Total Serious Happy Thread - Page 127

BarTopDancer · 02-25-2010, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfy999

So darling......but why is Theo wrapped up like a Mummy in the first pic? Is this something new that the Docs recommend?

Swaddling

katiesue · 02-25-2010, 10:50 AM

He's so cute. Wolffy they told us to wrap Maddie like that. Of course doing so really super pissed her off but that's what they recommended. Wrap them up like a burrito.

Ghoulish Delight · 02-25-2010, 11:05 AM

It's swaddling. It's something very very old that us advanced modern folks are just now relearning (fell out of favor in America around the time of the Revolution - wouldn't want to restrict your baby's freedom now would you?)

A lot of people think their baby hates it because, especially the first few times you do it, they seem to get pissed off while you're wrapping them up. But once you figure out how to do it, and combine it with a couple other things (get them in the right position, rock them just right, shush them in a white-noise sort of way), it can literally be like an off switch for an inconsolable baby. The working theory being that infants have a reflexive response to stay calm in womb-like conditions since throwing a fit in the womb would be generally bad. What's are womb-like conditions? Wrapped up tight, kinda lying on their side, jiggling around as mom moves, and the constant white-noise-like din (about as loud as a vacuum cleaner) of blood rushing around. Recreate that as closely as possible, and you have a calm baby.

Of course, "primitive" cultures, without the benefit of knowing WHY it works, figured that out all on their own. Wrap 'em in a papoose, strap 'em to your back so they bounce while you walk. It's been working for millennia.

Kevy Baby · 02-25-2010, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

Swaddling

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

It's swaddling.

They talked about swaddling when Susan and I took Foster Parent Training several years ago (no, we never did). This is especially helpful for drug babies.

lindyhop · 02-25-2010, 08:25 PM

The first thing I want to do with a swaddled baby is unwrap it. I want to see and touch the baby. Dylan was born in the summer so warmth wasn't an issue and he was pretty calm in general. The nurses would bring him all wrapped up and they would take him back (this was pre-rooming in days) completely deconstructed but Mom would be happy.

In the photos of my grandson at the hospital you can tell when Grandma's gotten to him because there's a foot poking out and the blanket looks like it was thrown up in the air (possibly along with the baby). I needed to see that baby (and also tickle him to wake him up).

cirquelover · 02-25-2010, 11:12 AM

We always called it the baby burrito and Gary became an expert at it, me not so much. I'm still not that good at making a real burrito or wrap to this day, mine always fall apart!

Ghoulish Delight · 02-25-2010, 08:55 PM

If you wake him up, you get to hold him while he screams. Them's the rules.

Apparently swaddling is particularly effective in premies. While Theo wasn't really a premie, he was about as close as can be without being so, so it's been a blessing for us. If he's unwrapped and awake it's only a matter of time before he just stimulated himself into anger and frustration.

wolfy999 · 02-25-2010, 09:14 PM

Wolfette was a premie, no question, 3 lbs when she came home.

I do remember one time wrapping her "burrito" style (along with many layers of clothes) when we went to Carmel at three months during winter to keep her warm, poor kid screamed forever, we were really scared and ready to take her to the Hospital. After a while we finally unwrapped her and stripped her down to her onesie, and she quit crying right away. We came to the conclusion we tried to cook her, and never did wrap her again like that.

Cadaverous Pallor · 02-26-2010, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfy999

After a while we finally unwrapped her and stripped her down to her onesie, and she quit crying right away.

Theo is definitely the opposite. The surest way to anger him is to take his clothes off. When he's being sleepy and I want him to have a full nursing session, I take his clothes off. Sometimes, I'm surprised by how fussy he's being and then I realize I never put his clothes back on. As soon as I finish zipping his cozier outfits he calms right down. (If it's warm, we'll put him in lightweight clothes and a lightweight swaddle cloth.)

He won't fall asleep well at all without the swaddle. The startle reaction is too strong. It'll be nice when he grows out of that, though it could be a while.

Swaddling is definitely a learned skill, and it can be hard to make yourself bundle the baby so tightly. After Theo pushed his way out of my swaddles and woke himself up in the middle of the night one too many times, I bit the bullet and got more aggressive in tightening the wrap. Nothing will motivate you more than having to wake up for a feeding session after an hour of sleep instead of the priceless TWO hours you crave so badly.

~MS~ · 02-26-2010, 07:44 AM

Love the new pics of Theo!

Add another huge fan of swaddling, heck Missy is almost 29 and when she isn't feeling well she 'self swaddles' in her assorted woobies...but it was a blessing from all above when she was small and dealing with so much medical stuff.

02-25-2010, 10:50 AM	#2
katiesue Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 4,678	He's so cute. Wolffy they told us to wrap Maddie like that. Of course doing so really super pissed her off but that's what they recommended. Wrap them up like a burrito. __________________ My life is so exciting I can hardly stand it.
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02-25-2010, 11:05 AM	#3
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	It's swaddling. It's something very very old that us advanced modern folks are just now relearning (fell out of favor in America around the time of the Revolution - wouldn't want to restrict your baby's freedom now would you?) A lot of people think their baby hates it because, especially the first few times you do it, they seem to get pissed off while you're wrapping them up. But once you figure out how to do it, and combine it with a couple other things (get them in the right position, rock them just right, shush them in a white-noise sort of way), it can literally be like an off switch for an inconsolable baby. The working theory being that infants have a reflexive response to stay calm in womb-like conditions since throwing a fit in the womb would be generally bad. What's are womb-like conditions? Wrapped up tight, kinda lying on their side, jiggling around as mom moves, and the constant white-noise-like din (about as loud as a vacuum cleaner) of blood rushing around. Recreate that as closely as possible, and you have a calm baby. Of course, "primitive" cultures, without the benefit of knowing WHY it works, figured that out all on their own. Wrap 'em in a papoose, strap 'em to your back so they bounce while you walk. It's been working for millennia. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
	Submit to Quotes

02-25-2010, 08:25 PM	#5
lindyhop Swing Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Long Beach Posts: 997	The first thing I want to do with a swaddled baby is unwrap it. I want to see and touch the baby. Dylan was born in the summer so warmth wasn't an issue and he was pretty calm in general. The nurses would bring him all wrapped up and they would take him back (this was pre-rooming in days) completely deconstructed but Mom would be happy. In the photos of my grandson at the hospital you can tell when Grandma's gotten to him because there's a foot poking out and the blanket looks like it was thrown up in the air (possibly along with the baby). I needed to see that baby (and also tickle him to wake him up). __________________ Hyperbole is the best thing ever!
	Submit to Quotes

02-25-2010, 11:12 AM	#6
cirquelover Cruising around in my automobile... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 2,617	We always called it the baby burrito and Gary became an expert at it, me not so much. I'm still not that good at making a real burrito or wrap to this day, mine always fall apart!
	Submit to Quotes

02-25-2010, 08:55 PM	#7
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	If you wake him up, you get to hold him while he screams. Them's the rules. Apparently swaddling is particularly effective in premies. While Theo wasn't really a premie, he was about as close as can be without being so, so it's been a blessing for us. If he's unwrapped and awake it's only a matter of time before he just stimulated himself into anger and frustration. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
	Submit to Quotes

02-25-2010, 09:14 PM	#8
wolfy999 Eyes like Sapphires! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 2.4 miles from Disneyland Posts: 1,523	Wolfette was a premie, no question, 3 lbs when she came home. I do remember one time wrapping her "burrito" style (along with many layers of clothes) when we went to Carmel at three months during winter to keep her warm, poor kid screamed forever, we were really scared and ready to take her to the Hospital. After a while we finally unwrapped her and stripped her down to her onesie, and she quit crying right away. We came to the conclusion we tried to cook her, and never did wrap her again like that. __________________ Diane "Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy." - George Carlin 1937-2008 DISNEY IS FINALLY PAYING ME BACK......STILL OWES ME ABOUT (oh, wait....way too much)!
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02-26-2010, 07:44 AM	#10
~MS~ One Happy little Missy! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 658	Love the new pics of Theo! Add another huge fan of swaddling, heck Missy is almost 29 and when she isn't feeling well she 'self swaddles' in her assorted woobies...but it was a blessing from all above when she was small and dealing with so much medical stuff. __________________ "Sometimes Miracles Hide"
	Submit to Quotes