Transition from sleeping in swing help!

morgs8384 · October 2011

When DS was around 6 weeks old we started putting DS in his swing at night to sleep. We did that because he was waking up constantly. I knew when we did it eventually we would have a hard time transitioning him to the crib, but I figured we would deal with it when the time came.

DS sleeps in his crib for all of his naps. He isn't the best napper, but he does take them. When he sleeps at night we swaddle him, and then put him in his swing ( strapped in of course). He then sleeps without any problem from 10- 7:30 most nights.

I have read babywise, and am thinking of reading Ferber's method. I figured it would probably be a good idea to get him out of the swing and into the crib once hes four months old.

Maybe I am over thinking things. Should I cold turkey end the swaddle and the swing? unswaddle him for naps first? I also rock him to sleep...I have used so many crutches, I feel like I'm a bad mom. Sad

Thank you!!

AmandaP678 · October 2011

First, don't beat yourself up. You did what you had to do in order to get sleep.

I'm sorry if I missed this ( I'm a little deprived this morning LO woke up every 2 hours and my older one was up and ready to start his day at 5) How old is your LO?

My DS1 LIVED in his swing until about 6 months until he pretty much decided he wanted try and get out. What we did to transition him was have him fall asleep in the swing and then move him into the crib once he was a asleep. I think we may have at one point just placed him in the swing but didn't turn it on and then moved him to the crib. ( Does that make sense) I'm sure some will argue and say this is wrong but it worked for us.

I can;t remember how long the whole process took, maybe a month?

And you said LO takes naps in his crib which is good.

morgs8384 · October 2011

DS will be four months Nov 8. So I have time. I just know it is something that has to happen at some point. DS does take naps in his crib, he likes his crib, his problem is that he some how wakes himself up in the crib. In the swing he has the constant motion to rock himself back to sleep. The idea of putting him to sleep in the swing and then moving him to the crib is a great idea, I didn't think of that. Thank you!!

AmandaP678 · October 2011

It didn;t always work well. He had to be out cold before we could do it or else he'd wake up and we had to start the process over again.

And he's a day older than my ds2!

CarlaAndJames · October 2011

My LO slept in the swing exclusively for the first 2 months. We transitioned her for naps first, so you've already got that out of the way.

If I were you I'd transition her to the crib first, then transition out of the swaddle once you've got that down. The swaddle will help them feel more secure in the crib. When A would wake up in the crib, I would go in and put my hand on her belly and kind of jiggle her and "shhhhh" her. It usually helped her go back to sleep.

morgs8384 · October 2011

CarlaAndJames:
My LO slept in the swing exclusively for the first 2 months. We transitioned her for naps first, so you've already got that out of the way.

If I were you I'd transition her to the crib first, then transition out of the swaddle once you've got that down. The swaddle will help them feel more secure in the crib. When A would wake up in the crib, I would go in and put my hand on her belly and kind of jiggle her and "shhhhh" her. It usually helped her go back to sleep.

Good to know. You also answered what would have been my next question. I wasn't sure if I DS woke up swaddled in the crib at night what I should do.

I feel better knowing I am not alone in this. It's good to know others have gone through it and have survived lol. Thank you both.

CarlaAndJames · October 2011

Before long, he'll probably be a rolling machine anyway. Once A was rolling a lot from back to front she started sleeping that way, and she sleeps MUCH more soundly on her belly!

comosean · October 2011

CarlaAndJames:

My LO slept in the swing exclusively for the first 2 months. We transitioned her for naps first, so you've already got that out of the way.

If I were you I'd transition her to the crib first, then transition out of the swaddle once you've got that down. The swaddle will help them feel more secure in the crib. When A would wake up in the crib, I would go in and put my hand on her belly and kind of jiggle her and "shhhhh" her. It usually helped her go back to sleep.

This exactly! Also, we did a few nights of turning the swing off once he was asleep, then a few nights of him in the swing off the whole time then we put him in the crib, it took about a week. And, we have a sound machine in the nursery because he was so used to the sound of the swing all night.

Mrs.Purdue · October 2011

DD slept in her swing exclusively (even for naps) until about 4.5 months old. To transition, we had her sleep in there without it running for about a week and then we took a trip to my parents house where she had to sleep in a pack-n-play. Once we got home, we went straight into the crib. We didn't really have any problems doing it this way. She continued to STTN, although we did have to wake up a few times to put her pacifier back in for that first week. No picking up or rocking or feeding though.

I'd definitely keep the swaddle until he's sleeping in the crib successfully at night. Then you can start to transition out of that whenever you're ready. (we're still swaddling at 5.5 months)

BCfan1 · October 2011

I have found that shaking the mattress is more effective than just jiggling her tummy.

mel1358 · October 2011

Seriously, I don?t want to hijack your post, but I just logged on to post the exact same thing! DD will be four months next week and I feel like she is starting to not be physically comfortable in the swing, like she tries to move at night and it just wakes her up that she is strapped in. However she will not sleep in the crib more than 30 to 45 minutes at a time. We have the ?no swinging? while sleeping in the swing down pat, it?s now just transitioning her to the crib. She has been anti-swaddle since the day she was born so that is not an option. If you have any luck with your transition and can share your experience, please do! I also feel like a bad mom and this whole swing to crib thing consumes my thoughts 99.9% of my day! Good Luck!

mrsbotsy · October 2011

Did I write this?

My daughter has been sleeping in the swing for the past 3 months at night. For the past month, it has been off the entire time. I have been starting to feel like she is getting to big for it! We tried to move her to the crib a month ago, and failed miserably.

So tonight, we are trying again...this is my plan (so far its been working...she's been asleep for an hour!)

1. I propped the mattress up a little so it is on a slight incline (like the swing)

2. I pulled the liner out of the swing and put it in the crib with rolled up receiving blankets around the edge of the liner so it is a similar shape.

3. I put her in the crib drowsy awake and not sleeping.

4. She is swaddled, but with one arm out.

Hope the transition works for all of us! It's so good to hear I'm not the only one!

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