Swaddles; they are supposed to make your baby feel safer and snug mimicking the comfort they felt in the womb. And while they may have made Jack feel more secure, they ended up giving me a lot of anxiety and led to more sleepless nights.After about 2 weeks we had pretty much given up on being able to swaddle Jack. First, he is a little Houdini and could break free in just about anything. But my biggest concern was that everything we tried seemed to work it’s way up around his face while sleeping and that terrified me. I was constantly checking on him making sure that the swaddle wasn’t in a dangerous position near his mouth or nose. So eventually we gave up.

But, without a swaddle he was sleeping poorly as he kept startling himself awake so we decided to try swaddling again and I set out in a search of a swaddle that would help him sleep and most importantly, be safe for him. Hopefully our trial and error will save you from sleepless nights and wasted money.

Muslin Blankets: we started off swaddling in muslin blankets from Aden & Anais. While I love these lightweight blankets there is just too much room for error swaddling with a blanket. If it isn’t don’t properly it can lead to suffocation, hip dysplasia, and rolling. We still use these blankets for other purposes but quickly ruled them out for swaddling.

Swaddle Me Original: Next we tried the Swaddle Me Original Velcro swaddles. I was SO hopeful about these and sure that we would love them, but these just didn’t work for us. The swaddle would work it’s way up towards his mouth and nose throughout the night leaving me worried and unable to sleep. A few other cons are that they don’t allow easy access for diaper changes and the Velcro is loud which often woke him up.

Miracle Blanket: this one was recommended as an option for our little Houdini so he couldn’t break free. And while it did keep his arms in place we felt like due to the way it is designed we couldn’t get it tight enough to help with his Moro reflex. And similar to the Swaddle Me Original, the Miracle Blanket would ride up.

Swaddle Me Pod: After struggling with swaddles riding up around his face we decided to try zipper swaddles hoping they would stay in place better. These didn’t work for us at all. There is nothing within the pod to keep his arms in place so he was able to work them up to the collar. The lack of arm security also prevented the Moro reflex from being soothed.

Love to Dream Swaddle Up: This was our second try at zippered swaddles. I was pretty sure this would be s good fit and it was. The fact that it zips keeps it from riding up around baby’s face. Plus, it has a dual zipper which allows for easier diaper changes. However, I will say that this swaddle isn’t as good at calming the Moro reflex but it’s great for self soothing.

Anna & Eve: This legless swaddle is another favorite. One of the only places we can get Jack to sleep is in his Mamaroo but that limits our swaddling option since a traditional swaddle or sleep sack prevent him from being buckled in. This legless swaddle allows for him to be swaddled and buckled into the Mamaroo. This is great for babies who like to have their legs free. This also allows for easy diaper changes in the middle of the night without having to unswaddle.

Sleepea: Our FAVORITE! If you are looking for an easy, breathable and traditional style swaddle, then this is the winner! The Sleepea by The Happiest Baby is the same style swaddle that fits into the Snoo (review on the Snoo coming soon). This swaddle is a pod/zipper style but it has straps inside to hold down the baby’s arms so they can’t break free. The swaddle also features dual zippers to allow for easy diaper changes at night.

I never thought that swaddling would be this big of a challenge and after talking to other moms they expressed that they had a few of the same struggles, but never found a swaddle that worked or assumed that all swaddles would be the same and never tested others. After trying 7 different style I would have to say that the Sleepea is the best for a traditional swaddle style or pod, the Anna & Eve is a great legless option and the SwaddleUp is perfect for babies who like to self sooth with their hands.