It's okay for her to sleep with one or both arms out of the swaddle as long as she's not yet rolling over and/or able to move the swaddle blanket up around her face. If that's the case, consider using a wearable blanket, also known as a sleep sack, which offers many of the same benefits of swaddling.
Swaddling your baby with one or both arms out is perfectly safe, as long as you continue to wrap her blanket securely. In fact, some newborns prefer being swaddled with one or both arms free from the very beginning.
While there is no set rule for the exact time to move through the transition from swaddle to arms-out sleeping, it typically starts between 3-6 months old. However, some babies may start earlier and some may take longer. You may be unsure of when exactly to make the transition, however you know your baby best.
If your baby is consistently breaking their arms out of the swaddle, you may want to swaddle them with their arms straight down by their sides and ensure that the fit is tight around their chest (only 2 to 3 fingers should comfortably fit around the edge of the swaddle).
Leave the arms free or the hands by the face: Some babies prefer to have their arms free, while others find it calming to have their hands near their faces. Make sure baby is not too warm: Swaddling should be done to help your infant feel secure, not to keep them warm.
When To Stop Swaddling. The AAP recommends that parents stop swaddling their baby (arms in) after they turn two months old. This is because swaddling becomes unsafe if: Baby starts getting strong enough to break out of the swaddle, causing there to be loose fabric in the crib.
Squirming fuss bucket
Remember, crying and fussiness is the only way your baby can communicate to you that they are not happy about something. Watch for squirming as this is a sure sign that they are no longer happy being swaddled and they are trying to squirm their way out.
Swaddling protects your baby against their natural startle reflex, which means better sleep for both of you. It may help calm a colicky baby. It helps eliminate anxiety in your baby by imitating your touch, which helps your baby learn to self-sooth. It keeps her hands off her face and helps prevent scratching.
Allow baby to be exposed to some noise while napping. If baby is able to tolerate some background noise, he or she will be less likely to startle at sudden changes in noise or position.
As long as you follow the AAP guidelines, your baby can sleep unswaddled safely, and if you can get some sound sleep with your baby, that would be great, too.
If your baby is swaddled, keep them swaddled throughout their night feeds. Or if your baby is older, keep them in their sleeping bag. If you need to do a diaper change before or during their feed, re-swaddle them again or put them back in their sleeping bag as soon as they are changed.
Once you have stopped swaddling, baby should sleep in any type of pajamas. Footed sleepers, two piece pajamas, or a even a onesie are perfect. Babies overheat easily, so always err on the side of baby being cooler rather than warmer. I recommend sleep sacks only when a parent feels they are needed for warmth.
The temperature can make your baby cry. They may cry because they are too hot or too cold. If your baby is fussy because of the temperature, there are signs that you can look for. Signs of the baby being too hot are sweating, damp hair, heat rash, or clammy skin.
Although your baby's hands and face may feel cold, this may differ from their core body temperature. To give you a better idea if they are warm or cold, feel the skin on their tummy and back. Their skin should feel warm and not too hot or cold.
Even if babe is super warm, if they are breathing in cold air, it can wake them up. This is often the cause for early morning waking - as a baby who has gone to bed in a cold room wakes up as the temp drops suddenly in the early hours.
Babies don't have to be swaddled. If your baby is happy without swaddling, don't bother. Always put your baby to sleep on his back. This is true no matter what, but is especially true if he is swaddled.
You should stop swaddling your baby when he starts attempting to roll over. Many babies start working on this move at about 2 months old. Swaddling once your baby can roll over may increase the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and suffocation.
Using the proper swaddling technique, your baby's arms should be positioned straight down by his or her side, not crossed over the chest or sticking up out of the swaddling blanket.
One of our nurse leaders in the mom baby unit at Sky Ridge Medical Center, Elizabeth Ferrill, demonstrates how to best burp your baby for results: With your baby swaddled, hold him or her outward facing away from your body, then pat and rub the back.
So to answer your question, YES! Yes, you should swaddle your newborn for naps! Swaddles are a safe and effective way to create a positive sleep association and help your newborn feel safe, snug, and calm so they can get all the sleep they need.
If your baby doesn't burp after a few minutes, change the baby's position and try burping for another few minutes before feeding again. Always burp your baby when feeding time is over.