Restless Arm Syndrome

Is there such thing as restless arm syndrome? I have heard of RLS (restless leg syndrome) but not RAS...but if it does exist, I think Dawson has it! He's getting better though! I haven't swaddled him since Tuesday! And that is HUGE for him! Normally he wont sleep unless he is swaddled. He tries but his arms move like crazy and keep him awake or wake him up...

It was getting pretty frustrating. Especially because it is getting hot in San Diego again and nobody believes in a/c here, so our house is without it! Dawson hated being swaddled because it was hot, I don't blame him, I wouldn't want to be wrapped up either in this weather!

Tuesday night, our house was really hot, especially upstairs. So I stripped him down and was just going to have him sleep in his diaper. I figured since he was going to be swaddled, sleeping in just a diaper would probably be more comfortable for him. So, I tried to swaddle him...I put his right arm against his side and he immediately pulled it back up before I could get the blanket wrapped around him. I tried 3 more times and he kept pulling his arm up. So I decided once again that I would *try* to let him fall asleep without being swaddled. We've tried this a number of times before and it has never worked so I didn't think this time would be any different. But to my surprise he almost immediately fell asleep!

Yay! ...Wait...Crap! He was still in just his diaper. I didn't bother putting his pj's back on because I figured he wouldn't fall asleep without the blanket anyway but he did!

I had 2 fans on so and it cools down a little at night so I put his pj's back on...he stayed asleep while I did it! And he slept until 1:00 am before his arms started getting "restless" and woke him up. I was determined to be done with swaddling at this point so I turned him on his side and just held his arms down until he fell asleep.

His arms woke him up a few more times but I was able to keep getting him back to sleep.

And then last night he made it until 5:00 am until his arms got "restless" and woke him up...so he is making progress. At night, at least. Nap time has been a lot harder. If he is napping in his crib it only lasts about 20 minutes! But if he naps in his boppy he'll nap a lot longer.

So I think we have officially broke the habit of having to be swaddled...hopefully me letting him sleep in my bed with me the last 2 nights hasn't started a new habit...

P.S. Sorry if my blogs don't always make sense...I rarely have time to go back and read through them. :-P