Toddler Swaddle
February 24, 2007 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under mothering, sleep, toddler nursing
Everyone knows that safely swaddling a newborn can help the baby fall asleep and stay asleep for longer periods of time. Unfortunately, each of my daughters tolerated swaddling for about three weeks and then protested it vehemently. They wanted those little arms out! I could wrap their lower bodies but heaven forbid I try to corral those arms. [Edited to add: Now I have come to question the wisdom of swaddling babies. As always, do your research!]
Later on as I tried gentle methods to improve my toddler’s sleep, I wondered whether I could create a twist on the newborn swaddle–the “toddler swaddle.” Even as my daughter was cutting back on the night-nursing, each session was difficult for me because she would nurse and refuse to let me go. I had trouble getting her to “pop off” and stay asleep. I employed Elizabeth Pantley’s gentle removal technique (watch for the sucking pattern “suck-suck-suck-pause” and right after the pause, use your pinkie finger to break the latch gently; try try again until the baby settles without asking to nurse again) but my daughter kept a tight grip on my breast with both her hands and woke each time I tried to extricate myself.
Finally I realized that after she nursed on the second side and started to drift back to sleep, I could encourage her to put her arms at her sides and use the bed covers to tuck those arms snugly down. (Remember, with a toddler we were well past the SIDS risk). If ever she protested my tucking her arms down, I knew I’d tried the technique a little too early and would wait another moment or two to try again.
With her arms snugly tucked down, my toddler almost always let me escape on the first try! It’s a crude analogy I know, but it was a bit like putting blinders on a horse. The “toddler swaddle” took the distractions away and gave my daughter the sense of security she needed to settle and stay asleep. She could always free herself easily as she was only tucked in on the side facing me and she was free to roll the other way.
Anything that helps both mother and child get more sleep is a wonderful thing!
First of all, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Elizabeth. She is an amazing Mom and parent educator. Secondly, Good for you for using gentle techniques to get your toddler to sleep at night.
It hurts my heart to hear parents tell stories of how they just left their baby to cry – and it worked! Now they sleep without a peep.
Of course, it worked. If you we at the bottom of a cave and no one answered your calls for help, eventually you would give up too. Oops! Sorry for the rant!
Anyway, Dr. Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block, tells of many gentle was to get baby to sleep. Even though his book is geared towards babies, believe it or not, many of his techniques work well into adulthood. Do you need a fan or TV on to sleep? That is one of his S’s.
Ok, now that I wrote a book . . . Basically I just wanted to say – Good for you for finding something that works for you and your daughter! Good niht, sleep tight!
Hi to every mother here!
I was desperately looking for alternatives to wean my 24 month old son without going “cold-turkey” (as at least 3 doctors have told me to do) and I found you guys. Thanks for being there.
When my baby was born I had trouble to nurse him. I would not have a good supply and only after so much effort and perseverance we could start doing it well when he was 3 months old. I thought I would wean him at 12 months, but you see, I am still doing it. He loves it, though I am very sure he does not get much (I never got a good supply) and most of the time I am his pacifier. Especially at night. He wakes up once or twice and keeps latched on for hours!!! I am really tired and worried. He does not want to eat much and I feel like instead of giving him good nurturance, I am the obstacle to his better eating. I want to wean him and teach him how to fall aspleep without nursing . I know he does not know any other way to do it . He is very stubborn and very smart and I just not want to make him suffer or let him cry to sleep.
I am reading all your posts and will try a plan with all your advise. Please any additional help or tips are welcome. Especially related to weaning and get him to eat more.
Thank you so much