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Babies: 3 - 6 Months
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How do you know...

altow1310altow1310 member
in Babies: 3 - 6 Months
When it's the right time to stop swaddling? My LO is less than 12 weeks, so I am a bit of a lurker from the 0-3 mos page. However, it doesn't sound like many of the other moms on that page have reached the point of no longer swaddling yet, so I figured I'd check with some of you. :) Lately my LO hates being put into his swaddle, but I think it still helps him sleep better than he would if he could flail his arms around. His startle reflex is still pretty fierce. However, sometimes throughout the night I feel like he is fighting his swaddle so much that it could be better for him to go without it. All in all I don't think he's ready yet, but I'm just curious how you knew your LOs were ready to leave the swaddle behind because we may be close. I know you're supposed to stop when they learn to roll, but LO isn't there yet so I'm not sure what other signs to look for. What told you it was time to do without?
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Re: How do you know...

  • mrsb30mrsb30 member
    My LO just turned 5 months and we still swaddle her. She has only rolled over a couple of times and only front to back not back to front. My pedi told us it was fine to keep swaddling her until she could roll over both ways. We will probably try to go without it any day, I'm just nervous because she's such a good sleeper! She sleeps 9-10 hours straight. I have been laying her down for naps Without the swaddle and she does fine.
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  • Mack2342Mack2342 member
    My LO was only swaddled for a few hours after his birth. The area we live in has one of the highest SIDS rates in country so our hospital/doctors recommended only swaddling for a few hours. We followed that and my LO sleeps 5-6 hours at a time at night. He did startle himself awake but he is 4 months now and rarely does that now
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  • altow1310altow1310 member
    @mrsb30 same here! Our LO sleeps all night as well, and I totally attribute some of our luck there to the swaddle! I'm nervous to transition too. I'm so afraid it will ruin our routine and LO's awesome sleep pattern!
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  • BognesBognes member
    We stopped swaddling when she constantly busted out of it. We use magic Merlin suit now. Awesome.
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  • NurseRiegerNurseRieger member
    I stopped by 10 weeks, he kept trying to break out and slept better without it.
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  • Bickey11Bickey11 member
    We stopped at 6 weeks.. It really depends on how active your baby is. Mine was working his way out of them constantly and I'm a pro swaddled. He's just a little Houdini. Swaddling is a preference not a requirement, so whenever you and baby are ready..
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  • BigboobsmcgeeBigboobsmcgee member

    I never went past 4 months with either kid. At that point they were both breaking out of the swaddle more than they were sleeping.

    You could always leave one arm out or wrap the swaddle around his waist. That helped my kids feel secure.

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  • v&drustonv&druston member
    I stopped doing the full swaddle (arms in) when he was waking during the night & fighting to get his arms out. Now I use the swaddle me sack & just keep his arms out. Provides an extra layer like a blanket & security around his chest that he seems good with, but has his arms out to roll around & suck his hands for soothing.
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  • SmrBrd2012SmrBrd2012 member
    We stopped around 4.5 months when he started rolling.
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  • mrsb30mrsb30 member
    We left her arms out last night and just swaddled around her waist like @Bigboobsmcgee recommended and she did great, slept all night! I think we will go get some sleep sacks this weekend and just do away with the swaddle all together.
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  • AnonymousMomAnonymousMom member
    We didn't swaddle once we were home from the hospital.  We did use sleep sacks and sometimes still do.  I can kind of tell when it is a sleep sack kind of night if that makes sense.  I will say that if loose blankets were safe our LO would be a big fan . For that reason, I will sometimes let them cuddle with an awake parent and a plush fleece blanket. They like to feel the soft fabric and cuddle into it and since we're right there to make sure they aren't overheating, rebreathing against the blanket, getting tangled in it, or suffocating it is fine and safe.  I also used to let them do some of their tummy time on these blankets because they liked the blanket enough that they would be ok with being put down on it while DH or I watched them. Now they are able to get up on all fours and these blankets slide on our hardwood floors so we're back to using mats for working on crawling and sitting.
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