Quitting the swaddle and I want to cry. Help!

JenMatt2010

So I did a search and found the poll how people are planning on ditching the swaddle and some people have already, but I'm apparently a dumb dumb and need more details.

We went cold turkey with DS and he was fine. DD is proving to be more difficult. We tried cold turkey last night and the beginning of tonight and she was up every half hour (when swaddled she would sleep 7-8 hours straight).

I refuse to give up tonight, so I just put her in the Halo swaddle sack with only one arm out (instead of leaving her totally unswaddled). But WHAT should my plan be? Come in and rock her back to sleep every time she wakes up? I don't want to do cry it out/sleep train her and she hasn't been able to calm herself down yet (4 months next Friday).

If any mamas have had success, please let me know what you did to ditch the swaddle and what i should expect the next few nights...

CatieG

Why do you want to transition her out of the swaddle? If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

ETA I didn't stop until DD was fighting it. Made it much easier.

Jalee85

Well if the LO is rolling over (back to belly) then that is a reason to quit. DD just rolled over Ba2Be today. I still have her swaddled, but she is in a bouncer. She can't roll over. Anyways, I've tried every variation with no luck. So I purchased a Merlin Magic asleep Suit. It will be arriving tomorrow. If your child's Moro reflex is still strong then they will wake up a lot without the swaddle.

pmarie33

DS wanted to sleep on his side more and his arms would get loose anyway, so we put him in a sleep sack cold turkey.  He woke up a few times, but a paci would soothe him back to sleep.  A week later we hit the 4m wakeful.  Little sucker would be wide eyed, laughing, cooing and terribly cute when I got to him.  Maybe I'm the sucker.  Thank goodness that only lasted a few days.  Now we are doing fleece sleepers and he's doing great.  

JenMatt2010

CatieG said:

Why do you want to transition her out of the swaddle? If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

ETA I didn't stop until DD was fighting it. Made it much easier.

Rolling!

babyLOLO13

We have been doing one arm at a time. First legs loose, then right arm out, left in. Few days later switched.  Last night was the first night with both arms out and swaddled torso. He only woke up once!  Success!  It's been about a 2 week journey.  

Mama2be12345

Jalee85 said:

Well if the LO is rolling over (back to belly) then that is a reason to quit. DD just rolled over Ba2Be today. I still have her swaddled, but she is in a bouncer. She can't roll over. Anyways, I've tried every variation with no luck. So I purchased a Merlin Magic asleep Suit. It will be arriving tomorrow. If your child's Moro reflex is still strong then they will wake up a lot without the swaddle.

LO hasn't started rolling but fights the swaddle like crazy and keeps breaking free. Our Merlin magic suit arrived yesterday afternoon and I was nervous trying it over night so we double swaddled her, by 5 am she was pissed and hating the swaddle. I busted out the Merlin and amazingly she fell asleep in her bassinet! She twitched and swayed her arms for awhile, I was convinced she was going to start screaming but I looked down and she was asleep. Anyways I wanted to tell @jalee85 because I know you are waiting on yours and @jenmatt2010 it might be worth a try! I got mine on amazon.

Jalee85

@mama2be12345
So glad to hear another success story! D is definitely fighting the swaddle, but still has a strong Moro reflex so I'm hopeful!

Mama2be12345

@jalee85 Yeah I'm still in shock, she's been napping for 90 minutes, hasn't smacked herself in the face yet! It's so fun getting to actually see her fingers and arms while she sleeps, she wouldn't even let me cuddle her to sleep unswaddled lately so this changes everything :-)

BrittanyCupcakes

We quit the swaddle recently when LO started moving around like a little ninja. We have this suit from Target that works like magic. We call it her Snuggle Suit. She's so cuddle, it calms her down instantly, and keeps her warm and cozy. She's sleeping really well in it (still wakes up every 3-4 hours for feedings, but getting her back down afterwards is so much easier). We've also recently transitioned her from bedsharing to sleeping in the crib and this has saved our lives. I am totally ordering more in the next few sizes, and I'm happy it's clearanced now! 

https://www.target.com/p/just-one-you-made-by-carter-s-newborn-girls-monkey-pram-pink/-/A-14621767#prodSlot=medium_2_29

They do have a "boy" one, but it isn't clearanced. weird. 

https://www.target.com/p/just-one-you-made-by-carter-s-newborn-boys-monkey-pram-brown/-/A-14621658#?lnk=sc_qi_detailbutton

Jalee85

@mama2be12345

What did your LO wear under the sleep suit. I'm almost thinking about putting her in a short sleeve onesie and socks. It's pretty bulky.

Mama2be12345

@jalee85 yep for her morning nap I had her in a short sleeve onesie and actually didn't add socks, her legs are short so her feet are tucked in the suit, it looks pretty hilarious. She's taking her afternoon nap now and has onesie, pants and socks on because that's what she was wearing after diaper change, she doesn't seem too hot but over night I'll prob do onesie and add socks to play it safe ;-) When is yours coming?

Inn2

We began leaving his arms out a week ago, when he started rolling. His sleep sucked already, so we just gritted our teeth and went for it. Over last 3 days, his sleep has gradually increased back to 3 hour increments. Hoping for 4-5 soon, but as he is now teething and 4 months, not holding out too much hope.

Jalee85

@mama2be12345
UPS came and dropped if off a few hours ago

sweettwilight16

We are on night #4 of no swaddle. Night #2 she STTN, but last night she was up a few times. It only got bad enough for me to pick her up and feed her once though, the other times were just wiggling & making noise (but enough to wake me up). I realized that the sleep sack she was in last night wasn't as soft on the inside as her other ones, so I think maybe she wasn't as cozy...

I think we'll make this transition pretty easily. It's the transition out if the RnP that I'm dreading....

anskip

Thanks @BrittanyCupcakes!!!! I tried one that we were given and she got in a 4 hour stretch and a 3 hour stretch!! I only got up twice last night!!!! Will try again tonight!!!

blockquote class="Quote" rel="BrittanyCupcakes">We quit the swaddle recently when LO started moving around like a little ninja. We have this suit from Target that works like magic. We call it her Snuggle Suit. She's so cuddle, it calms her down instantly, and keeps her warm and cozy. She's sleeping really well in it (still wakes up every 3-4 hours for feedings, but getting her back down afterwards is so much easier). We've also recently transitioned her from bedsharing to sleeping in the crib and this has saved our lives. I am totally ordering more in the next few sizes, and I'm happy it's clearanced now! 

https://www.target.com/p/just-one-you-made-by-carter-s-newborn-girls-monkey-pram-pink/-/A-14621767#prodSlot=medium_2_29

They do have a "boy" one, but it isn't clearanced. weird. 

https://www.target.com/p/just-one-you-made-by-carter-s-newborn-boys-monkey-pram-brown/-/A-14621658#?lnk=sc_qi_detailbutton

Heather91011

We never swaddled she wiggled her way out from day one. No help here

Jalee85

@snowboarderbritt
Magic sleep suit definitely makes it easier to lay her down without waking her up. It muffles her movements so far I really like it. She still wakes up just as often, but I got bathe suit to help transition from a swaddle not to her her to STTZn.