Need help with baby sleep (swaddling)

KelleyA

J is an awesome sleeper (at night, terrible napper like her sister).  She's in bed by 8:00 and gets up around 5:00 to nurse then back down for 2-3 hours. 

The issue is that right now she's swaddled.  I want to get her away from being swaddled and don't know how to break that habit. How do you get away from it...let them fuss a bit/soothe themselves?  Amelia was never swaddled so I don't know how to transfer from doing it to not.

The main reason I want to do it is that DD is so mobile in her crib.  She's twisting and spinning in her swaddle and ending up with her face against the rails.  I don't have a bumper in because I'm paranoid that she'll suffocate.  She wakes up screaming when she's up against it, but doesn't move herself away from it (I move her).  I think she's just trying to be more mobile and roll and being swaddled isn't conducive and well, I hate to see her so upset because her face is smushed against the wood in her crib.

I appreciate your thoughts/advice!  

sad5781

We swaddled from under the arms down when he started breaking out (but that was at 5 months because I didn't want to mess with a good thing). After a couple of nights (and once I bought some PJ's for him), we stopped all together.

One of my friends slowly weened hers off the swaddle by only swaddling one arm for a few nights, then moving to only swaddling from under the arms down for a few nights. 

KelleyA

sad5781:

We swaddled from under the arms down when he started breaking out (but that was at 5 months because I didn't want to mess with a good thing). After a couple of nights (and once I bought some PJ's for him), we stopped all together.

One of my friends slowly weened hers off the swaddle by only swaddling one arm for a few nights, then moving to only swaddling from under the arms down for a few nights. 

I was wondering if that would work...I'll give it a go!  Thank you!!! I just need her to be able to move herself away from the rails and it seems that the best way is for her to be fully mobile.  I have regular jammies so I'll give it a go tonight. 

cali_girl92504

We went cold turkey but she was busting her arms free anyway. I switched to a sleep sack so that she could keep her arms over her head like she likes and all is well. She would stir more but still slept 8-10 hours.

jen5-03

::whsipers::

we still swaddle DS for naps

::runs away from post::

kat.in.the.hat

I'd try letting one arm at a time go free like Sad said, then try a sleep sack as well.

KNJepp

jen5/03:

::whsipers::

we still swaddle DS for naps

::runs away from post::

Cameron still goes into a Woombie at naptime too.  We've successfully transitioned at night-time, but naps are another story.

nanann

jen5/03:

::whsipers::

we still swaddle DS for naps

::runs away from post::

Ha!  I swaddled Elena 'til she was a year, and I've always felt like the freak for doing so when I see people trying to get rid of it at a month!  But she LOVED sleeping all swaddled up!

kreeper611

We swaddled until he was 5 months old and then went cold turkey.  I'm really no help.

charlotteL

nanann:

jen5/03:

::whsipers::

we still swaddle DS for naps

::runs away from post::

Ha!  I swaddled Elena 'til she was a year, and I've always felt like the freak for doing so when I see people trying to get rid of it at a month!  But she LOVED sleeping all swaddled up!

I still like to sleep with the covers tight around me.  

KelleyA

I put her to bed without any swaddle...just comfy jammies.  Eek, we'll see how it goes and how tired I am tomorrow for work. 

SigmundsGirl

I hope you have a successful night. We went cold turkey with Evan the day he first rolled over (about 4 1/2 months) and he actually slept better. I think he was waking himself up trying to bust out of the swaddle.

He has also been a tummy sleeper ever since.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

LisaK2b

Get footed pj's!  That's going to be my advice for all moms.  jk!

with Ally, we used the woombie, and then we just zipped it half way up so it kind of just swaddled her waist and legs but her arms were free.  No good advice from me since she rarely sleeps through the night and didn't roll or move until she was 8 months old!

But GL!

melrrr

I hope things go well tonight!

We stopped swaddling around 4 months. Looking back it may not have been the safest thing, but for a few nights I put sheet over her changing pad and she slept on that in her crib. I noticed that she dozed off really easy on there one evening, and I think it was because the curved sides made her feel cradled. She had been breaking out of the miracle blanket every night and waking up.  After a few nights on the changing pad, I took it out and we were swaddle free. 

KelleyA

No swaddle lasted 3 hours...boo! Guess we're not going cold turkey! We'll try with one arm out tonight. I guess she really loves that swaddle. Thanks gals!