My newborn, (5 days old) hates to be swaddled.?

Question

He hates it so much that everytime he is swaddled, he screams bloody murder until we at least let one arm loose. He ususally uses that arm to lay either over his head or straight up like he's stretching. I am deathly afraid of SIDS. What can I do to get him swaddled without that discomfort that he feels. I know its more important to swaddle than to worry about his discomfort but we have tried to let him cry it out, and it literally can go on for hours. Please HELP!!!!

Answer 1

Swaddling doesn't prevent SIDS, if anything it increases the risks of SIDS by causing baby to sleep so deeply they can't be arroused or by causing the baby to oversleep.

Swaddling is merely done so that baby feels secure and is content and possibly sleeps longer. That's it. It has no health benefits.

http://www.kathydettwyler.org/detsleepthrough.html
who slip into abnormal patterns of very deep sleep from which it is very difficult for them to rouse themselves when they experience an episode of apnea (stop breathing).

http://www.babycenter.com/viewArticle.htm;jsessionid=041F64822FEAFB6F5568CCB1301A6380.02-05?articleId=419&page=5#articlesection0
Other SIDS experts caution that swaddling could contribute to overheating. So if you do swaddle your baby, use a thin blanket and make sure the room isn't too warm. And, of course, never put your baby on his tummy when he's swaddled.

Answer 2

If he doesnt like it, dont do it!! My son wasnt a big fan of swaddling either. My son always sleeps with a hand on or near his face too. Never Ever Ever let a new born baby cry it out!!! They cant understand the object of crying it out, they are too young for this!! This is only effective once they are about 6 months old because they can start to understand by that age cause and effect.
It really doesnt matter if you dont swaddle!! The main reason for doing that is to make them feel more secure like they were in the womb, it doesnt have anything to do with reducing SIDS to my knowledge.

Answer 3

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Have you tried upping his formula amount? By 3-4 weeks my son was taking in 4 oz. every 2-3 hours. He may be going through a growth spurt she he'll need to eat more. Does he only sleep 4 hours total during the day? Or 4 hours at a time but for multiple times during the day? Either way, I don't know why you're fretting. He's getting older so he may be able to stay awake longer between sleeping times. And waking every two hours at night is normal as well. If he wants to be held, hold him. It's normal for a newborn to need constant touch with their mother/father. They need that security. It won't last forever so, for now, do what you know works: hold him! Have you tried swaddling him while rocking? That may help calm him down. Please, please, please do NOT make him cry it out any longer. And I really hope you're exaggerating with the "he will keep crying for 5 hrs in his crib." Tell me you're not allowing him to cry that long. That's really crappy parenting if you are! A three week old knows nothing of self soothing and the CIO method isn't even recommended until 6 months of age. If his crying continues even while you're holding him and he's been fed, changed, etc. then you may want to bring it up with his doctor.

Answer 4

My son (now 3) hated being swaddled but my daughter (now 17 months) wouldn't sleep unless she was tightly swaddled. I've never heard of not swaddling being associated with SIDS. My son did fine. I'm sure your baby will be too, just make sure he's warm enough.

Answer 5

Mine didn't like to be swaddled either. You can get sleep sacks for him to sleep in. They look like a blanket with arm holes that he can go in. They are recommended as an alternative to putting blankets on him, which are a SIDS risk. Being swaddled or not does not matter. Some babies do not prefer it.

Answer 6

then don't swaddle him.

put him in warm enough pj's that he doesn't need a blanket and just don't put a blanket in the crib with him.

sids awareness comes up with new things every year, and every year the policies change-- you just gotta do the best you can and your child will be just as safe from sides if you don't swaddle him just don't put extra blankets in there with him.

EDIT :::: NEWBORNS CAN NOT JUST CRY IT OUT they dont understand "cry it out", anything you've heard about "cry it out" just throw it out the window right now, that's horrible to just let your kid cry if he's uncomfortable make him comfortable. if you are really worried about sids, set your alarm for every 2 or 3 hours to check on your baby so you don't feel worried.

Answer 7

some babies do not like to be swaddled, so if yours doesn't want to, then don't do it. If you are afraid of him getting cold, there is a product that is sold in stores like Walmart called Halo, and it looks like overalls, but doesn't have legs, just an open "bag" looking bottom. It is made of a microfiber fleece material that will keep the baby warm, but is not a suffocation risk like a blanket.

Answer 8

My daughter never liked swaddling either, so I just didn't bother with it. Why do you think swaddling is important that you'd let the baby cry and be uncomfortable?

Answer 9

swaddeling has nothing to do with sids. Let the baby be comfortable! My son didn't want swaddled, either. When babies put their arms up over or behind their heads, it's a sign that they feel good.

Answer 10

If he doesn't like to be swaddled, then don't swaddle him. Not all babies are the same. My son was 10 lbs, and 24 in long at birth. He hated to be swaddled. He was so happy to finally be able to stretch out. And if the baby is comfortable having one arm out that is not a problem. Also, maybe your newborn is simply crying for attention. NEVER LET A NEWBORN JUST CRY IT OUT. Has some idiot put the bug in your ear, that if you pick him up every time he cries you will spoil him, or told you to put him on a strict schedule? Because if they did, they ought to be slapped. Newborns need to feel secure, he just came out of a safe warm environment, into a cold harsh world. Holding him, and picking him up when he cries is NOT going to spoil him, if anything it will make him feel more secure as a child. He is incapable of thinking about being spoiled, or manipulating you. All he wants is warmth, comfort, food, and clean diapers at this age. Hold and snuggle him all you want. Babies, also don't stick to strict schedules. They poop when they want to, they eat when they are hungry, they sleep when overstimulated and or tired. Plain and simple. You should also speak softly to him as you change him, and when you hold him. It will also make him feel more secure. I don't think there is anything wrong with picking up a baby when they cry until they understand what cause and effect are at about 1 year old.

Personaly I think there is nothing wrong with laying a baby on it's tummy as long as you have a firm crib mattress, and don't have pillows and blankets in the crib. I think putting them on their backs is going to be a bigger cause of crib death because they are more likely to aspirate it they vomit.

All three of my children slept on either their sides, with a rolled receiving blanket behind them to keep them FROM rolling on thier backs, or on their tummys. This had been the practice for thousands of years, until some idiots decided it would be cute to put all kinds of pretty fluffy soft stuff in to their baby's cribs. A few died because of this, and now, it's deemed safer to put them on their backs. It makes no sense to me at all. My gut feeling just says a newborn sleeping on it's back is not right.

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