Is it still normal for 5 month old baby's arms to flail all over and startle/jump in sleep?

We TRIED to go swaddleless this weekend... but my poor little guy was flailing his arms ALL OVER and startled so badly, we made a U-ey and went back to the swaddle. Without the swaddle, my DS's sleep suffered so much and he became fussy/cranky during the day from being overtired. He would even JUMP awake and scream/cry sometimes, so even though he fights the swaddle, I know he's better with it until he outgrows this arm flail thing.

So, now we're just wrapping him so one hand is sticking out of the top when he goes to sleep... he eventually gets that whole arm out. And I wrap it in a way that his other arm, if it were to break free, would more easily come out the top so by morning, he's wearing the swaddle as a cummerbund (I just don't want it ending up around his neck/face, obviously, so I encourage an upward escape).

I'm hoping this will transition to swaddleless sleep.

My question is... when will the arm flailing thing end?

This may be a stupid question, but I get worried when I see my son's arms moving seemingly without his conrol, but could it have anything to do with vaccines he had last week that his arms are all over the place? I am so worried about any possible negative effects of vaccines. (I don't want to start a debate on that... it's just a worry I have that may be unfounded, but I'm so afraid of the "A" word).

TIA...

Message edited 1/16/2012 10:45:46 PM.

Re: Is it still normal for 5 month old baby's arms to flail all over and startle/jump in sleep?

My DS still startles too! He had 2 really good long naps today, so when he went down for his 3rd he was pretty sleepy so I didn't swaddle him to see what would happen... STARTLE!!! He dozed for maybe 30 min, very restless. I try to not swaddle once a week or so if the timing is right to see if he's ready... So far - no! I asked my ped at his 4 mo appt, she said its OK. PS, when I swaddle I don't bring his legs up or anything, just need to warp the arms.

Re: Is it still normal for 5 month old baby's arms to flail all over and startle/jump in sleep?

My guy is still flailing too. I'm going to keep swaddling him until he rolls. It's for my own sanity.

Re: Is it still normal for 5 month old baby's arms to flail all over and startle/jump in sleep?

my girls are 4 month old premies, so im not sure where that puts them. (so far with movement they are just behind their actual age) and I swaddle them so tight otherwise no one gets any rest! especially twin A, she is starting to out grow the blankets we have, I might resort to duct tape lol

Re: Is it still normal for 5 month old baby's arms to flail all over and startle/jump in sleep?

DD was in the miracle blanket until he moved to her twin bed at 8 months old....

otherwise she wouldn't sleep.

i cut the bottom of the MB when she got too tall. was actually going to attaché more fabric but once she was in her twin bed she slept better for the most part

reg swaddling didn't work... she broke free... at 8 months old she learned how to free herself from the MB

she rolled and everything with her MB.