Are you all enjoying this poll format? It takes me a lot longer to put the post together, but I love this format! It provides so much more information for you readers than the simple question where people answer. I love to see the wisdom from you readers as you share your experiences.
Here is the original post with all of the answers: https://www.babywisemom.com/2013/01/poll-discussion-swaddling.html
At the time I tallied results, there were 41 comments posted. Any comment posted after my thank you is not included in these results. There were responses for 63 babies. I do not check and triple check my tallies. I do my best to be very accurate, but I would not be surprised if there are some errors.
If a person answered an age question with a range (like 4-5 months old), I went with the first number listed. When someone said, “just shy of four months,” I went with four months.
Swaddling Questions:
- Did you swaddle your baby?
- If yes, at what age did you stop swaddling your baby?
- If yes, what method did you use to wean baby from swaddle? (examples are one-arm, cold-turkey, etc). Feel free to elaborate.
- If yes, at what age was baby swaddle free?
- In retrospect, do you have any advice for parents in regard to swaddling?
Results:
- Did you swaddle your baby?
YES: 56 (89%)
NO: 7 (11%) - If yes, at what age did you stop swaddling your baby?
1 MONTH: 1 (2%)
2 MONTHS: 4 (7%)
3 MONTHS: 12 (21%)
4 MONTHS: 14 (25%)
5 MONTHS: 8 (14%)
6 MONTHS: 7 (13%)
8 MONTHS: 1 (2%)
9 MONTHS: 2 (4%)
N/A (hadn’t started yet): 8 (14%) - If yes, what method did you use to wean baby from swaddle? (examples are one-arm, cold-turkey, etc). Feel free to elaborate.
One-arm or another version of weaning: 20
Cold Turkey: 19
One-arm followed soon by cold turkey: 4
Transitioned into another type of sleep aid (like the Merlin’s Sleep Sack): 3
Baby Led: 1 - If yes, at what age was baby swaddle free?
1 MONTH: 1 (2%)
2 MONTHS: 1 (2%)
3 MONTHS: 8 (14%)
4 MONTHS: 12 (21%)
5 MONTHS: 5 (%)
6 MONTHS: 7 (13%)
7 MONTHS: 5 (9%)
8 MONTHS: 2(4%)
9 MONTHS: 2 (4%)
10 MONTHS: 2 (4%)
N/A (not done yet): 10 (18%) - In retrospect, do you have any advice for parents in regard to swaddling?PLEASE go to the original post and read the fabulous advice from the readers. There is a lot of great advice there.
One great piece of advice that was frequently given was essentially to stick with swaddling even if you aren’t so sure your baby likes it. I completely agree with this. There are a couple of comments about their baby not being swaddled and it being okay, so if you are vascilating on deciding if you should swaddle or not, reading through comments might bring you some insight.
Another great piece of advice frequently given was so get a good swaddle blanket.
My favorite advice given came from Danielle. She said:
“Looking back, I don’t know why I felt such pressure to stop swaddling her at 3 & 6 months. She clearly wasn’t ready at either of those times. I was letting other people’s comments make me feel insecure about my decision to swaddle. I should have known it wasn’t a big deal and that eventually when she was ready we would stop.”
I love this comment! It really spoke to me because I feel that pressure with Brinley right now. She still has one arm swaddled and is NOT ready for two arms yet. I haven’t even had a comment from anyone about it–I just feel this pressure or like something is hanging over my head.
