When does startle reflex go away

You know that all too familiar story where your baby has fallen asleep in your arms. Then you carefully lean over the cot and lower them down and as soon as you move away — boom they’re awake and screaming hysterically as if you’re tossing them down a mine shaft.

Or worse, you actually manage to settle them to sleep and they’re completely still and before you know it they twitch or jerk and flail their arms about. Boom, they’re awake.  Well, that’s startle reflex for you.

For many babies, this scenario happens constantly and creates a cycle of poor sleeping patterns that only leads to frustrated and desperate parents.

Babies while asleep are in a state of dream sleep (REM). Your baby’s eyes dart back and forth under their eyelids, while the rest of their body is very still. They will have the occasional twitch and may do little jerks in their sleep known as the startle reflex (also know as the ‘moro’ reflex).

What is ‘startle reflex?

The startle reflex is one of many reflexes that babies are born with. It is an automatic reaction to a loud noise, or the sensation of falling and causes the baby to be startled and flail their arms. So if that baby is falling asleep and suddenly has a startle reflex, it will go from relaxed to hysterical in 0.6 seconds and when their arms move about, they no longer feel the safe environment of the womb – which was once the edges of their little world.

The good news is that the startle reflex usually disappears after around 3 or 4 months, but this may be later for some babies. This is why we are encouraged to swaddle babies from birth until the startle reflex has disappeared.

However for some babies, the enjoyment and security of being swaddled is preferred long after the startle reflex has disappeared but unfortunately, swaddling no longer keeps them satisfied. Babies grow stronger and have developed ‘Houdini’ skills mastering the art of escaping the swaddle, or worse have started rolling over while swaddled which poses a safety risk, and some simply don’t cope well unswaddled.

Here are a few things you can do to prevent your baby from waking from a startle reflex:

• When you descend your sleeping baby into its cot or bassinet, keep them as close to your body as possible for as long as possible. Hug your baby while you gradually bend over and contort yourself into a position that’s graced the cover of several chicky magazines. Then place your baby on the mattress holding them close to your chest for a few seconds before relinquishing contact with your body. Once a slumbering baby feels a mattress on their back, they usually feel secure enough not to flail. I know it’ll feel like you’re putting a container of nitroglycerine to bed, but it works.
• Swaddle wrap your baby tightly to give them a sense of comfort and security. If you’ve ever had an herbal wrap at a spa, you know exactly what I mean. However, be careful not to wrap too tightly to avoid risk of hip dysplasia and shoulder joint displacement.
• Lie down on the floor and feed your baby to sleep. Okay, you’re desperate. You haven’t slept in days. You’re convinced that your kid is implanted with a high-tech, sci-fi sensor that reacts every time you lower them down. Give yourself a break and lie down on the floor and feed your baby to sleep, then fall asleep yourself. No flailing necessary.
• Try using a transitional swaddle suit like our SLEEPY HUGS® sleep suit, to transition your baby gently from swaddled arms to free arms in no time.  

What makes the SLEEPY HUGS sleep suit different?

The SLEEPY HUGS® sleep suit is a totally enclosed sleep suit designed to allow your baby to move their arms freely while still providing an enclosed, secure feeling that they enjoy. It has a slight resistance in the arms that allows them to move their arms around freely yet gives them that ‘edge’ feeling (similar to being in the womb), so when they experience a startle reflex, they immediately feel secure.

The SLEEPY HUGS® sleep suit is the only swaddle transitioning sleep suit of its kind that doesn’t restrict your baby’s arms to any one position, making it perfectly safe for babies who start to roll onto their tummy during sleep and allows baby to sleep in their most comfortable and natural sleeping position.

Article by: Malou Villarreal, Founder Baby Loves Sleep    If you found this article useful, please 'Like' and 'Share' to other mums that could use this information. SEE ALL OTHER BLOG ARTICLES

Babies have different needs for their sleep as they pass through the different stages of their development. Some babies like to be swaddled for months on end, while others constantly wriggle their arms free and others still roll over early but cannot sleep without some restriction to their ‘startle reflex’.

What is the Startle Reflex

Babies while asleep are in a state of dream sleep (REM).  The state of dream sleep occurs in about 50% of a newborn's sleep.  During this sleep, your baby's eyes dart back and forth under their eyelids, while the rest of their body is very still.  They will have the occasional twitch and may do little jerks in their sleep known as the startle reflex (also known as the 'moro' reflex).

Relaxed to Hysterical in .6 seconds

The startle reflex (or 'moro' reflex) is one of many reflexes that babies are born with and is part of their defence 'fight or flight' mechanism.  It is an automatic reaction to a loud noise, or the sensation of falling and causes the baby to be startled and flail their arms sidewards/upwards then immediately bringing their arms to their chest in the foetal position.  So if that baby is falling asleep and suddenly has a startle reflex, it will go from relaxed to hysterical in .6 seconds and when their arms move about, they no longer feel the safe environment of the womb -  the edges of their little world.

Good News! It goes away 

The good news is that the startle reflex usually disappears after around 3 or 4 months, but this may be later for some babies.  Hence, why we are encouraged to swaddle babies from birth until the startle reflex has disappeared.

Bad News: Swaddling No Longer Works

Swaddling is wonderful for babies during the first few months, until they no longer want that restriction or until it is no longer safe. Many babies develop Houdini skills. Unfortunately at this stage many babies are not ready for full freedom. 

My Personal Discovery
from the Founder of Baby Loves Sleep

During my research, I learnt a few crucial things about babies and sleep:

I discovered that not all babies enjoy the feeling of having arms restricted in a tight baby swaddle.  

I also learned that most babies naturally sleep with their arms up. While this is mostly true, as babies grow and develop, they start to move around during their sleep cycles and they don't always sleep in one position.

I then began to question whether keeping my baby tightly wrapped would lead to restricting his development and natural tendency to move their arms around, and that perhaps this had become the cause of his constant waking.

Enter the SLEEPY HUGS sleep sack

The uniquely designed SLEEPY HUGS sleep sack was created for babies who have outgrown swaddling and are seeking freedom from the tight restriction of the swaddle wrap, but are still needing some security to help with the startle reflex. 

Benefits of Unrestricted Arms 

The SLEEPY HUGS supports babies development by allowing babies to sleep in their natural or preferred position, but not strictly in one position only. 

The Red Nose (formerly known as SIDS for Kids) Safe Wrapping Guide for Babies advice that most babies eventually resist being wrapped and that it is essential to discontinue wrapping as soon as baby starts showing signs that they can begin to roll, usually between 4-6 months. 

Therefore, swaddling is no longer safe when baby starts to roll onto their tummy - this includes swaddle suits that restrict babies to an arms-up, arms-down or arms across the chest only positions.

When your child is able to roll over, the SLEEPY HUGS allows your baby to move their arms freely while still providing the enclosed, secure feeling that they enjoy. It is designed with a slight resistance in the arms so that they can move freely, yet there is comfort and security to calm the startle reflex.  

Tried and Tested

All our uniquely designed sleep sacks have been thoroughly tested by parents and babies just like you and have proven to give the security and comfort that they need to sleep well again.

Happiness

The SLEEPY HUGS has given my baby and many others the secure feeling and improved sleep that is so needed. And as we all know, a sleeping baby is a happy baby and a happy baby means a happy family!

I hope BABY LOVES SLEEP gives your baby, and you, the sweet, deep sleep you all need.

Wishing you the sweetest of dreams,

Malou and the BABY LOVES SLEEP Family