Graduating from the swaddle...?

SomersIsles

I posted on FB but I feel like bouncing back to TB for a bit.  I never know what to do with 2 websites lol.... anywho..

Robert woke up this morning and I discovered a tiny blister on each pinky toe.  He was super gassy last night and was kicking his legs a lot and he must have rubbed them raw...   So I think this means we need to stop swaddling. 

Cue substantial fear.  Seriously.

Robert is an excellent sleeper.  If we swaddle him we can lay him down anywhere when he's slightly groggy and he'll pass out within minutes.  Sometimes he needs the pacifier sometimes he doesn't. 

I just attempted to put him down for a nap... it took 25 minutes for him to fall asleep and he only stayed asleep for 20 minutes.  This is his first nap of the day and he usually sleeps for 90 minutes to 2 hours. 

SO!  Who has graduated from the swaddle?  Words of encouragement?  Suggestions? 

ETA: adding he's about 3 and a half months if you're mobile. 

Hays0770

zippadee-zip google it...

Jessie615

My guy kept busting out and I was nervous as well because he slept so well being swaddled. He's in a muslin sleep sack now and no real problems but shorter naps the first week or so because his hands would fly/still would startle himself. Honestly now, he uses his hands to soothe/suck when he wakes up sometimes and will go back to sleep. And he loves sleeping on his side which he couldn't really do being swaddled.

Hopefully if you make the jump to go swaddle free your LO will surprise you too!

SomersIsles

Yeah when I laid him down for a nap all 4 limbs were flailing! It was like a dance party

BTBergstrom

I second a zipadee zip. My mom actually made me a few. Works great!

SomersIsles

@kirotea when you went cold turkey, how were naps? Robert goes down wayyyy easier at night because his last nursing session makes him so groggy. Naps are another story. Even with the swaddle it takes longer for him to go out for a nap

lazyreader

Ah I'm in this boat. Boo. I'm thinking I'm going to make a zippy zip thing and test it this weekend.

kimberpoo

We went straight from swaddle (he was fighting it) to an arms-out sleep sack. he liked that fine but he liked just sleeping in a sleep-n-pay even better, so we've just been putting him down in a (footed) sleep-n-play since about week 6 or 7

wearallthebabies

We bought the Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit and it works wonderful! It gives DS the security of the swaddle (he startles himself easily) and works just as well (possibly better) for us. It comes in 3-6 mo. and 6-9 mo. sizes, after that I am probably going to have a nightmare of a time transitioning to nothing! We have one at DC and one at home and he sleeps so much better now that he has the suit Edit: spelling

BTBergstrom

@bennieangel I am super lucky there was no way I was spending 35 dollars on such an easy thing. (My mom actually does some amazing sewing she has an etsy store and makes American girl clothes. I'm kinda in trouble as dd gets older.) It's not magic for us either but she sleeps the same as if swaddled so ill take it. She's doing the 4 month sleep regression right now! So tired

BethRN1987

We have the sleep suit .amazing!!

Just started swaddling for naps - step backwards.

I've got the zip thing on the way to try and compare the two

Aliki

We use the Halo Sleep Sack. Even though she's not tightly swaddled any more, I think just having some weight on top of her (like a blanket) helps keep her asleep.

LittlePigeon

We are swaddling arms out right now. I just bought one of the Merlin suits on eBay but haven't tried it yet.

desertmouse39

We have been using the Halo swaddle/sleep sack, but just wrapping it tightly around her chest under her arms - so arms out, for just over a week now.  She really uses her hands to chew on and soothe herself, so this helps.  

However, her naps are a bit more problematic, so although I  have not been swaddling for naps, I may start and see if that helps her sleep a bit more soundly during the day.  I think poor napping may be partly to blame for her MOTN wakings, not sure.

Can you start by just leaving one arm out?  Give that a few days, then move to both out?  If you want to continue swaddling with a larger swaddle or different type I think that's OK too.  DD #1 used hers right through 17 or 18 weeks I think, and then she was done and that was that.  

theluckiest9

We also use the Merlin's sleep suit and loooove it. We put her down drowsy but awake for naps and she can fall asleep on her own. When she's swaddled we have to help her. Nighttime she pretty much falls asleep at the bottle. When it's in the wash we use a halo sleep sack with arms out or we'll swaddle if she's flailing.

Turtle15SW

Someone suggested one arm out to me a while ago and it was the only way I was able to transition my LO out of it. Took about 3 weeks before we swaddled the other one out.

SomersIsles

Did 2 naps today with one arm out and it was a success! I also put socks on his feet while his blisters heal. I'm too scared to do one arm free at night though lol. Baby steps... Momma loves her sleep lol

mfarmer0811

We are on night 4 of going cold turkey. He'll go down around 9/10 wake up around 11/12 back up 2/3 and then I've been putting him in the mamaroo and he'll sleep till 7 or 8.
After his 2/3 am wake time I'm going to see if he'll sleep that long in the pnp. I can't tell if the sleep pattern is due to no swaddle or 4 mo wakeful.

I decided to do cold turkey for a couple of reasons.
1. I don't want to spend the money on something new
2. If he's going to be awake b/c of regression, I might as well go for the gusto and not swaddle either.