how to stop swaddling baby

jennalea09 · September 2011

My baby will be 3 months tomorrow and will only sleep at night if swaddled. I would like to stop swaddling because I think he is getting close to rolling over and don't want him to roll over during the night while swaddled. How did you stop swaddling your baby? I've tried putting him down without it or even with it on and arms not tucked in and he wakes himself with his arms. I don't swaddle him for naps but usually the only way he will sleep during the day is with the vibration of the bouncer, the swing, or of course being held. Suggestions appreciated!

iamrobyn · September 2011

I'm curious what others have to say. We put DS down tonight with no swaddle for the first time so we'll see how he does. He's been sleeping w/o the swaddle for daytime naps unless he gets really really worked up then he needs the swaddle for comfort. He has a hard time napping usually though he seems to need to fuss and cry a bit before he can let himself go to sleep. Perhaps you can try getting your LO to nap in the crib more to prepare for de-swaddling?

IrishEyes0530 · September 2011

I am wondering the same thing. I've been swaddling DS with one arm out for about a month now and he's doing awesome with it. I've tried a couple times with both arms out, but unless he's already asleep, I always end up re-swaddling him. I'm going to try on a day when I feel well rested I think to do both arms out. I plan on doing it soon though because DS is 3mo and 1 week almost and I also want him out of the swaddle before he rolls over. I would say start with one arm out for a week or two so it's gradual.

J+MS · September 2011

I'm all about sleep advice tonight.

anyway, start with one arm out, then a couple days later, the other arm and then the legs, etc. Just go slow and then once baby is used to having his/her limbs free, try the sleep sack. voila.

ModernUSMCGypsy · September 2011

I use a slack sleeper most of the time. DD still rolls in it, but at least she's somewhat contained.

Sweet Sadie Mae · September 2011

I just stopped swaddling altogether and LO is STTN with no problems. She got too big for the miracle blanket and she would wiggle out and the fabric would be up by her face and neck. Scary. We do have her in a tucker sling so maybe that's comforting for her but pretty soon we are taking the sling out too. Good luck mommas!

bma-amb · September 2011

We had to stop swaddling because my DD rolled over in the swaddle and she had a REALLY hard time without it. I was feeling desperate after a few days of her not sleeping and being miserable and came across the Peke Moe while googling. It is pricey but she looooooooves it. She fell right back into her awesome sleeping once we had it. Check it out if you feel you need the extra help.

RayRay007 · September 2011

We went cold turkey when DD was somewhere around 3 months. FIL babysat for a couple hours and put her to bed. I didn't give him any instructions about swaddling her b/c I didn't want to overwhelm him or give him too many rules, and he put her to bed unswaddled. I don't know if he rocked her to sleep or what. We were already at the point of putting her down awake, so then we just put her down awake and unswaddled and had to stand there for a minute soothing her, keeping her hands out of her face, etc. until she settled down. The only problem we had with unswaddling was getting her to sleep in the first place. She never woke herself up because of it.

Dreamsicle23 · September 2011

You just have to bite the bullet and do it. You will be miserable for a few days, but life will be so much easier afterwards.

jodyrm · September 2011

One morning I woke up to my DD screaming, I ran into her room and found her stuck on her face. (She's been rolling since early on, but never while swaddled)

That night we unswaddled her cold turkey and she's been STTN ever since. Goes to bed at 8 and wakes up at 630-7. We got really lucky.

JulieBadulie · September 2011

We stopped the full swaddle around 4 months. Prior to that time, we tried but he wasn't ready. At 4 mos, he did hit himself in the head a bit, but not as much. He adjusted quickly. We went from the full swaddle to the partial swaddle (swaddle with arms out). We did that until 5 mos. We stopped because our swaddle blankets were no longer long enough. He transitioned from that well.

Hope it goes smoothly!

catsinawindow · September 2011

I think it was easy to stop swaddling once DS was ready.

We tried once (for kicks) when he was about 4 months and it was TERRIBLE! He was up screaming every hour all night long. Only did that for one night. Asked pedi at his 4month appointment and she said that some babies need swaddling up to 6 months, and we'd know when he was ready b/c there wouldn't be any trouble removing him from the swaddle.

About 2 weeks later DS learned to roll onto his stomach. All night he woke up screaming b/c he rolled onto his stomach and couldn't get back onto his back or get comfortable b/c of the swaddle. The next night we put him down without the swaddle and he slept fine as ever.

smitt2619 · September 2011

We stopped by weaning gradually, doing one arm out, then both, then sleepsack. He relied on swaddling so much to sleep, then surprised me with how easily he adjusted. I think the sleepsack really helped provide some confinement and snugness even though his arms were out. We use the Halo brand ones, and love them. The inverted zipper is so handy, and the patterns are so cute.

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