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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Swaddling vs Not Swaddling
happymom 03:57 PM 10-05-2016
I have a baby in daycare. He turns 1 next week.

Daycare has always swaddled him to sleep (he has been enrolled since 5 weeks). It worked well for them, so I started doing it also.

I stopped swaddling him at home months ago. He started getting loose right away and he goes to sleep rather quickly without it....but then he wakes up several (like 3-6) times each night.

Daycare still swaddles him, says he sleeps better that way. He's kind of a horrible sleeper, both at home and at daycare. Do you think this is okay/safe? Should I ask them to stop? I want him to sleep good for them, but it seems weird to be swaddling a 1 year old....
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Fiddlesticks 04:17 PM 10-05-2016
In Minnesota we are not legally allowed to swaddle and infant who can roll over. I would assume, since your son is one, he has been rolling for some time. Daycare should not be swaddling him any longer.
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Blackcat31 04:18 PM 10-05-2016
We are NOT allowed to swaddle once they can roll over.

I would not be okay with them swaddling at your baby's age and honestly think its dangerous to do so.
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spedmommy4 04:23 PM 10-05-2016
I agree with the PP. Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents stop swaddling at 2 months.

https://www.healthychildren.org/Engl...s-it-Safe.aspx
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Pestle 04:57 PM 10-05-2016
Nobody should swaddle past 2-3 months or so--as soon as the child can roll, it's life-threatening to swaddle. I understand the impulse to do anything that will get a fussy child to sleep, but it's never worth the risk.

Day care providers in my state are not permitted to swaddle any child of any age for any reason.
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Play Care 05:25 PM 10-05-2016
What are they using to swaddle him? As others have mentioned swaddling once they can turn over isn't safe. But I do use a swaddler sleep sack with my 5 month old DC baby. I do not put her arms in the swaddle, however, and her legs are not swaddled, obviously. But I can't imagine using this sleep sack once she's closer to a year.
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laundrymom 06:34 PM 10-05-2016
I don't swaddle any kids. I feel it's your right to have them stop. As the others have mentioned, it's unsafe.
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MyAngels 07:31 PM 10-05-2016
I wouldn't want my 1 year old swaddled. It's not helping him learn to sleep and resettle into sleep on his own IMO. I mean really, are they going to continue to swaddle him until he's 2, 3, 4?

I would ask them to stop doing it and then I'd be doing some early drop in pick ups when you know it's near the end of nap so be sure that they've actually stopped.

I would bet that once the swaddling is stopped altogether your little one will begin to sleep better and be able to resettle himself on his own pretty quickly.
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Lovatic24 07:38 PM 10-05-2016
Have you heard of the Zipadee Zip? I use it for the four month old I watch occasionally (with the parents' permission).
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happymom 11:15 AM 10-06-2016
Thank you for all your input.
I will have them stop swaddling.

While I understand the risk of SIDS, my understanding is that the risk is very low at his age. I let him sleep with a swaddling blanket at home, on his tummy.

I mentioned to daycare how quickly he falls asleep for me (I lay him down, and pat his back, and he's usually out in a few seconds)...they said that regulations say baby has to be laid down on his back unless he rolls over on his own in his sleep, which is understandable. I think when he moves to the 1's room he can sleep on his tummy though....I'll have to do some checking.
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Blackcat31 11:19 AM 10-06-2016
Originally Posted by happymom:
Thank you for all your input.
I will have them stop swaddling.

While I understand the risk of SIDS, my understanding is that the risk is very low at his age. I let him sleep with a swaddling blanket at home, on his tummy.

I mentioned to daycare how quickly he falls asleep for me (I lay him down, and pat his back, and he's usually out in a few seconds)...they said that regulations say baby has to be laid down on his back unless he rolls over on his own in his sleep, which is understandable. I think when he moves to the 1's room he can sleep on his tummy though....I'll have to do some checking.
We are instructed to place baby in bed on their backs.

If they are able to roll on their own and do so, we may leave them as they are.

At your son's age, they are sticking to the "place baby on back" concept but still feel swaddling is okay?

That makes no sense to me...
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happymom 11:21 AM 10-06-2016
He has started transitioning to the 1's room. Yesterday he had his first nap there, swaddled, on the mat (currently he sleeps in a pack n play).

Yesterday the 1s room only had one other child, so they let my Jack go over there for a few hours. He doesn't quite meet all of the milestones to move at this change and will stay in the infant room until January.
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happymom 11:24 AM 10-06-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:

At your son's age, they are sticking to the "place baby on back" concept but still feel swaddling is okay?

That makes no sense to me...
They swaddle all the babies. Is there something I should print out to let them know that swaddling past early infancy is unsafe?
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Blackcat31 11:27 AM 10-06-2016
Originally Posted by happymom:
He has started transitioning to the 1's room. Yesterday he had his first nap there, swaddled, on the mat (currently he sleeps in a pack n play).

Yesterday the 1s room only had one other child, so they let my Jack go over there for a few hours. He doesn't quite meet all of the milestones to move at this change and will stay in the infant room until January.
Can I ask you to clarify "swaddling" as it pertains to how the center does it?

I'm having a hard time visualizing an almost 1 year old wrapped up snug like a burrito (without the ability to move his limbs) and laid on a nap mat

Do they "swaddle" differently? legs only maybe? sleep sack vs swaddler?

You mentioned allowing him to sleep at home with a swaddle blanket... we aren't allowed to use blankets to swaddle and can use only the sleep sacks with wings so that's what got me wondering about what "swaddling" means for them....

We can NOT place a child (even the day before their 1st birthday) anywhere but a crib or PNP. If we did, we'd be fined up to $1000. We can not have a blanket of ANY kind (other than the sleep sack) in the crib/PNP with baby either.
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Blackcat31 11:34 AM 10-06-2016
Originally Posted by happymom:
They swaddle all the babies. Is there something I should print out to let them know that swaddling past early infancy is unsafe?
Swaddling may increase the risk of SIDS

http://www.webmd.com/children/news/2...nces-of-sids#2

The APA recommends that babies not get swaddled after 2 months if they are intentionally trying or have mastered rolling over. Even only one way

https://www.healthychildren.org/Engl...s-it-Safe.aspx
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Pestle 11:43 AM 10-06-2016
It's not so much SIDS as just plain and simple suffocation that's the risk at this age.
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happymom 11:59 AM 10-06-2016
Thank you.

They swaddle like you are imagining. Like a little burrito, arms and legs tightly wrapped. They have cribs for the younger babies and pack n plays for the bigger babies. Each baby has his own crib/pack n play.

I used to keep a sleep sack at daycare for him, but they sent it home saying they never use it (when he was still pretty little). They started swaddling him instead. I noticed some of the babies are wrapped in pretty thick blankets that are not intended for swaddling.

I'll bring back the sleep sack and happily insist no more swaddling.
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happymom 12:04 PM 10-06-2016
I wanted to add that they ask the parent to bring a blanket for each child in care. I don't think that the parents know that this blanket may be used for swaddling (I did not). The first blanket was just a soft plush blanket, I thought they wanted him to have some kind of a lovey at daycare.

Then when they started swaddling him in it, I replaced it with a bigger thin swaddle type blanket.
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happymom 12:06 PM 10-06-2016
Also can I please have advice on how to approach this.

I know how I will approach it about my own baby, but should I send an email to the director stating the AAP recommendation not to swaddle passed age 2 months?
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Blackcat31 12:33 PM 10-06-2016
Originally Posted by happymom:
Also can I please have advice on how to approach this.

I know how I will approach it about my own baby, but should I send an email to the director stating the AAP recommendation not to swaddle passed age 2 months?
I'd start by asking about their safe sleep rules and what the state allows. After, I'd share my concerns.

I'd first educate myself about the state rules for center care and then approach the director. Ask her/him about their policies and then share your concerns.

I recommend educating yourself first so that you can go in prepared....I have a suspicion that they may not answer truthfully simply based on how much you weren't aware of already...know what I mean?

If other parents aren't aware their children are being swaddled and you were never told that tells me they don't share the regulations with parents (we are required to) and they don't discuss with parents this topic...as a parent, I'd want to be the one that decides if my child is swaddled or not.

One of our members is from the same state and although she is family care, she may know the rules for center care too...plus she has been a provider for a while and knows her stuff. I'll PM her and her chime in if she has any further information that may be useful.

Good for you for being willing to not only approach the Director in regards to your child but in speaking up for all the babies in care
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happymom 12:47 PM 10-06-2016
I'll definitely educate myself more.

Most of my conversations about my babies sleeping are with one of the newer staff members who is 18 years old.

I feel very confident that if I put a note on his chart that he is not to be swaddled that they will not swaddle him any longer.
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Meeko 02:11 PM 10-06-2016
I am a Utah provider. It is NOT allowed for a child that old to be swaddled. I called to make absolutely certain that centers didn't have a different reg. I called my regional office and spoke to the manager, Kim Rice. Regulation section 19 4B states that children are not to be restrained in any way.

Tell your center to stop swaddling ALL children right now. If they refuse, call Utah childcare licensing and place a complaint. They are out of compliance.
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Blackcat31 02:26 PM 10-06-2016
Originally Posted by Meeko:
I am a Utah provider. It is NOT allowed for a child that old to be swaddled. I called to make absolutely certain that centers didn't have a different reg. I called my regional office and spoke to the manager, Kim Rice. Regulation section 19 4B states that children are not to be restrained in any way.

Tell your center to stop swaddling ALL children right now. If they refuse, call Utah childcare licensing and place a complaint. They are out of compliance.
I knew you'd know!
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happymom 02:32 PM 10-06-2016
Originally Posted by Meeko:
I am a Utah provider. It is NOT allowed for a child that old to be swaddled. I called to make absolutely certain that centers didn't have a different reg. I called my regional office and spoke to the manager, Kim Rice. Regulation section 19 4B states that children are not to be restrained in any way.

Tell your center to stop swaddling ALL children right now. If they refuse, call Utah childcare licensing and place a complaint. They are out of compliance.
Thank you! I can't help but wonder why this was never caught in an inspection (they passed an inspection in June and I can assure you there were babies swaddled in my son's room--- I don't think there has ever been a time I've been in there when there are not little burritos sleeping in their cribs).
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Meeko 04:41 PM 10-06-2016
Originally Posted by happymom:
Thank you! I can't help but wonder why this was never caught in an inspection (they passed an inspection in June and I can assure you there were babies swaddled in my son's room--- I don't think there has ever been a time I've been in there when there are not little burritos sleeping in their cribs).
I was told that they accept it up to two months if the parent asks for it (she called me back). After that, they will issue a citation. Your son is close to a year....big no no!!
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happymom 07:35 PM 10-06-2016
Thank you Meeko!

I added to his page no more swaddles for my baby. Still figuring it out how I will approach it for the rest of the kiddos.
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MyAngels 07:43 PM 10-06-2016
Originally Posted by happymom:
Like a little burrito, arms and legs tightly wrapped.
This is concerning - tightly swaddling a child's legs in the improper position can cause hip dysplasia, which can affect them for the rest of their lives.

https://posna.org/POSNA/media/Docume...tApril2015.pdf
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Play Care 02:59 AM 10-07-2016
Originally Posted by happymom:
Thank you! I can't help but wonder why this was never caught in an inspection (they passed an inspection in June and I can assure you there were babies swaddled in my son's room--- I don't think there has ever been a time I've been in there when there are not little burritos sleeping in their cribs).
Either, licensing didn't see it (very possible that no one was napping when they were there) OR they knew not to do it while licensing was there (hopefully NOT the case)
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Tags:restraint, safe sleep, swaddling
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