When did you stop swaddling?

giglamesh · February 2016

DS is 5 months now and not rolling to his stomach yet but we stopped swaddling him cuz it's been so hot. But he literally won't sleep. We tried one of those transition swaddles but it's not helping. He wakes up multiple times per night and will only nap for 30 minutes but I know he's tired still. Help

Bigboobsmcgee · February 2016

How long has he been out of the swaddle?

I stopped at 2 months with my first kid and 4 months with my second. As they get older they do need to be able to move freely for the sake of their development that's why they recommend stopping around 4 months old.

Something to keep in mind is that sleep sucks around that age regardless. The swaddle might not even change that because your LO is older and would probably spend most of his time fighting to get out of it.

Have you tried one arm out using a really thin swaddle so he's not hot? That's what I had to do with each of my kids. One arm out, then both out with the swaddle wrapped around the waist. It takes time for them to get used to sleeping without it so hang in there.

SmrBrd2012 · February 2016

We stopped a little after 4 months when he started rolling. Honestly if he's not rolling yet, I'd personally continue to swaddle with a light one, temperature permitting, or at least do one arm out to help transition. Some babies keep their startle reflex longer than others. Once they start rolling, it seems like most babies find comfort in sleeping on their bellies. That will make the transition easier. Hopefully you're little guy will roll soon and ya'll can get some sleep!

amarie1504 · February 2016

Our LO is a little over four months and we still swaddle. We're having an issue with him getting too warm as well, as well as the fact that he hates the sack part at the bottom of his swaddle, so I just bought something today that I'm super excited about - a Swaddle Strap by Anna and Eve. It's a swaddle that only goes around LO's arms and chest, so it's much cooler than a regular swaddle (and will hopefully keep my little man from trying to kick his way out of the sleep sack all night).

I also tried a swaddle transition - the Zipadeezip - and it did not work for us! LO hated it because he could reach his face with his hands but, because his hands were covered, ended up waking up almost instantly because the fabric felt and tasted funny (his hands are always in his mouth). I think we are going to have to do the one arm out thing for a while and then try to do without the swaddle altogether.

LO's Swaddle Strap should be here in a couple days. I will come back to this post and let you know what I think of it and whether it worked well for us after we use it for a few nights.

giglamesh · February 2016

Thanks all! Super helpful!!

trishee13 · February 2016

We stopped about a month ago around 3 months but put her in the magic Merlin suit.. I know you said you tried the transitional ones but have you tried this? We have a fleece one bc it's still cold here but they have thinner cotton ones that aren't too warm and their hands and feet are out. A place by me rents them out so if you can find somewhere like that you might be able to try one before you buy it. Our LO was waking like every 3-4 hours and the first night in the Merlin she slept 10 hours!! It's been a life saver

xJKxOR · February 2016

We stopped fully swaddling at around 3 months. We used a Woombie so he couldn't actually break out of it (it's zippered) but he was fighting it a lot. I did probably about two weeks of only zipping it to his belly button so his arms could be free and then went straight into using an armless sleep sack for warmth.

momma2char · February 2016

We had to stop cold turkey just after 3 months because she started rolling. The first 3 nights were hell! Day time/naptime was terrible too because she was so tired. It took forever to get her sleeping and then she was up after every sleep cycle (20-30min). It was exhausting. But we kept with it and she adjusted to sleeping without it, and learned how to sleep through her startle reflex (another reason she would wake up a ton). I think I saw the most improvement at night 4-5, and 2 weeks after she was sleeping amazing again, and then the 4 month regression/teething/respiratory infection hit! But since she has her hands free now she's learning how to self soothe back to sleep as she has access to sucking on her thumb.

kaylerjean · February 2016

I saw something a while back called a swaddle strap. It keeps LO's arms down but it's not a blanket so it won't make them hot! I'll try to find a link to it.

kaylerjean · February 2016

Anna & Eve Swaddle Strap Arms Only Baby Swaddle, Grey, Small https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014SJ2I44/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_S31Zwb5QXQJMT

chadsfiance · March 2016

We stopped full swaddling last week. Right now, LO is sleeping in a halo sack with her arms out. She transitioned with no problems! (NOT a brag...I'm actually very surprised b/c God knows I don't know what I'm doing with all this!!)

I want to transition her to regular sleep sacks now, but I'm concerned that's where we'll have a problem. We will see...

kde4 · March 2016

We stopped swaddling at 3 months. It because abundantly clear that we had reached the end of the swaddling era because they would immediately try to break out of it once we wrapped them up. It took a little bit of time to get used to the transition swaddles (which it sounds like is also happening with your LO). I found that daytime naps with the transition swaddle helped prepare them for bedtime with it. The Zip a Dee Zip is the one that ended up working the best for us. Good luck!

Ceridwen77 · March 2016

We are starting to transition from swaddling with the halo sleep sack to not swaddling. We are doing one arm out for two nights and then second arm out. Night 1 with 1 arm out is going pretty well so far!

theglitteredpterodactyl · March 2016

I stopped swaddling when she started rolling, somewhere around the early 4 month mark. I started back up a couple of weeks ago, though, with a crochet blanket I have. She's six months and it helps her sleep so I don't see a problem with it. The blanket is loose enough that she can bust out if she wants.

Ancheta3 · April 2016

We only swaddled DS most of the time in the beginning. He would sometimes sleep unswaddled too. When the newborn sized swaddles started to fit a little tight we stopped swaddling altogether. I think we may have been done swaddling before the 2 month mark. He likes to sleep with his arms out lol

christina4436 · April 2016

6 months when she was rolling a lot. She always had her arms out tonight and likes moving around so had no issues. She didn't like being in a sack!

Knottie1442268460 · April 2016

I know this is old but ours is 5 mos adjusted. Dr recently said it was great we were still swaddling. Ours is a drug baby though and it helps.

Baby by gets arms out by morning. That's fine.

missphil · April 2016

We stopped swaddling at 4 months- it's just too hot here in Southern California. I wish I could still

ATolentino89 · April 2016

DS loves being swaddled and will be 5 months next week. He sleeps swaddled with just a diaper on.

eswany1 · April 2016

We transitioned by leaving one arm out and swaddling the rest then after while both arms out and still wrapped chest down and then after that did away with the swaddler

brideofgrace · June 2016

I stopped doing a full swaddle the day we brought our daughter home from the hospital and she surprised us by rolling onto her side from her back. After that, I always left her arms free. Have you tried using a sleep sack? They work kind of like a swaddle, but the arms are free so they can move about as they want while still having the "feeling" of a swaddle.

linzoirv · July 2016

I stopped swaddling around 6 weeks. LO couldn't stand being swaddled. We had to battle to keep his hands inside. He also gets hot easily; we live in Florida and swaddling just did added on to crazy heat.

korpatch · July 2016

Two months. Our pediatrician told us to stop because even though he still had his startle reflex, he was too muscularly developed to continue swaddling. It was sad.

kyraaD · July 2016

i stopped swaddling less than a month after birth. he hated it!! he constantly busted out of his swaddle & would grunt & complain until i took him out of the swaddle.

failuretofly · July 2016

We stopped swaddling when LO discovered his hands (10 weeks I think?? I can't remember!) He all of a sudden within a few nights started losing his shit every time I tried to bundle him, so we switched to a basic sleep sack and he slept great in it ever since!

4N6s · July 2016

We swaddled from 4 weeks to 3 months. I now use a halo sleep sack and she sleeps with her arms out.
Ill swaddle her during nap times though. :l

knottiec70c8924cbaa4200 · February 2024

My little boy was born last summer and it was really hard to keep him at the right temperature. We use a swaddle for only 2 weeks and then we transition to an hypoallergenic sleep sack. https://cuddlesprouts.com/collections/baby-sleep-sack

busterboom · March 2024

We stopped a little after 2 months. We started using sleep sacks at this point. They are great because it allows for their arms to be out but still keeps them warm. And most sleep sacks allow for adjustments up to 12+ months so you can usually find a good brand and it gives them room to grow both physically and developmentally. Our little guy knows when the sleep sack goes on it’s bed time.

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