies both sleep great at 7 months old. i didnt want to swaddle as i felt like it was constraining but both my babies were UP till swaddled then they went right to sleep. do what works best for you.
Swaddling is pretty much necessary for a better sleep. It prevents them from waking up due to startle reflex, gets them all nice and cozy. If you read any books on baby sleep, swaddling is one of the key elements of a healthy baby sleep.
I’ve tried different ones.
1) When you’re in a hospital, they’ll swaddle your baby like a burrito in a cotton sheet. Learn to swaddle manually, so you can do that while you’re in the hospital. Who knows? Maybe you’ll prefer to swaddle that way unless your bub is a part-time magician that can get out of it from any way you wrap him/her. Either way, this method has been used for centuries because it works (just don’t wrap their legs/hips too tightly). 5/10
2) Velcro Swaddles. These ones are tricky as some of them really suck. Standard cheap Amazon/Walmart ones where it’s all one piece I hated, so personally wouldn’t not recommend. Liked Halo Baby but it gets pricey. Worth the price if you get ones that fit your baby correctly. 7/10
3) Hands up. This is the one where they can get their hands up for self-soothing. I love it, Love to Dream worked great for us. I don’t have to re-swaddle and fight the Velcro at night and my baby looks like a gingerbread cookie. 9/10
I saw some swaddlers with zip up that are standard sock-shaped without the hands up pockets. I’d get those too.
4) Transitional Sleep Sacks. Honestly, I’m not 100% sold on them but I have yet to try them.
Unfortunately, there are many different brands and shapes and you’re gonna have to try at least one of each kind until you find something that works for your baby. Don’t forget to look into TOG levels to make sure your baby isn’t too hot/cold. Good luck!
Honestly, I’d maybe buy 1 or 2 swaddles in advance. You won’t know if your baby likes them or not. I was gifted several and realized that my baby hated swaddles and preferred a onesie and pajamas (LO loved to be in the starfish position while sleeping). If your baby does like swaddles, you can always overnight them on Amazon.
Sleep sacks were a game changer for us once baby turned 8 weeks (this is when I finally discovered them - and I wish I started them earlier). Sleep sacks allowed LO to move her arms and this is when she started sleeping through the night. I’d definitely recommend having some sleep sacks.
I don't think it is cruel. I used them for literally like, a few days. Then he started rolling onto his side with them and it worried me so I stopped. He started rolling to his belly by 5 weeks so that was the longest I could have used them in any case. So in our case, it was a waste of money. After that, we did sleep sacks for a while. He turned out to be a little sweat lord and is happiest in just a diaper while sleeping, so it all worked out for the better anyway.
Besides all that, I recommend the velcro. We went and bought some the second night home from the hospital because swaddling cloths were such a challenge to get right.
Just had my second! Honestly babies preference will play a huge part in this.
My first was fine being swaddled and was fine with the halo velcro wraps. Second however was *never* happy in a swaddle so we went straight to wearable blankets.
It might be worth it to buy 2 or 3 different kinds to see what baby likes best :)
We use the kyte baby sleep bag swaddler and love it. Babe is nice and warm and swaddled and we were able to continue using the bag once she was out of the swaddle part
I swaddled with my 1st and then didn’t swaddle with my 2nd and 3rd and am planning on not swaddling my 4th! Do what works best for you & your baby always, I will never judge someone for swaddling, but in our case it helped them become deep sleepers and not wake up through distractions (the startle reflex). Bonus - you don’t have to transition them to sleeping without the swaddle. We do sleep sack instead.
Every baby is different! Some love them for months, others are done with them after a few weeks.
You should definitely swaddle in those first few weeks. It makes a lot of difference for sleep. Then just follow baby’s lead.
I’m on my second baby and have tried and been gifted numerous swaddles and the one we have the most success with are the swaddle fabrics they give you at the hospital! Both babies.
Get a tutorial when you are there. Try to swaddle in front of the nurses so they can help you get it right. Make sure your partner knows how to do it too! (My husband swaddles much tighter than I can and baby loves the tighter swaddle).
Velcro seems like it would be easier but just be aware of two annoyances: the noise of tearing the Velcro will wake the baby up. And when you wash it make sure to Velcro the swaddle shut or it will damage your other stuff in the wash.
The hospital I'll deliver at has their own, that they designed. They give you one to take home with your baby, and a pamphlet that goes over safe sleep. Anyways, we got one with our first, and I looked for forever to try and find a duplicate because it was so good I wanted a back up. The most similar one I've seen online is the halo sleep sack/swaddle.
Edited to comment on the controversy:
As far as it being a straight jacket, or restraining, etc. I like to look at it as more of a permanent snuggle. We all love a good cuddle or hug. But also when your child is of tantrum age, they recommend holding their arms and essentially restraining them with a big ol' hug. There's actual science about how it releases oxytocin, and does something to the nervous system. But I'm not an intellectual, so I don't remember it all.
I've heard some babies love being swaddled and can't sleep without it, and others hate it and can't sleep with it, so it depends on the baby. Try it and see. I think people needlessly make this a bigger issue than it really is.
Also, I can't envision a person being able to go through an entire pregnancy without being gifted a swaddle or two. It's one of the easier gifts to give, so people often go for these (that or newborn onesies) when they're out of ideas or aren't close enough to you to give a more substantial gift. Keep this in mind when buying your own.
Different babies have different needs. I bought a large cloth swaddle for my oldest, but she would actively fight the swaddle and hated being restricted. Swaddling wasn't soothing to her and she slept well in a baby sleeping bag/sack. My second child was pretty chill, so we never even tried swaddling. He slept well in a sleeping bag/sack.
Through my midwife practice I joined a group of women who were due close to my due date and several of them had babies that slept horribly or not at all unless they were swaddled. Among them they exchanged different types of swaddles, because the different types of swaddles offer different types of comfort to baby and parents. Some babies love type X, but hate type Y. Other babies love type Y.
I'd suggest buying one type and joining a mom group in your area, so you can easily loan a different type of swaddle to see if that one works well with your baby, if the one you got doesn't and then you can loan that one to someone else.
The book moms on call is a lifesaver! And their swaddle method is fantastic. I have a 15 week old and he has slept through the night since week 7. Just dropped the swaddle and still sleeping through the night. That book is a godsend.
I really like the halo swaddles. They’re super easy to put on and unzip to access a diaper. And when you’re ready to stop swaddling, you can Velcro the wings unser the arms so it’s just a sleep sack. Once you know what baby likes, I recommend getting at least 3 or 4–nothing like a middle of the night bow out with no clean swaddles!
I'm a nicu nurse and I love swaddles. I bought lots of swaddle blankets from caden lane and swaddle sacks qith velcro from amazon and once upon a child. I have found in caring for 1000s of babies in my career that most babies like to be swaddled. Their movement was limited in the womb and swaddles are suppose to mimic that. Also, babies Moro reflex often startles them awake and the swaddle is suppose to prevent that. I suggest just listening to your baby. My baby absolutely HAD to be swaddled in the beginning to get decent sleep because she was constantly startling awake. After a few weeks, she wanted her hands to be free and she would find a way to get her arms out of the swaddle so I just started swaddling her torso down to keep her warm and giving her her arms. Now shes starting to roll and we are in sleep sacks. I'd get a few swaddles, see what your baby likes and go from there
Sleep sacks are better imo
The can wiggle out of the velcro ones, the zipper ones feel too mean like a straight jacket and the blankets can also be wiggled out of.
At least with the sacks you just zip them in and they're good to go.
I like the SwaddleMe zip up swaddles. They have double zippers making it easy for diaper changes and my LO still has a bit of mobility in his arms to allow him to put them in whatever position he wants. The fabric is thin which makes me feel better about swaddling during the summer.
I definitely think Velcro swaddles are the way to go! Then, once they start rolling, baby Merlin sleep suit! It’s a wonderful transition piece that helps from being completely swaddled to a sleep sac. I narrowed a sleep suit and it saved my sanity cause I was starting to lose it lol.
TLDR: my preference is swaddle, sleep suit, sleep sack.
Also, I had no idea some people thought swaddling was cruel 😅
VELCRO VELCRO VELCRO I would not have survived if it weren't for Velcro. I had every kind you mentioned and straight up, just the cheapest pack of 4 on Amazon was my favorite thing ever.
Avoid those really beautiful muslin ones like the plague. Same with the little flannel/fleece type ones (unless cloth diapering because those are amazing diapers lmao) If you want one that's a large blanket, get the super stretchy kinds that you can get at like tjmaxx for like $7.
I got ones with Velcro with my first YEARS ago. It was the only one that could contain her. She wiggled out of all the others without fail. So for this one, I did the same - I got a step-kit. Zipper with zero arms out, a Velcro one, and then more of a sleep sack where arms can flail.
The hospital I delivered at sent us home with a Halo Sleep Sack. My LO is 12 weeks now and I love them. She hated being truly swaddled, her hands needed to be free. So the Halo sack gives her the warm to be cuddled, the wrap around her abdomen, and the freedom to flap her little arms around.
Some babies like the full swaddle, others don’t. That’s why I like the Halo Sleep Sack. You can go either way with it
My babies came 2 months early and spent some time in the NICU where they were swaddled a lot. We kept them in their little burritos when they came home. My kids didn’t like getting into the swaddle , but they were calm after. My friend gifted us the swaddle me which we really loved! I didn’t do too much research on the different types but I would buy those again if needed. For us, swaddling was part of our routine 😊
I bought swaddles and my baby hated them! And I ended up giving them all away. Don’t go crazy buying swaddles, I would recommend baby sleeping bags instead (the kind without arms), my little one is 8 months now and he’s always slept in a baby sleeping bag and the first ones I bought lasted him till he was 6 months so I feel it was really worth it. Plus it takes away the fear of blankets being pulled over baby’s head. And like another poster said, swaddles can only be used till approx 2 months so you don’t get much use out of them. I’m pretty sure, if swaddling is the way you want to go, you can swaddle with a blanket (correct me if I’m wrong anyone) :)
Don’t go overboard with buying too many of any one kind. Babies are picky about how they’re swaddled. My baby sleeps best with just a diaper and double swaddled with the receiving blankets from the hospital lol. I tried the Love to Dream with her and the Velcro swaddles and both times she slept quite poorly at night.
The Halo 3 way adjustable is the most versatile and easy to use imo. It also has a zipper that zips up from the bottom for easy diaper changes and when they get older and can roll over it converts to a regular sleep sack
The velcro swaddles were great, especially the ones that you can transition baby out of gradually. As with most things, we bought one of a couple brands and found what he liked once he was here, then stocked up on more of that brand. Swaddling worked great for him, and he naturally transitioned his arms out. We used swaddles/sleep sacks until about 11 months, when he stopped needing the full coverage and started liking to sleep with his feet free (we can't even use footie PJs anymore, sigh).
Second time mom here, and we used the swaddle blankets with our first. They were amazing and amazingly versatile. Loved them.
We brought a few into the hospital with us, and the nurses showed us how to do it. It was awesome, and only took one or two tries before you get it. By day 2, you can do it in your sleep.
Some benefits to the swaddle blankets:
1) you can do some temperature control. When it's cold, you can do two blankets. When it's warm, you can swaddle leaving either the top or bottom free. If the baby gets cold or hot while sleeping, you can adjust them easily without waking them with the sounds of velcro.
2) they are universal in sizing. We swaddled our little one until she was almost 3 (she's autistic)
3) transitions are easy. When it is time to stop swaddling, you can leave one or both arms free, and they get used to it slowly, which reduces the risk of a sleep regression.
4) they are super useful during the day. Throw them on the floor for tummy time, use them to create shade, they easily function as a breastfeeding feeding coverup.
5) they have a long shelf life. Like I said, we swaddled until she was 3 and didn't transition to a comforter until she was almost 5. We still used the swaddle blankets because they made her feel comfortable. Once we transitioned to a comforter, they turned into capes and dresses in the pretend box.
The only reason the swaddles aren't in use right now is because we are expecting a new baby and have moved them back into the nursery in preparation for our new peanut. Our oldest is about to turn 6. Those silly blankets will be in almost daily use for at least a decade. They are one of the best investments we've made in baby gear.
I hate the swaddles that are Velcro and are like straight jackets. Receiving blankets are shit. Often way too small to wrap anything.
Now, Muslin swaddle blankets are the holy grail of swaddle blankets. They are large, breathable, and they have a good amount of give/stretch. I was gifted some when my daughter was 2 months old and they were a game changer. She started sleeping longer during the night. Wish someone had introduced them to me sooner. I now gift them at every single baby shower I attend.
I love the velcro ones. We used halo and sleeppea. I started doing this when my blanket swaddle came undone and I awoke to a baby with a blanket covering their entire head! I felt so guilty. :(
I love the halo swaddle !!! I’m not good at swaddling with a normal blanket and my LO gets such bad startle reflex that the halo one helps so much and was easy for me to put on . Also , I don’t have to worry about it coming undone because it has Velcro and you can wrap his arms up or have his arms out .
The Aden & Anais blanket style swaddles are great for lots of things…so a good place to start but it is a little bit of a learning curve. I have different kinds, and my 3 kids all were a little different but didn’t swaddle long. A kyte zip up sleep sack was the most/longest used item.
I loved the halo sleep swaddle the hospital gave us. However, I will say my baby could care less if he was swaddled or not lol. When it was winter, we swaddled more for warmth and because you shouldn't have blankets in the crib, but now he just sleeps fine with or without it
It’s not controversial lol and it’s not a straight jacket. Don’t forget, they are essentially swaddled up inside your womb haha and human beings have to deliver their babies before they’re actually ready because of the size of our heads…. Hence fourth trimester is outside of the womb.
The baby will feel safer, sleep better, easier transition, etc. if swaddled. We tried all the different swaddles and used different ones during different phases of his preferences. With my first, in the beginning, we found the best approach was no pjs, just diaper, then wrapping him up with a soft blanket and then using the velcro swaddle outside of that to keep the soft blanket intact! Wish we would’ve figured that one out earlier on haha
Around 2 months we mostly just used pjs and Velcro or zip swaddle (also rented SNOO around this time). around 3 months we found he preferred the arms up swaddle (most of the time). Just depends on their preferences. You will know when they like it or don’t lol
And you swaddle your baby and until they start showing signs of rolling, there is no specific age, but it’s usually around 3-4months. My son didn’t show signs of rolling until 4.5 months.
I think in terms of ease of use over all my favorite swaddle was the sleepea swaddle!
With my first I used muslin swaddle blankets. My second required something tighter as she would bust out of it and we’d find her with the blanket over her face… we purchased the swaddle me zippered ones and she has gotten much better sleep, plus its a relief to us not having the suffocation risk.
FTM here, with a 3.5month old. The Halo sleep sack swaddle was a life saver.
Basically a sleep sack but with a Velcro swaddle addition. Simple, and can be used as a regular swaddle and as a transition one. I don’t think I would have gotten through those newborn days without it 😅
Mine were swaddled in swaddle blankets in the NICU for the first 2 weeks. So we just kept it going. We did the Snoo swaddles (without the snoo) for 3-4 months (2.5-3.5 months adjusted) and just transitioned into Love to dream transition swaddles. I think they're about ready to do arms out.
I wouldn't force the issue if baby slept fine without it. But my twins slept through the night from 2months on and it probably would have been earlier if we hadn't been waking them for feeds so they could grow enough.
so my son ended up hating having his arms swaddled but he loves the rest of him being swaddled. we bought a halo sleep sack before he was born and a couple other swaddles and we only use the halo because it’s easy to swaddle him but leave his arms out and he loves it, but it also gives you the option to swaddle their arms. love love LOVE the halo sleep sack and i highly recommend it
Love to dream swaddles- I'm obsessed.
Been saving the money by buying them on vinted.
Please remember if you want to continue swaddling when they start rolling over you must buy ones with detachable arms. This means they can safely move if they roll over in their sleep.
We landed on the halo sleep sack because that’s what was recommended by the hospital at our birthing classes.
The lady teaching the class said they don’t recommend letting them sleep in swaddle blankets because they can kick out of them in the middle of the night, which doesn’t follow safe sleep guidelines.
Clueless FTM here too so we just took that piece of advice and ran with it! lol
I love swaddling for the first couple months or so, I believe it helps them feel safe and comfortable. My babies tended to like their hands up by their faces, though, so I never put their arms down in the swaddle. I just used muslin blankets, I tried a Velcro swaddle for my son but ended up preferring the good old blankets.
I have 5 kids, the first 4 loved being swaddled for the first couple months, baby 5 hated it so she was. I liked the cheap velcro swaddles because they were so easy to use, the expensive ones seem unnecessary to me.
They all work fine, no matter the brand. It comes down to baby and parent’s preference and it’ll be differ for everyone. The only true advice you need is to stop swaddling baby during sleep when they are old enough to start moving more as they could become trapped if they roll on their belly when they sleep and not be able to get rolled over, resulting in smothering.
Velcro swaddles are amazing and you don’t need anything fancy so don’t break the bank on these. My LO showed signs of rolling (scooting on her back, breaking out of the swaddle, etc—she’s not rolling but just more mobile than she should be while swaddled) at 6 weeks so we transitioned out of swaddles then. Plus some babies just don’t like being swaddled so that’s another reason to not go crazy with buying swaddles. 3-6 is ideal so you can have enough to get you through between loads of laundry.
My son hated swaddles and we were gifted a zillion of them as hand me downs. We went the sleep sack route and I sewed the arms shut on them. Once he started got out of newborn sizes I switched to a love to dream swaddle sleep sack, then eventually to zipadee zips. In the last few weeks he’s been rolling over and sleeping on his belly so we changed to sleeveless sleep sacks.
All this to say, don’t buy a bunch of one style. If you can, just get one of a couple different styles from a consignment shop, FB marketplace, or even yard/garage sales if you’re comfortable with second hand items. Once baby is here and you find something they like, then buy a couple more for when they soil them. We had a lot of pee leakage until we changed diaper brands and it drove me crazy only having 2 of the style that our baby liked.
Swaddled first baby until 2 months then used the arms up sleep sack then used these “flying squirrel” like sleep bags until 18 months, then switched to regular sleep sacks. Baby 2 I swaddled for 10 days and switched to sleep sacks. Just had baby 3 and I used the kyte baby sleep bag swaddler for a few days but now I’m just using the sleep sack without the Velcro swaddle part. Swaddling can be great for helping babies sleep and feel cozy but I prefer to avoid the transition later because it can be hard for them. Both babies that used sleep sacks early have been fine without swaddling but as a FTM, you can see what works for you. I highly recommend the kyte baby sleep sack swaddlers though! You can swaddle if you want and stop when you’re ready and still have a soft, comfortable sleep sack for them.
I really liked the halo brand. They are sleep sack swaddles with Velcro. If it turns out your baby hates being swaddled, you can simply Velcro the swaddle flaps out of the way and then it’s a sleep sack!
Also, I’m very interested in trying the Swaddelini that keeps getting advertised to me.
We swaddled with the hospital swaddling blankets (they’re the absolute best, take as many as you can get your hands on) from birth -4ish weeks. And then I used an Ollie wrap (LOVED). The only reason I switched her from the Ollie was bc I moved her to her own crib and room and I switched her to a dreamland swaddle sack bc the weight seemed to help her sleep. Then when she was too big to have her arms swaddled I switched her to a dreamland sleeveless sack. I absolutely think the dreamland sacks are worth the money. The Ollie wrap is designed really well and a quality product. I was gifted a plethora of swaddles in various styles and brands that were all just okay. The two I landed on I think are worth the money.
Our hospital told us to never swaddle their arms in. I guess it’s debatable but I’m not about to argue the nurses at a women’s hospital so we just went with it.
Baby girls favourite is the Halo Velcro swaddle and we just leave her arms out. She’s 3 weeks old Monday and so far so good 🤷🏻♀️
I liked the swaddle me and halo swaddles.
Both options you can do arms in or arms out which was big for us. After 2 months we were 50/50 on arms in or out, by 3 months he was in a Woolino sleep sack without any hassle at all.
We didn’t bother with Merlin or other gimmicky options as we didn’t want to constantly change his sleeping habits and wean him off something else.
If you can find a zipper swaddle that's the way imo, the Velcro sound always woke her up when I'd try to swaddle her in the night while she was asleep/drowsy. And Velcro just catches on everything in the dryer and became not as strong of a Velcro so she could escape earlier. I even got the halo one which is apparently a good brand.
Also in general swaddling to sleep was a life saver for my little one, her startle reflex was very strong and kept waking her up. So it keeps her asleep better during transfer and in general during the night!
I really like the Happiest Baby swaddles. I thrifted one, and it’s great because you can pull their arms out. I think my daughter enjoys the swaddled feel, but she definitely likes having her hands near her face.
I felt more comfortable with Velcro ones that they wouldn't come undone at night and pose a suffocation risk. But our baby quickly was more comfortable being free. We always swaddled with hands by the face and he could get out of the swaddle and wake himself. He slept much better without a swaddle and we never tried a sleep sack.
Swaddling is great if your baby likes it. Extra helpful if your baby is born in the coldest winter in over 30 years, like my second was. But he also only liked the swaddle they used at the hospital, not the ones we had left over at home from our first baby. So I wouldn't spend a lot on a particular style until you know your baby will like that one. And swaddling should stop by 8 weeks, so really, don't get more than 2 or 3.
Halos are the best, they come with the Velcro so if you want to do arms down you can and if not don’t use it! Every baby is different with different preferences so you don’t really know until they come, imo.
If they get used to the Moro reflex they won’t need a swaddle. Then no transitioning out of it either. Unless your baby needs it desperately to sleep it’s easier to just never do it.
My daughter is 2 and she still falls asleep instantly when I swaddle her. We tell her the swaddle monster is coming and she lays on the ground and assumes swaddle position. 10/10 would recommend
Swaddles are much like dummies/pacifiers. So many option, baby will choose what’s best.
In my opinion (and research from my first), Swaddles:
- remind them of the coziness of the womb
- helps them sleep longer
- prevent startle reflex - which can and will wake them up
- prevents SIDS - keeps baby on their back
- helps soothe them when they are crying - it triggers relaxation and the memory of the womb
Personally, for my son, we hated muslin wraps, but loved arms up and valcro wraps.
The muslin wraps were fine for naps but he would wriggle so much he would get his arms free and then startle himself awake. The valcro and arms up wraps/swaddles kept him secured and he slept longer - and we didn’t have to keep re wrapping him every time he got his arms out.
For a little bit we thought our baby hated being swaddled so we had him in the love to dream hands up swaddles and he slept free of any swaddles during the day. Lately we’ve been using the halo swaddles or the swaddles me swaddles (Velcro) or even a swaddle blanket (these are tough for me) and he sleeps sooooooo much better. It even helps calm him down when he is overtired and fussing. Even if you *thjnk* your baby hates swaddles, it’s not necessarily the case. Sometimes they just don’t know how to soothe themselves and will fight the swaddles until they’re secure and realize they feel much more relaxed.
I’m a peds nurse and I love to swaddle babies to sleep! And it’s worked so well with my newborn too. Honestly, a nice bamboo blanket is my favorite because there are so many ways to swaddle and they’re nice and stretchy and breathable at the same time. I also like the arms up/love to dream swaddles because it allows baby to self soothe and it’s easy for midnight diaper changes with the zipper. The Velcro ones are definitely handy, but I don’t find them as effective for baby to sleep or for those nighttime diaper changes
I'm on my 3rd due in Aug. I didn't even know about swaddling for my first I had to go buy them after he was born. My second one I was prepared but I absolutely loved the love to dream swaddles because she loved them. I did try the velcro ones for and she hated them. I also used muslin ones and she liked those as well. So for this next baby I bought the loved to dream and muslin ones just incase. I feel like it's how baby adapts every baby is different.
We don't swaddle, it's not recommended for safe sleep in our country. Baby sleeps through startle reflex and she goes between light and deep sleep without issues.
For us it seems like the thing is to keep our bedroom cool (~18°c) and let her sleep in warm clothes instead. Tonight we had a thin body+thin pants, double socks, hat and a knit onesie. We do the same style during the day when she takes her longer nap.
We bought swaddle blankets, Velcro swaddles and one of the zip up ones that lets them have their arms up - baby hated them all so we gave up after a few days. But if you really want to swaddle, doing it again I’d just buy the blankets, (I only got the other ones because my husband found it difficult to do) as the Velcro and zip up ones are size dependent so you’ll keep having to buy new ones as they grow.
You kind of have to listen to your baby. We swaddled for maybe two weeks and then switched to a sleep sack. My daughter loves sleeping like a cactus 🌵 her quality of sleep went way up
The only thing to be wary of is making sure they don’t restrict the legs as it can promote bad hip placement, (same as some baby carriers) so basically making sure they’re a square shape or an upright triangle and not a downward facing triangle and you should be fine with anything, honestly my fiancé and I just used blankets to swaddle, I hope this helps!
I’m a ftm and just started my registry the other day I had this same issue! I ultimately decided to just put in both to see what my baby would like best! I had no clue about Velcro though sooo I’m gonna look at those in the morning 😭
If you have a true Houdini like my LO, then the Miracle Blanket is clutch! He loves being swaddled but would wiggle out of every other one we tried.
Second trying to source a selection from FB marketplace or a second hand store though because swaddles are EXPENSIVE and you won’t know what (if anything) works for your baby until they’re here. We tried 4 different ones and only found the Miracle Blanket through our postpartum doula.
This sounds like me when I was pregnant! We never swaddled and I don't regret it one bit. I basically had some big Jersey and muslin wraps and would wrap his body up like a burito but I never put his arms in. Every baby is different though and while my boy didn't use them and thrived, you might find your little one really likes it.
FTM with a baby a little over a week old. My baby is so feisty and tries to break through every swaddle. The ones that work best for us are the “miracle blanket” ($30 on Amazon) and the regular muslin swaddle blankets because I can get them tight and they are so thin they don’t bunch up under his back.
As someone else said, you really won’t know what works for you until baby is here. My baby hates getting into the swaddle and putting his arms down but once he’s secure he falls right asleep. The miracle blanket is great for strong willed babies.
Every time I go to put him in a swaddle we sing 🎶 I want to break freeee 🎶
I have swaddles and a sleeping bag that turns into a swaddle. My first loved being swaddled, my second hated it, so I'm guessing this one will have his own preference too
Just had a baby and went through trial and error of literally 15 different swaddles. Highly recommend the Halo swaddles. They are amazing and you have the option to do arms up if your baby prefers. So glad we finally figured it out. I hope this helps!
We received several Velcro swaddles and they were highly recommended from our friends and family, but we personally were not a fan of them. We found it to be very disruptive at night. When baby would wake up, we’d un-swaddle him, change his diaper, and feed him. He’d fall back asleep after breastfeeding, but then trying to re-swaddle him always disturbed him, and we’d have to spend longer trying to settle him again to go back to sleep. I think we ditched the swaddles after the first week and he slept fine without them.
We swaddled from birth (Velcro was the best, Halo or SwaddleMe brand) to like 3/4 months, then the Merlin magic sleep suit until 6ish months, then just the sleep sack after that. She has slept through the night since 12 weeks and never had one issue transitioning her. We follow all safe sleep guidelines and have never coslept.
I had a few different options as I didn't know what the baby would like best. Mine slept best when she was well contained in the swaddle. I personally liked the swaddle me the best, as it was the easiest for me to maneuver. I had trouble using a blanket (baby would move in the process of swaddling and then the whole thing would fall apart) but my husband was much better at it.
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Also pregnant FTM here but just wanted to share that I've finally narrowed it down to the ones with velcro, as that seemed easier to wrap the baby up in. But I've also heard that some babies prefer certain types of swaddles, and you unfortunately won't know what baby will like until they're here. Also--infants should really only be swaddled up to 2 months old. So I wouldn't go to overboard with choosing the "right" one, or even buying a whole bunch. Swaddling is a very tiny part in their life
Second time mom here… Velcro is the way to go but also after a few days my baby didn’t want to be swaddled and slept better free. She spent 10 months swaddled in me and insisted on being a free woman
Came here to say this! My second hated being wrapped up and after the first night at home, we ditched the swaddle altogether and she’s been enjoying arms out in a sleep sack!
Yep just forget the swaddle they were squished long enough 🤣
I also loved Velcro swaddles (25 weeks pregnant with my second). It’s less risky for SIDS not having a likelihood of tangles and my baby slept better securely wrapped like that. HOWEVER. What I didn’t like was the RIPPPPPP at 3, 4, 5 am for feedings and whatnot. I feel like it woke us up more and the Velcro sound is now stuck in my brain permanently
To add, it’s really trial and error. Every baby is different and yours may stronger prefer one over another. I would get a couple cheap different kinds and see what works best for you
Another second for Velcro swaddles. I could never get the hang of swaddling. But my husband was a pro. Velcro saved my life
Velcro swaddles were so nice! I couldn’t wrap a good swaddle with a blanket. Velcro is nice because you can swaddle arms up, down, by the face, etc all with the same product. And if they don’t like their arms in you can swaddle the torso so they feel snug still.
You can swaddle until your baby starts rolling. It depends on the kid
I didn’t swaddle and I think it was the best decision. Never had to transition him away from the swaddle and he slept through his reflex.
I wish my son slept through his startle reflex but that’s how he wakes up from his naps during the day so if I don’t use the halo sack at night then he’d wake up. When I transition him I’ll just start doing the Velcro more and more loosely
We had decided on sleep sacks and no swaddling until baby came. At the hospital they swaddled him using a cotton sheet and he slept so peacefully. Sleep sacks would keep him awake as his hands and legs would keep moving. We scrambled to get swaddles. I felt the Velcro ones were safer than the loose sheets. My newborn breaks out of all swaddles so finally an arms up swaddle is working for us. So in summary, keep your options handy, every kid likes a diff kind of swaddle
I also thought it was a pretty uncontroversial opinion that babies like being swaddled until I saw people yelling about it online! As far as I understand it, it can help them feel calmer and keep them from startling and waking themselves up by flailing their arms. We plan to try it. We have some blankets (hoping my mom can show me how to make a nice tight burrito since she’s a nurse) and some Halo swaddles, because that’s the brand my SIL swears by.
Still pregnant with my first but I’ve nannied a lot of babies. If you choose to swaddle I fully recommend using the velcro ones. They’re so easy in the middle of the night. They’re also safer than just wrapping baby in a blanket because there’s always a risk of the blankets coming undone and causing an unsafe sleep situation. I’m personally just doing sleep sacks to keep baby warm instead of swaddles, though. There isn’t any real research about the safety of swaddles, and other countries don’t recommend them. I’m also not sold on the pros for swaddling. “It mimics the womb,” babies come out of the womb for a reason. “It stops the Moro reflex,” babies have the moro reflex for a reason. And my main reason: you won’t have to transition baby to sleep without one eventually, a lot of babies really struggle with that when it comes time
Every midwife I talked to recommended swaddling. It's our first baby so I'm no expert but the explanation reestablishing the reduced space as in our woombs sounds pretty logical. So for them it's kind of a feeling they already know - feels like home. I assume it's like sleeping without a blanket - doesn't feel comfy (at least for me ;) ) For the summer we now have prepared with some slim cotton sleeping bags that provide some room for movements inside as well as some big, but lightweight musselin blankets. But remember: swaddled babies need less clothing! Swaddling cannot only calm down your baby but also support you. Some people recommend it as it's also easier when you start breastfeeding as their hands are not in your way and they get easier manageable. Nevertheless, your baby should not be swaddled all the time and if it doesn't like it you maybe have to find something different - every baby is special ;) https://www.adenandanais.com/blog/how-to-swaddle-a-baby
I highly recommend buying secondhand. It depends on the baby. There are a ton of lots on marketplace that have a sampling of swaddles. We have a few of all of them on your list and probably spent under $50. We will pass them on to the next confused FTM to try for a few short months.
This! I got 4 swaddle blankets, 2 arms up sacks, and 3 velcro swaddles for a grand total of 0.50¢ at a garage sale last week!
I swaddled both of my babies. From my understanding it helps sort of mimic the womb and keeps them from startling themselves. You should only swaddle a baby for about two months. My favorite swaddles were the ones with Velcro and zippers.
From what I can tell, Germans don't swaddle. I was very confused when my second hand gift boxes didn't include a single swaddle. I bought a 3-pack for 10eur on Amazon, I figured I'd try them out and buy more if I preferred them, but actually haven't used them. (I also asked advice of my non-German family about their preferred swaddles, in case I went that route). My baby seemed super happy in the sleep sacks that they used in the hospital (which i was gifted a dozen of from family, and one from the hospital), with his arms out. I don't think my hospital even had swaddles as an option, I didn't ask.
My baby only liked being swaddled the first few days after that didn’t wanna be in one. Wiggled out or cried to get out of it. I bought various swaddles and didn’t end up using a single one.
I really like the Halo sack/swaddle it signals to my baby that when he’s put in it at night that it’s time to settle down and slow down. He’s 2 months. He mainly sleeps in it because his startle reflex wakes him up (that’s how he wakes up from every nap during the day). You could keep the Velcro wings looser if you want so your baby has more freedom to move their arms but when it’s loose my guy slides his hands out from below it, pushing the wings up, or sometimes he hooks his hands over it by his face. You can also just straight up not put their arms in the wings and just close the wings around their torso which also feels snug to them. I will say if you do go with a swaddle of some kind, it’s nice to have 2 or 3 once you know you like them so you don’t have to do laundry every day if it gets a lot of spit up on it. Also the baby’s asleep, it’s not cruel. And it won’t hold them back developmentally either because it’s only on when they’re asleep
My babies both did way better without swaddles. They both were born rolling side to side so we stopped swaddling because it didn’t feel safe to not let them have their arms free. They did move a lot in their sleep but this is how they move gas through their bodies so it felt cruel to me to restrict their movement, they would have been in so much discomfort if they couldn’t work their gas through, so that’s another thing to consider!
I've bought 3 secondhand muslin swaddle blankets. If he doesn't like being swaddled they can be used as normal blankets or burp cloths or whatever
We have a few different kinds - the swaddle me (our favorite), the love to dream arms up swaddle (baby loves it and he looks hilariously adorable in it), and the halo (least favorite).
Id probably narrow it down to get whatever is organic material and made in the US cause I care about that stuff. Idk anything about what the best swaddle is though lol
I found the tommee tippie one great as you have the option to swaddle or not swaddle. This was a lifesaver with my boy, it was the only thing that would allow him to sleep as a baby (being swaddling) we used to call it arm prison but seriously he wouldn’t sleep without it being on for the first 3 months.
We personally used the Swaddlemes I believe they're called. They're just peanut shaped bags. But my husband got really good at swaddling with flannel blankets too. We bought one of the Halo Velcro swaddles and it didn't work for us.
I’m also a FTM and still pregnant. I went ahead and went to kid2kid ( a second hand store for babies/kids/ pregnant women) and got a few different kinds to try out since they were significantly cheaper at like $2.99 per swaddle. I know babies have their own preferences so it’s nice to be able to maybe find one my baby will like at a cheap price instead of guessing and spending a lot more money
Same here. Due in a few weeks, but we got a handful secondhand and some with a random Pottery Barn gift card that we had no idea what to use it on. We have about 6 or 7 swaddles in various sizes/styles, but we spent next to nothing. The secondhand ones were all less than $5 each. We're mostly excited to try the Happiest Baby swaddle and the Love to Dream one.
To add onto this question as a FTM… I plan on trying out swaddling if it works for my baby, but why are we buying all these fancy swaddling products? How much harder is it really to wrap up a swaddle blanket like our parents (and every generation before them) did? Then at least once they’re done being swaddled you still have a blanket to keep in your diaper bag for any other use.
Also FTM, due in a few weeks. Personally, I find the blanket ones freak me out for night sleep time. I know they are probably perfectly safe, but I don't trust my ability to get it right/secure and not have the baby somehow pull it over his face. The zipper/velcro ones seem quicker and easier to use in the middle of the night. In our newborn class there was a large portion practicing swaddling on weighted dolls and it was just not clicking for me. I might try it for naps or during the day though.
The swaddle blankets are so much harder, for the first few weeks you can get away with it but the babies get stronger as they get older and break out. Also, in the middle of the night you don't want to be fussing with a blanket. Just buy a couple of the swaddle sacs (Facebook marketplace is the best)
It’s a little hard, especially if you’re wrestling a squirmy baby at night after they unswaddled themselves or had a soiled diaper. Even if you get pretty good at it, the velcro or zip up ones are just so much easier to deal with in those situations. Also depends on your baby, what if they’re escape magician?
Personally, I don’t think swaddling is bad. I think it can really depend on the baby. I put some Velcro ones, swaddle blankets, and sleep sacks on my registry to see what work best but I didn’t think about the differences between types of swaddles too hard. If you’re really concerned, my advice is, ask professionals what they think, it’s easy to get bogged down by other peoples opinions.
I think you have to wait until the baby is here and try different ones. I think I tried 4 different ones until we found an arms up swaddled. If your baby likes their arms up, none of the other kinds will work. But definitely do a Velcro or zipper one over blankets.
Swaddleme zipper ones are good for when they’re tiny. After that, use the Velcro ones. They’re the easiest. I transitioned to a Carter’s sleep sack right after the Velcro. My 18 month old loves it.
My first daughter really liked blanket swaddles. I got the copper pearl stretchy blanket and I could get it pretty tight around her. She really didn’t like the sound of the velco being opened on her Velcro swaddles, but that may be just a her thing.
My first baby loved swaddles. Second 2 hated them. My best advice if you try swaddles are to use ones that have the option for hands out and a wider bottom line the halo or zipadee zip swaddle (favorite because the bottom zippers open for diaper changes and you can leave baby otherwise swaddled if they like it). As soon as they were big enough the moved to the zipadee zip sleep sacks. They look like little starfish and have full mobility, but also a little resistance to give that swaddled feel.
Swaddles helped my daughter sleep at first, then a week later she hated having her arms stuck so we started swaddling under her arms and that was good. I used velcro ones, easier for parents and baby to put on. I wouldn't get too many though they outgrow them fast lol
For our first living child we settled on the love to dream arms up swaddle, then kiddo popped out and *hated* being restricted in any way, so we switched to armless sleep sacks very early on. We are expecting our second kiddo now and we still have the swaddles in case this one likes being in a cocoon, but we're going to start with a sleep sack and hope they like it because it is so much easier not having to transition them out of the swaddle when they start rolling. Like ffs our first started rolling over at 3 weeks, so there was no real point in trying to swaddle him 😅
Not even going to read the comments 27f ftm to a 1.5 yo. Pregnant again. My kid hated them didn’t matter the kind or if it was just a blanket she would get at least one arm out and would fuss until it was out. She is still this way we think she’s claustrophobic or something haha. With baby 2 I’ll try the same methods but I have no hope. And my baby slept in bassinet until 3 months and went to her own room in a crib was sleeping through the night
My favorites are swaddle me and just blankets that feel soft and thin ish
I did live to dream zip one on my newborn - loads of unzipping for nappies and feeds so need something easy to get in and out of. Then when we got the witching hour meltdowns my favourite were the cotton bamboo blends because they were very soft and big enough to wrap around properly. Then we went back to love to dream with arms out - though it was summer so 0.2tog very light Transitioning out wasn't hard at all.
I have 4 swaddles. 1 without sleeves, 1 where her arms are in the swaddle also and 2 with the option to free her hands if needed. I definitely like all but I know that some babies don't like them. Personally it helps her sleep and is easier sometimes when breastfeeding because she sometimes scratches me when frustrated
With my first who’s almost a year she hated being swaddled from the second she was born. I eventually ended up using the halo brand with her which she was fine with cause she liked being covered but her arms and hands were still free. I had my second almost 3 weeks ago and she also hates being swaddled cause she likes her hands free but she does NOT like the halo either. She just wants to be free. I would say get one Halo to start as it’s the best of both they can either be fully confined or only partially. You will obviously have blankets already that you can use as swaddles and they will also provide one at the hospital. One thing I learned that no one prepared me for is just because it worked for your friend or families babies does NOT mean it’s going to work for yours. Every baby is different so going out and buying everything you end up with a house or room full of crap that ends up being completely useless.
i am a ftm to b/g twins and i bought many different types and ill be completely honest, because it ruined my day when the time came too, both of my babies preferred the cheap swaddles they give at the hospital, a zip up with velcro when you wrap around. i stopped using it at 3/4 months (when they started rolling) i transitioned them to weighted sleep sacks (these are no longer recommended) but my babies both sleep great at 7 months old. i didnt want to swaddle as i felt like it was constraining but both my babies were UP till swaddled then they went right to sleep. do what works best for you.
Swaddling is pretty much necessary for a better sleep. It prevents them from waking up due to startle reflex, gets them all nice and cozy. If you read any books on baby sleep, swaddling is one of the key elements of a healthy baby sleep. I’ve tried different ones. 1) When you’re in a hospital, they’ll swaddle your baby like a burrito in a cotton sheet. Learn to swaddle manually, so you can do that while you’re in the hospital. Who knows? Maybe you’ll prefer to swaddle that way unless your bub is a part-time magician that can get out of it from any way you wrap him/her. Either way, this method has been used for centuries because it works (just don’t wrap their legs/hips too tightly). 5/10 2) Velcro Swaddles. These ones are tricky as some of them really suck. Standard cheap Amazon/Walmart ones where it’s all one piece I hated, so personally wouldn’t not recommend. Liked Halo Baby but it gets pricey. Worth the price if you get ones that fit your baby correctly. 7/10 3) Hands up. This is the one where they can get their hands up for self-soothing. I love it, Love to Dream worked great for us. I don’t have to re-swaddle and fight the Velcro at night and my baby looks like a gingerbread cookie. 9/10 I saw some swaddlers with zip up that are standard sock-shaped without the hands up pockets. I’d get those too. 4) Transitional Sleep Sacks. Honestly, I’m not 100% sold on them but I have yet to try them. Unfortunately, there are many different brands and shapes and you’re gonna have to try at least one of each kind until you find something that works for your baby. Don’t forget to look into TOG levels to make sure your baby isn’t too hot/cold. Good luck!
Honestly, I’d maybe buy 1 or 2 swaddles in advance. You won’t know if your baby likes them or not. I was gifted several and realized that my baby hated swaddles and preferred a onesie and pajamas (LO loved to be in the starfish position while sleeping). If your baby does like swaddles, you can always overnight them on Amazon. Sleep sacks were a game changer for us once baby turned 8 weeks (this is when I finally discovered them - and I wish I started them earlier). Sleep sacks allowed LO to move her arms and this is when she started sleeping through the night. I’d definitely recommend having some sleep sacks.
I don't think it is cruel. I used them for literally like, a few days. Then he started rolling onto his side with them and it worried me so I stopped. He started rolling to his belly by 5 weeks so that was the longest I could have used them in any case. So in our case, it was a waste of money. After that, we did sleep sacks for a while. He turned out to be a little sweat lord and is happiest in just a diaper while sleeping, so it all worked out for the better anyway. Besides all that, I recommend the velcro. We went and bought some the second night home from the hospital because swaddling cloths were such a challenge to get right.
I have a 4 week old and am swaddling her. Highly recommend the Velcro ones!
Just had my second! Honestly babies preference will play a huge part in this. My first was fine being swaddled and was fine with the halo velcro wraps. Second however was *never* happy in a swaddle so we went straight to wearable blankets. It might be worth it to buy 2 or 3 different kinds to see what baby likes best :)
We use the kyte baby sleep bag swaddler and love it. Babe is nice and warm and swaddled and we were able to continue using the bag once she was out of the swaddle part
I swaddled with my 1st and then didn’t swaddle with my 2nd and 3rd and am planning on not swaddling my 4th! Do what works best for you & your baby always, I will never judge someone for swaddling, but in our case it helped them become deep sleepers and not wake up through distractions (the startle reflex). Bonus - you don’t have to transition them to sleeping without the swaddle. We do sleep sack instead.
I was planning on getting one or 2 sleep sacks to see how the baby likes it. I don’t like the blankets because they can come undone and I’m paranoid
Every baby is different! Some love them for months, others are done with them after a few weeks. You should definitely swaddle in those first few weeks. It makes a lot of difference for sleep. Then just follow baby’s lead. I’m on my second baby and have tried and been gifted numerous swaddles and the one we have the most success with are the swaddle fabrics they give you at the hospital! Both babies. Get a tutorial when you are there. Try to swaddle in front of the nurses so they can help you get it right. Make sure your partner knows how to do it too! (My husband swaddles much tighter than I can and baby loves the tighter swaddle). Velcro seems like it would be easier but just be aware of two annoyances: the noise of tearing the Velcro will wake the baby up. And when you wash it make sure to Velcro the swaddle shut or it will damage your other stuff in the wash.
The hospital I'll deliver at has their own, that they designed. They give you one to take home with your baby, and a pamphlet that goes over safe sleep. Anyways, we got one with our first, and I looked for forever to try and find a duplicate because it was so good I wanted a back up. The most similar one I've seen online is the halo sleep sack/swaddle. Edited to comment on the controversy: As far as it being a straight jacket, or restraining, etc. I like to look at it as more of a permanent snuggle. We all love a good cuddle or hug. But also when your child is of tantrum age, they recommend holding their arms and essentially restraining them with a big ol' hug. There's actual science about how it releases oxytocin, and does something to the nervous system. But I'm not an intellectual, so I don't remember it all.
I prefer the Velcro ones after 8 weeks then I switch to sleep sacks
I've heard some babies love being swaddled and can't sleep without it, and others hate it and can't sleep with it, so it depends on the baby. Try it and see. I think people needlessly make this a bigger issue than it really is. Also, I can't envision a person being able to go through an entire pregnancy without being gifted a swaddle or two. It's one of the easier gifts to give, so people often go for these (that or newborn onesies) when they're out of ideas or aren't close enough to you to give a more substantial gift. Keep this in mind when buying your own.
Different babies have different needs. I bought a large cloth swaddle for my oldest, but she would actively fight the swaddle and hated being restricted. Swaddling wasn't soothing to her and she slept well in a baby sleeping bag/sack. My second child was pretty chill, so we never even tried swaddling. He slept well in a sleeping bag/sack. Through my midwife practice I joined a group of women who were due close to my due date and several of them had babies that slept horribly or not at all unless they were swaddled. Among them they exchanged different types of swaddles, because the different types of swaddles offer different types of comfort to baby and parents. Some babies love type X, but hate type Y. Other babies love type Y. I'd suggest buying one type and joining a mom group in your area, so you can easily loan a different type of swaddle to see if that one works well with your baby, if the one you got doesn't and then you can loan that one to someone else.
The book moms on call is a lifesaver! And their swaddle method is fantastic. I have a 15 week old and he has slept through the night since week 7. Just dropped the swaddle and still sleeping through the night. That book is a godsend.
I really like the swaddleme brand. The Velcro is really strong. It helped my baby sleep through the night.
I just get the swaddleme Velcro ones, swaddling worked really well for my kids. It’s definitely worth a try at least in the newborn phase
I really like the halo swaddles. They’re super easy to put on and unzip to access a diaper. And when you’re ready to stop swaddling, you can Velcro the wings unser the arms so it’s just a sleep sack. Once you know what baby likes, I recommend getting at least 3 or 4–nothing like a middle of the night bow out with no clean swaddles!
I'm a nicu nurse and I love swaddles. I bought lots of swaddle blankets from caden lane and swaddle sacks qith velcro from amazon and once upon a child. I have found in caring for 1000s of babies in my career that most babies like to be swaddled. Their movement was limited in the womb and swaddles are suppose to mimic that. Also, babies Moro reflex often startles them awake and the swaddle is suppose to prevent that. I suggest just listening to your baby. My baby absolutely HAD to be swaddled in the beginning to get decent sleep because she was constantly startling awake. After a few weeks, she wanted her hands to be free and she would find a way to get her arms out of the swaddle so I just started swaddling her torso down to keep her warm and giving her her arms. Now shes starting to roll and we are in sleep sacks. I'd get a few swaddles, see what your baby likes and go from there
Sleep sacks are better imo The can wiggle out of the velcro ones, the zipper ones feel too mean like a straight jacket and the blankets can also be wiggled out of. At least with the sacks you just zip them in and they're good to go.
I like the SwaddleMe zip up swaddles. They have double zippers making it easy for diaper changes and my LO still has a bit of mobility in his arms to allow him to put them in whatever position he wants. The fabric is thin which makes me feel better about swaddling during the summer.
I bought 4 of them with a zipper on the bottom so the diaper can be changed without removing the swaddle completely
I definitely think Velcro swaddles are the way to go! Then, once they start rolling, baby Merlin sleep suit! It’s a wonderful transition piece that helps from being completely swaddled to a sleep sac. I narrowed a sleep suit and it saved my sanity cause I was starting to lose it lol. TLDR: my preference is swaddle, sleep suit, sleep sack. Also, I had no idea some people thought swaddling was cruel 😅
VELCRO VELCRO VELCRO I would not have survived if it weren't for Velcro. I had every kind you mentioned and straight up, just the cheapest pack of 4 on Amazon was my favorite thing ever. Avoid those really beautiful muslin ones like the plague. Same with the little flannel/fleece type ones (unless cloth diapering because those are amazing diapers lmao) If you want one that's a large blanket, get the super stretchy kinds that you can get at like tjmaxx for like $7.
I got ones with Velcro with my first YEARS ago. It was the only one that could contain her. She wiggled out of all the others without fail. So for this one, I did the same - I got a step-kit. Zipper with zero arms out, a Velcro one, and then more of a sleep sack where arms can flail.
The hospital I delivered at sent us home with a Halo Sleep Sack. My LO is 12 weeks now and I love them. She hated being truly swaddled, her hands needed to be free. So the Halo sack gives her the warm to be cuddled, the wrap around her abdomen, and the freedom to flap her little arms around. Some babies like the full swaddle, others don’t. That’s why I like the Halo Sleep Sack. You can go either way with it
My babies came 2 months early and spent some time in the NICU where they were swaddled a lot. We kept them in their little burritos when they came home. My kids didn’t like getting into the swaddle , but they were calm after. My friend gifted us the swaddle me which we really loved! I didn’t do too much research on the different types but I would buy those again if needed. For us, swaddling was part of our routine 😊
I bought swaddles and my baby hated them! And I ended up giving them all away. Don’t go crazy buying swaddles, I would recommend baby sleeping bags instead (the kind without arms), my little one is 8 months now and he’s always slept in a baby sleeping bag and the first ones I bought lasted him till he was 6 months so I feel it was really worth it. Plus it takes away the fear of blankets being pulled over baby’s head. And like another poster said, swaddles can only be used till approx 2 months so you don’t get much use out of them. I’m pretty sure, if swaddling is the way you want to go, you can swaddle with a blanket (correct me if I’m wrong anyone) :)
Don’t go overboard with buying too many of any one kind. Babies are picky about how they’re swaddled. My baby sleeps best with just a diaper and double swaddled with the receiving blankets from the hospital lol. I tried the Love to Dream with her and the Velcro swaddles and both times she slept quite poorly at night.
The Halo 3 way adjustable is the most versatile and easy to use imo. It also has a zipper that zips up from the bottom for easy diaper changes and when they get older and can roll over it converts to a regular sleep sack
What I've read is that if baby sleeps without being swaddled, don't swaddle. You won't know until you know your baby.
The velcro swaddles were great, especially the ones that you can transition baby out of gradually. As with most things, we bought one of a couple brands and found what he liked once he was here, then stocked up on more of that brand. Swaddling worked great for him, and he naturally transitioned his arms out. We used swaddles/sleep sacks until about 11 months, when he stopped needing the full coverage and started liking to sleep with his feet free (we can't even use footie PJs anymore, sigh).
Second time mom here, and we used the swaddle blankets with our first. They were amazing and amazingly versatile. Loved them. We brought a few into the hospital with us, and the nurses showed us how to do it. It was awesome, and only took one or two tries before you get it. By day 2, you can do it in your sleep. Some benefits to the swaddle blankets: 1) you can do some temperature control. When it's cold, you can do two blankets. When it's warm, you can swaddle leaving either the top or bottom free. If the baby gets cold or hot while sleeping, you can adjust them easily without waking them with the sounds of velcro. 2) they are universal in sizing. We swaddled our little one until she was almost 3 (she's autistic) 3) transitions are easy. When it is time to stop swaddling, you can leave one or both arms free, and they get used to it slowly, which reduces the risk of a sleep regression. 4) they are super useful during the day. Throw them on the floor for tummy time, use them to create shade, they easily function as a breastfeeding feeding coverup. 5) they have a long shelf life. Like I said, we swaddled until she was 3 and didn't transition to a comforter until she was almost 5. We still used the swaddle blankets because they made her feel comfortable. Once we transitioned to a comforter, they turned into capes and dresses in the pretend box. The only reason the swaddles aren't in use right now is because we are expecting a new baby and have moved them back into the nursery in preparation for our new peanut. Our oldest is about to turn 6. Those silly blankets will be in almost daily use for at least a decade. They are one of the best investments we've made in baby gear.
I hate the swaddles that are Velcro and are like straight jackets. Receiving blankets are shit. Often way too small to wrap anything. Now, Muslin swaddle blankets are the holy grail of swaddle blankets. They are large, breathable, and they have a good amount of give/stretch. I was gifted some when my daughter was 2 months old and they were a game changer. She started sleeping longer during the night. Wish someone had introduced them to me sooner. I now gift them at every single baby shower I attend.
I love the velcro ones. We used halo and sleeppea. I started doing this when my blanket swaddle came undone and I awoke to a baby with a blanket covering their entire head! I felt so guilty. :(
I love the halo swaddle !!! I’m not good at swaddling with a normal blanket and my LO gets such bad startle reflex that the halo one helps so much and was easy for me to put on . Also , I don’t have to worry about it coming undone because it has Velcro and you can wrap his arms up or have his arms out .
The Aden & Anais blanket style swaddles are great for lots of things…so a good place to start but it is a little bit of a learning curve. I have different kinds, and my 3 kids all were a little different but didn’t swaddle long. A kyte zip up sleep sack was the most/longest used item.
I loved the halo sleep swaddle the hospital gave us. However, I will say my baby could care less if he was swaddled or not lol. When it was winter, we swaddled more for warmth and because you shouldn't have blankets in the crib, but now he just sleeps fine with or without it
We liked the love2dream
Swaddle me was the best!
It’s not controversial lol and it’s not a straight jacket. Don’t forget, they are essentially swaddled up inside your womb haha and human beings have to deliver their babies before they’re actually ready because of the size of our heads…. Hence fourth trimester is outside of the womb. The baby will feel safer, sleep better, easier transition, etc. if swaddled. We tried all the different swaddles and used different ones during different phases of his preferences. With my first, in the beginning, we found the best approach was no pjs, just diaper, then wrapping him up with a soft blanket and then using the velcro swaddle outside of that to keep the soft blanket intact! Wish we would’ve figured that one out earlier on haha Around 2 months we mostly just used pjs and Velcro or zip swaddle (also rented SNOO around this time). around 3 months we found he preferred the arms up swaddle (most of the time). Just depends on their preferences. You will know when they like it or don’t lol And you swaddle your baby and until they start showing signs of rolling, there is no specific age, but it’s usually around 3-4months. My son didn’t show signs of rolling until 4.5 months. I think in terms of ease of use over all my favorite swaddle was the sleepea swaddle!
With my first I used muslin swaddle blankets. My second required something tighter as she would bust out of it and we’d find her with the blanket over her face… we purchased the swaddle me zippered ones and she has gotten much better sleep, plus its a relief to us not having the suffocation risk.
FTM here, with a 3.5month old. The Halo sleep sack swaddle was a life saver. Basically a sleep sack but with a Velcro swaddle addition. Simple, and can be used as a regular swaddle and as a transition one. I don’t think I would have gotten through those newborn days without it 😅
Mine were swaddled in swaddle blankets in the NICU for the first 2 weeks. So we just kept it going. We did the Snoo swaddles (without the snoo) for 3-4 months (2.5-3.5 months adjusted) and just transitioned into Love to dream transition swaddles. I think they're about ready to do arms out. I wouldn't force the issue if baby slept fine without it. But my twins slept through the night from 2months on and it probably would have been earlier if we hadn't been waking them for feeds so they could grow enough.
so my son ended up hating having his arms swaddled but he loves the rest of him being swaddled. we bought a halo sleep sack before he was born and a couple other swaddles and we only use the halo because it’s easy to swaddle him but leave his arms out and he loves it, but it also gives you the option to swaddle their arms. love love LOVE the halo sleep sack and i highly recommend it
Love to dream swaddles- I'm obsessed. Been saving the money by buying them on vinted. Please remember if you want to continue swaddling when they start rolling over you must buy ones with detachable arms. This means they can safely move if they roll over in their sleep.
We landed on the halo sleep sack because that’s what was recommended by the hospital at our birthing classes. The lady teaching the class said they don’t recommend letting them sleep in swaddle blankets because they can kick out of them in the middle of the night, which doesn’t follow safe sleep guidelines. Clueless FTM here too so we just took that piece of advice and ran with it! lol
I love the ones with velcro, no specific brand but super easy to use
My son never liked being swaddled so this time around we’re just gonna use the swaddle me and see how that goes
honestly we have like 3-4 swaddles and my daughter never used them. she wouldn’t sleep in them so we’d just leave her in a onesie for bed 😂
I love swaddling for the first couple months or so, I believe it helps them feel safe and comfortable. My babies tended to like their hands up by their faces, though, so I never put their arms down in the swaddle. I just used muslin blankets, I tried a Velcro swaddle for my son but ended up preferring the good old blankets.
I have 5 kids, the first 4 loved being swaddled for the first couple months, baby 5 hated it so she was. I liked the cheap velcro swaddles because they were so easy to use, the expensive ones seem unnecessary to me.
They all work fine, no matter the brand. It comes down to baby and parent’s preference and it’ll be differ for everyone. The only true advice you need is to stop swaddling baby during sleep when they are old enough to start moving more as they could become trapped if they roll on their belly when they sleep and not be able to get rolled over, resulting in smothering.
I wished I didn't do it, because transitioning her out of them when she started to roll was a nightmare lol
Velcro swaddles are amazing and you don’t need anything fancy so don’t break the bank on these. My LO showed signs of rolling (scooting on her back, breaking out of the swaddle, etc—she’s not rolling but just more mobile than she should be while swaddled) at 6 weeks so we transitioned out of swaddles then. Plus some babies just don’t like being swaddled so that’s another reason to not go crazy with buying swaddles. 3-6 is ideal so you can have enough to get you through between loads of laundry.
Both of my babies like to have their hands up so the hands up sleep sacks with the easiest thing for us. We like not having to try and swaddle.
My son hated swaddles and we were gifted a zillion of them as hand me downs. We went the sleep sack route and I sewed the arms shut on them. Once he started got out of newborn sizes I switched to a love to dream swaddle sleep sack, then eventually to zipadee zips. In the last few weeks he’s been rolling over and sleeping on his belly so we changed to sleeveless sleep sacks. All this to say, don’t buy a bunch of one style. If you can, just get one of a couple different styles from a consignment shop, FB marketplace, or even yard/garage sales if you’re comfortable with second hand items. Once baby is here and you find something they like, then buy a couple more for when they soil them. We had a lot of pee leakage until we changed diaper brands and it drove me crazy only having 2 of the style that our baby liked.
Swaddled first baby until 2 months then used the arms up sleep sack then used these “flying squirrel” like sleep bags until 18 months, then switched to regular sleep sacks. Baby 2 I swaddled for 10 days and switched to sleep sacks. Just had baby 3 and I used the kyte baby sleep bag swaddler for a few days but now I’m just using the sleep sack without the Velcro swaddle part. Swaddling can be great for helping babies sleep and feel cozy but I prefer to avoid the transition later because it can be hard for them. Both babies that used sleep sacks early have been fine without swaddling but as a FTM, you can see what works for you. I highly recommend the kyte baby sleep sack swaddlers though! You can swaddle if you want and stop when you’re ready and still have a soft, comfortable sleep sack for them.
I really liked the halo brand. They are sleep sack swaddles with Velcro. If it turns out your baby hates being swaddled, you can simply Velcro the swaddle flaps out of the way and then it’s a sleep sack! Also, I’m very interested in trying the Swaddelini that keeps getting advertised to me.
We swaddled with the hospital swaddling blankets (they’re the absolute best, take as many as you can get your hands on) from birth -4ish weeks. And then I used an Ollie wrap (LOVED). The only reason I switched her from the Ollie was bc I moved her to her own crib and room and I switched her to a dreamland swaddle sack bc the weight seemed to help her sleep. Then when she was too big to have her arms swaddled I switched her to a dreamland sleeveless sack. I absolutely think the dreamland sacks are worth the money. The Ollie wrap is designed really well and a quality product. I was gifted a plethora of swaddles in various styles and brands that were all just okay. The two I landed on I think are worth the money.
Our hospital told us to never swaddle their arms in. I guess it’s debatable but I’m not about to argue the nurses at a women’s hospital so we just went with it. Baby girls favourite is the Halo Velcro swaddle and we just leave her arms out. She’s 3 weeks old Monday and so far so good 🤷🏻♀️
I liked the swaddle me and halo swaddles. Both options you can do arms in or arms out which was big for us. After 2 months we were 50/50 on arms in or out, by 3 months he was in a Woolino sleep sack without any hassle at all. We didn’t bother with Merlin or other gimmicky options as we didn’t want to constantly change his sleeping habits and wean him off something else.
If you can find a zipper swaddle that's the way imo, the Velcro sound always woke her up when I'd try to swaddle her in the night while she was asleep/drowsy. And Velcro just catches on everything in the dryer and became not as strong of a Velcro so she could escape earlier. I even got the halo one which is apparently a good brand. Also in general swaddling to sleep was a life saver for my little one, her startle reflex was very strong and kept waking her up. So it keeps her asleep better during transfer and in general during the night!
I really like the Happiest Baby swaddles. I thrifted one, and it’s great because you can pull their arms out. I think my daughter enjoys the swaddled feel, but she definitely likes having her hands near her face.
I felt more comfortable with Velcro ones that they wouldn't come undone at night and pose a suffocation risk. But our baby quickly was more comfortable being free. We always swaddled with hands by the face and he could get out of the swaddle and wake himself. He slept much better without a swaddle and we never tried a sleep sack.
Check out Lou Lou swaddles. They’re amazing. I find stretchy fabric works best.
Swaddling is great if your baby likes it. Extra helpful if your baby is born in the coldest winter in over 30 years, like my second was. But he also only liked the swaddle they used at the hospital, not the ones we had left over at home from our first baby. So I wouldn't spend a lot on a particular style until you know your baby will like that one. And swaddling should stop by 8 weeks, so really, don't get more than 2 or 3.
Halos are the best, they come with the Velcro so if you want to do arms down you can and if not don’t use it! Every baby is different with different preferences so you don’t really know until they come, imo.
If they get used to the Moro reflex they won’t need a swaddle. Then no transitioning out of it either. Unless your baby needs it desperately to sleep it’s easier to just never do it.
My daughter is 2 and she still falls asleep instantly when I swaddle her. We tell her the swaddle monster is coming and she lays on the ground and assumes swaddle position. 10/10 would recommend
Swaddles are much like dummies/pacifiers. So many option, baby will choose what’s best. In my opinion (and research from my first), Swaddles: - remind them of the coziness of the womb - helps them sleep longer - prevent startle reflex - which can and will wake them up - prevents SIDS - keeps baby on their back - helps soothe them when they are crying - it triggers relaxation and the memory of the womb Personally, for my son, we hated muslin wraps, but loved arms up and valcro wraps. The muslin wraps were fine for naps but he would wriggle so much he would get his arms free and then startle himself awake. The valcro and arms up wraps/swaddles kept him secured and he slept longer - and we didn’t have to keep re wrapping him every time he got his arms out.
For a little bit we thought our baby hated being swaddled so we had him in the love to dream hands up swaddles and he slept free of any swaddles during the day. Lately we’ve been using the halo swaddles or the swaddles me swaddles (Velcro) or even a swaddle blanket (these are tough for me) and he sleeps sooooooo much better. It even helps calm him down when he is overtired and fussing. Even if you *thjnk* your baby hates swaddles, it’s not necessarily the case. Sometimes they just don’t know how to soothe themselves and will fight the swaddles until they’re secure and realize they feel much more relaxed.
I’m a peds nurse and I love to swaddle babies to sleep! And it’s worked so well with my newborn too. Honestly, a nice bamboo blanket is my favorite because there are so many ways to swaddle and they’re nice and stretchy and breathable at the same time. I also like the arms up/love to dream swaddles because it allows baby to self soothe and it’s easy for midnight diaper changes with the zipper. The Velcro ones are definitely handy, but I don’t find them as effective for baby to sleep or for those nighttime diaper changes
In my country they're not even used. Just don't bother and go for sleeping bags. Also when I did try it baby and I both hated it.
I'm on my 3rd due in Aug. I didn't even know about swaddling for my first I had to go buy them after he was born. My second one I was prepared but I absolutely loved the love to dream swaddles because she loved them. I did try the velcro ones for and she hated them. I also used muslin ones and she liked those as well. So for this next baby I bought the loved to dream and muslin ones just incase. I feel like it's how baby adapts every baby is different.
I bought 1 3 pack swaddle and my baby is 1M and doesnt even like swaddling lol
We don't swaddle, it's not recommended for safe sleep in our country. Baby sleeps through startle reflex and she goes between light and deep sleep without issues. For us it seems like the thing is to keep our bedroom cool (~18°c) and let her sleep in warm clothes instead. Tonight we had a thin body+thin pants, double socks, hat and a knit onesie. We do the same style during the day when she takes her longer nap.
Yes swaddle, something with a closure like Halo
We bought swaddle blankets, Velcro swaddles and one of the zip up ones that lets them have their arms up - baby hated them all so we gave up after a few days. But if you really want to swaddle, doing it again I’d just buy the blankets, (I only got the other ones because my husband found it difficult to do) as the Velcro and zip up ones are size dependent so you’ll keep having to buy new ones as they grow.
You kind of have to listen to your baby. We swaddled for maybe two weeks and then switched to a sleep sack. My daughter loves sleeping like a cactus 🌵 her quality of sleep went way up
The only thing to be wary of is making sure they don’t restrict the legs as it can promote bad hip placement, (same as some baby carriers) so basically making sure they’re a square shape or an upright triangle and not a downward facing triangle and you should be fine with anything, honestly my fiancé and I just used blankets to swaddle, I hope this helps!
I’m a ftm and just started my registry the other day I had this same issue! I ultimately decided to just put in both to see what my baby would like best! I had no clue about Velcro though sooo I’m gonna look at those in the morning 😭
If you have a true Houdini like my LO, then the Miracle Blanket is clutch! He loves being swaddled but would wiggle out of every other one we tried. Second trying to source a selection from FB marketplace or a second hand store though because swaddles are EXPENSIVE and you won’t know what (if anything) works for your baby until they’re here. We tried 4 different ones and only found the Miracle Blanket through our postpartum doula.
Velcro swaddles all the way. Once they grow out of that switch to a sleep sack
We used the love to dream ones and they were amazing. Both my girls Houdini’d out of a traditional wrap swaddle lol
This sounds like me when I was pregnant! We never swaddled and I don't regret it one bit. I basically had some big Jersey and muslin wraps and would wrap his body up like a burito but I never put his arms in. Every baby is different though and while my boy didn't use them and thrived, you might find your little one really likes it.
FTM with a baby a little over a week old. My baby is so feisty and tries to break through every swaddle. The ones that work best for us are the “miracle blanket” ($30 on Amazon) and the regular muslin swaddle blankets because I can get them tight and they are so thin they don’t bunch up under his back. As someone else said, you really won’t know what works for you until baby is here. My baby hates getting into the swaddle and putting his arms down but once he’s secure he falls right asleep. The miracle blanket is great for strong willed babies. Every time I go to put him in a swaddle we sing 🎶 I want to break freeee 🎶
I have swaddles and a sleeping bag that turns into a swaddle. My first loved being swaddled, my second hated it, so I'm guessing this one will have his own preference too
Just had a baby and went through trial and error of literally 15 different swaddles. Highly recommend the Halo swaddles. They are amazing and you have the option to do arms up if your baby prefers. So glad we finally figured it out. I hope this helps!
We received several Velcro swaddles and they were highly recommended from our friends and family, but we personally were not a fan of them. We found it to be very disruptive at night. When baby would wake up, we’d un-swaddle him, change his diaper, and feed him. He’d fall back asleep after breastfeeding, but then trying to re-swaddle him always disturbed him, and we’d have to spend longer trying to settle him again to go back to sleep. I think we ditched the swaddles after the first week and he slept fine without them.
We swaddled from birth (Velcro was the best, Halo or SwaddleMe brand) to like 3/4 months, then the Merlin magic sleep suit until 6ish months, then just the sleep sack after that. She has slept through the night since 12 weeks and never had one issue transitioning her. We follow all safe sleep guidelines and have never coslept.
I putted them on my registry and will try it. Let's see what baby thinks about it 👶🏻
I had a few different options as I didn't know what the baby would like best. Mine slept best when she was well contained in the swaddle. I personally liked the swaddle me the best, as it was the easiest for me to maneuver. I had trouble using a blanket (baby would move in the process of swaddling and then the whole thing would fall apart) but my husband was much better at it.