Swaddling is a huge blessing! Titus sleeps so much better in this manner! I call my swaddled babies my little burritos. They look so cute I could just eat them up. 
We found the miracle blanket very helpful for this (thanks to a $10 craigslist find!). I tried experimenting with using various receiving blankets for this purpose and he would just squirm his arms right out of it and then disturb himself with his flinging arms. This blanket keeps him snuggly and warm, safe and secure without any fear of getting covered by blankets, but it is also thin enough that he doesn’t get too hot. We used this same blanket for Karis and had a very similar experience. I believe it assisted in helping them sleep longer and more peacefully as it mimics the womb. Unlike other swaddling blankets we have tried with velcro that wear out, this blanket has a pouch for the legs and feet, additional fabric inside to secure their arms by their sides, and simply wraps around them several times to keep them secure. It lasted for the first several months with my daughter. My only con: I wish I had more than one! He will burp up all over it and I have to get it washed quickly for the next sleeping time!
Have you tried swaddling your baby? What was your experience?
It works for me!
The link above leads to a Dr. Sears book, not a swaddler. Would you please fix it? I’m looking for a shower gift for a coworker (she doesn’t know what she’s having).
Strange!
I fixed it!
As I read through these, it looks like lots of Daddies are GREAT swaddlers. I know my husband did it so well that when our son had to go back to the hospital for three days @ 4 weeks old, nurses were coming in for demonstrations. We found that 36″ flannel squares worked the trick brilliantly, and this was for an 11lb 7oz baby that was almost 22″ long. He was a bit of a fussy thing for weeks 2-6 of his life; swaddling and a Maya wrap saved our sanity. We swaddled him to calm and comfort him probably up through the 9th month or more. Also, we could never keep even a light blanket on him any other way. Who knew when I called him Baby Bean from the first ultrasound that we’d make such a deliciously cute baby burrito out of him?
This is how I swaddled our latest bundle of joy: http://www.momsoncall.com/. I now call it the super swaddle. She eventually learned how to wiggle out of it, but it would still take her a while.
We moved across the country when my son was 2 months old, the ONLY way he slept was swaddled in the swaddleme blanket… otherwise he screamed. Those were wonderful as they are easy to change a diaper with him still swaddled and it goes into the carseat. We didn’t swaddle him too much, mainly at the beginning.
I actually received a swaddler for our first son’s birth, but never used it… it looked too confusing!
But when our second one came around (and the memories of sleepless nights returned), I went out and purchased an organic cotton one from Babies R Us. It worked PERFECTLY. We actually bought the next size up when he outgrew the first one at 5 months. We continued to swaddle until almost 9 months. He still wraps himself up in a blankie even now at 15 months. 
Swaddling was such a blessing for us. Our daughter slept so well when she was swaddled. She slept swaddled for her first 6 months. I can’t imagine having done it any other way! It was so funny because if she even worked one tiny finger out, she would wake up. After my daughter was born, a fantastic nurse in the hospital taught my husband the “art” of swaddling and he quickly became a master at it. We used a square receiving type blanket that was knit and it worked great for us. I must admit, my husband was better at swaddling our daughter than I was.
I would swaddle mine when they were awake, or sleeping on me, but I always put my babies to sleep on their tummies and then they don’t have the issue of startling themselves awake, they slept much better on their tummies!
I had great sleepers!
Nancy
I’m hesitant to respond since I don’t have a source you can look up and because your swaddling is working so well!! Let me share what I learned at a class for foster parents from a woman with a degree in child development. She said to always swaddle a baby with their hands in front of them (over their chest) and to never swaddle with arms by their sides. Not because they won’t be happy that way, but because swaddling with their hands together promotes brain development, but swaddling by their sides does not.
The class was called, “Caring for the Medically Fragile Infant” and was taught by Julia Buzzard. Just some thoughts to tuck away…
Oh how I wish my children would love to be swaddled when they are newborns. I have no idea how it happened…but BOTH our girls couldn’t stand to have their arms constricted in anyway. And, you are right, they end up flinging their arms and startling themselves when they sleep and that just doesnt help them to stay asleep longer.
Maybe whenever we have a third child….maybe they will like this (keeping fingers crossed!).
I’m so glad it works for others, though. It is really ingenious.
Congratulations on your new baby, Lindsay. He is GORGEOUS.
When my son was a baby, I would swaddle him in Indian Cotton Dupattas or shawls. He would sleep so well and we never had a problem. Personally, I did not like any of the store bought swaddlers and receiving blankets.
We call our babies “Baby Burritos” when they are swaddled too! My almost 10 month old still wants to be swaddled before naps and bed. My 2 year old wants me to “blanket me up” when he goes to bed…he isn’t swaddled but he likes to be tucked in tight.
I am a huge fan of swaddling and ADORE the Miracle Blanket. I had the same experience as you with failed attempts using receiving blankets – they just loosened up and became ineffective (comparatively) really quickly.
We happily swaddled our first two and will do so with #3 when she arrives in August!
I didn’t swaddle either of mine very long b/c they seemed to not like it, but maybe as a poster said I should try leaving their legs free…it is the hands that seem to flail and startle them anyway. Both mine were almost 10lbs at birth, though, maybe that has to do with it
Your family pictures in the last post were fabulous. You all are so photogenic!
our son was the swaddle king–he loves to be tight in a swaddle until he was 8 months old! He slept through the night at 2 1/2 weeks and was consistently sleeping from 7-7 at 12 weeks old! We have a new 8 week old little girl rightnow who doesn’t like to be swaddled as much as her brother, and therefore–doesn’t sleep as well as him, (she was born smaller, too, which makes a difference, she had to catch up!). However, we have never had a swaddling blanket, just receiving blankets that were large. The tiny ones don’t work at all. When making our own, I make sure I have 38inches or more–that seems to be the magic number for our family, anything else is just too smalL!
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I swaddled my daughter up until she was 5 months old, otherwise she wouldnt sleep. And when she did fall asleep on her own, her little arms would hit her and wake her because she couldn’t control them. I bought a swaddling blanket from babies r us, and it was a lifesaver!
Swaddling was the only way my daughter would sleep. We also tried a swaddler with velcro but she was to small for it, so we had a waffle blanket that was given to us with her name embroidered on it and my husband would roll her up tight in that blanket. She was over 6 months old before we stopped using it. My sister would tease that we would have to still swaddle her in college.
We used the SwaddleMe and LOVED it!
We started to swaddle when our daughter was around 2 months. It has made a huge difference in how well she sleeps. She is now 4 1/2 months and I’m starting to wonder how we’re going to transition sleep time with no swaddler. We’ll see!
It’s good to see you back blogging. Titus is such a good looking baby and Karis looked so grown up as a big sister.
I swaddled (with the receiving blankets) all of my four children. I think that’s just the best way of “loving” them. Yes, I did call them my burritos, too! When my last baby out grown the swaddling stage, I put him in the Halo SleepSack Wearable Cotton Blanket. Everytime I put him in the sack he sleeps very well. He is one now and he sleeps through the night (8pm – 7:30am). I am so thankful as I also need my rest.
My mom made me a collection of receiving blankets for my little boy–who we still swaddle at five months!–out of flannel. She took a yard of fabric and squared it off, using the left-over for burp clothes. Having the blankets nice and big made them easier for swaddling–no getting loose! And doing the blankets yourself makes them so much more cost-friendly. We just took a wing-tip needle on the sewing machine and zigzag around the edges. This gives the little holes you can crochet cute picot edging around!
The Miracle Blanket is the BEST! I recommend it to every new mommy. It was a lifesaver for us – our boys wouldn’t stay swaddled in anything else!
I use regular receiving blankies to swaddle my newbies. A particular one I really love is the Disana Organic Cotton blanket…I have the brushed ctton one and the knitted one. They are super soft and snuggly. Your new pictures are very beautiful. Amazing that Titus is 6 weeks old already!!!
We swaddled our son and he loved it – wouldn’t sleep any other way for the first several months. We stopped when he learned how to roll over and we’d find him on his belly but still swaddled – it seemed a little dangerous then!
My older 2 didn’t have the need to be swaddled after they were about 2 weeks old, however, my daughter (she’s 7 mo. now) needed to be swaddled until she was a bit over 2 months old. We had 7 hand-me-downs of the kiddopotamus velcro ones given to us by different friends before she was born and they were such a blessing! After a few weeks she still wanted to be swaddled but wanted her arms out, and the ones we have can be folded down to allow that, but still be snug around her chest, belly and legs. I think these are a must have for babies who need swaddling but squirm their arms out and then get restless!!
LOVED this! Used it w/ both of my children. I finally broke down and bought a second one (on eBay) when my second was born. I swaddled bot with it until well past 6 months.
We swaddled my now 6 month old son until he was about 4 months old. I thought it was going to be a pain to transition him out of it, but he did a good job! That swaddle blanket was a God send!!!
I swaddled both of my boys (3 y/o and 6 m/o). My first was premature and came home on a monitor, so the swaddle kept the monitor leads from wiggling loose at night. For us, the swaddle helped everyone get a better nights sleep. I used the Kidapotomus swaddle, and it worked great!
Swaddling was AMAZING for us…both babies slept so well in the first few months when they were swaddled. We were given the organic cotton swaddler from Babies R Us and I was happy with it. I’ve heard about the miracle blanket…maybe we’ll be able to try it in the future.
On the subject of sleep, the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child was a lifesaver for us. We discovered it when my daughter was around a year old and were able to help her learn how to sleep well in a short time (she had trouble falling asleep on her own). Starting the “sleep training” right at 4 months (recommended age) with our second made it so easy and he now naps great and sleeps all night. Great book!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE swaddling! I know for a fact that my babies slept longer and more peacefully swaddled!
In fact, I became such an expert swaddler with my second child that I had a hard time figuring out when she was ready to be done with it because she could never get out of my swaddle 
I also called my little baby’s wrapped up “my baby burritos!”
They are too cute and too sweet all snug and warm. I found that a thin fleece blanket works well because the fleece provides a little resistance along the back when you tuck everything behind them. A thin towel also works as well. Some of my friends said there babie’s didn’t like swaddling and I think that may be because they come loose in it – it is also good to try to see if they like being swaddled by wrapping their arms and letting their feet be loose and not tucked up. That way their little flailing hands don’t wake them up during nap or bedtime. 
Glad you are having so much fun with your precious new little boy!
Thank you for all the tips. I am 9 weeks pregnant and am considering home birth. I had a meeting with a midwife in my area (CT) that does homebirths.
My question to you is do you have any references on the decision of circumcision? If in fact I have a boy, I’m no sure what to do. My husband said not to worry because its so early. But I am a planner. I know you had little Titus, was it a hard decision and how did you make that decision. I forgot to ask the midwife what her opinion was. My next appointment is at the end of April, so I will inquire. Any advice you can offer would help.
I love you web site. Thanks for the inspiration!!
I found ecochildsplay.com has a few articles on circumcision that helped us make an informed decision. That alongwith prayer and ultimately allowing my husband to make the final call led us to a peaceful decision. Definitely do the research! How to Raise a Healthy child In Spite of your Doctor book also has a helpful chapter on it. Hope that helps!
I never had a problem using a regular receiving blanket if I snuggly wrapped my baby. And when I was having babies, they didn’t even have these. And it wasn’t too many years ago lol.
Glad you found something that works for you. With those other blankets, can you buy new velcro and sew it on to them?
I love the idea of swaddling. I’m a labor & delivery nurse and the tiny ones must seem to love it! Thank you for sharing you wonderful post.
Kristin K
I found regular receiving blankets really hard to swaddle with, at least for good night’s sleep. I was really lucky to discover Aiden & Anais swaddling muslin wraps and now it’s the gift that I always give to my expecting friends. The wraps are airy, amazingly soft, lightweight (they are also indispensable in summer time, for nursing, draping over the car seat, etc because they breathe so well), and they are BIG. I could still swaddle my 9 month old in it on the nights when she needed it. I learned to swaddle my daughter in several ways, including one similar to miracle blanket swaddle. You just need to experiment to find what works for you. I wish I took step by step photos back then, but my baby wasn’t patient enough for that
I know not everyone would want to spend $45 for swaddling blankets (4 pack), but they were my best purchase, period. Oh, and I think Gap carries now 2-packs. I also know that AlbeeBaby.com had some designs on sale for $34, maybe they still do.
OK, just for you I went and made a blog post with photos of these blankets in use