Breaking the Swaddle

vtmomin12

My DD is 6 months old and still swaddled. We recently transitioned her to the crib from the rock 'n play and it has gone well without much strategy involved! However, she does not want to be broken from the swaddle! She may sleep about 2 hours in the sleep sack, but then after that, she is up every 30 minutes or so until we either reswaddle her. We have gone all night trying to soothe her without swaddling and it won't work. So, we are okay with continuing to swaddle (pedi didn't seem concerned) and trying to break her of it later, but the issue with that is that she breaks out of it. She will typically sleep until about 4 and then wake herself up trying to get her arms out. Then she gets mad. It's a vicious cycle! LOL!  The other issue is that she turned on her side last night and slept that way (swaddled) for a bit. I tried turning her back on her back, but she resisted, so I just slept lightly and kept an eye to make sure she didn't go to her belly. She eventually rolled back on her back. She also moves all over the crib swaddled - I don't know how! So, it seems that she's ready to be a "big girl" and have the freedom to move in her sleep, but she can't seem to sleep without the swaddle.  Suggestions? Advice? Help! :-)  

Danaz1

Try theatric sleep suit and some sleep training

Danaz1

Magic sleep suit sorry

gitiggr

Just wean her off, not cold turkey. Keep one arm out for a week or 2, then both arms out, then no swaddle. We're still at both arms out with the miracle blanket and have been for about a month now. We'll stop using it completely after DS gets rid of his bronchiolitis.

mylittlesunshine

vtmomin12:

but the issue with that is that she breaks out of it. She will typically sleep until about 4 and then wake herself up trying to get her arms out. Then she gets mad. It's a vicious cycle! LOL! nbsp;The other issue is that she turned on her side last night and slept that way swaddled for a bit.

IMO, it sounds like she is ready to not be swaddled. I would stop cold turkey. It might mean a few sleepless nights for you all, but she will adjust and before you know it, you won't have to worry about her waking multiple times to redo her swaddle.

FWIW, DD1 was swaddled until almost 8 months and we started Ferber and broke the swaddle at the same time and she did fine. DD2 has never been swaddled so we didn't have that issue this time around.

smittendorff

It really is safest to stop swaddling. Not only is your LO breaking loose, but it can be dangerous to continue swaddling now that she is rolling too. It sounds like you have already tried sleepsacks. We weaned gradually, doing one arm out, then 2, then the sleepsack. You could try having her sleep with just her belly wrapped for awhile. More snug than just a sleepsack, but her arms would still be free. We were swaddling with the Halo ones, and they worked really well for the transition. It might also just take a few rough nights for her to get used to it. GL