Advice on How to Stop Swaddling

We used swaddlers (those blanket-like pouches that velcro closed to swaddle instead of having to use a blanket). They worked very well for awhile. Eventually we started using them with his arms out because he would wriggle them free anyways. Then we switched to sleep sacks. Once the weather warmed up, the extra blanket was too hot and he slept fine without it.

If you're worried about her safety (e.g. suffocating in the tangled blanket) then I understand your decision to quit swaddling. However, there really is no reason to be concerned if the blanket you're using is lightweight. Wrap it around your own face a couple of times to be sure that breathing is still easy. At six months old, your daughter should be able to move things away from her face anyway.

If you're still concerned, you might consider buying one of these: http://www.miracleblanket.com/

or these: http://www.thewoombie.com/

Truthfully, if you're using the proper blanket, there's no REAL reason (health or developmental) to quit swaddling until it's no longer an effective way of putting your child to sleep. As a mother of two, I can tell you that ANYTHING that helps your baby sleep is a blessing that should be cherished and exalted on high for as long as possible.

There will be many "stages" that you'll have to go through as a parent and many night-time struggles that will result. So my advice is to choose your battles wisely. Honestly, swaddling is harmless. And if it bothers you that people might think she's too old, then don't tell them. Problem solved!

Best of luck to you, E.. :-)

I did a cold turkey end to swaddling around 11 weeks and was terrified it would be a nightmare but my daughter was a champ and handled it great! You may want to start with the one arm out routine. I hear its easiest for baby.

Good luck! I remember the fear so I understand!!!

I totally sympathize--my son was a swaddle addict! We also didn't completely stop swaddling until about 6 months. I fretted about this for a long time, but what eventually ended up happening was we got a really warm night and it was just too hot to swaddle him. So we were forced to go cold turkey, but I'm glad. The first couple of nights were hard (like with anything new), but then he slept much better. Getting tangled in the swaddle was waking him up and once he didn't have that hindrance, he was ultimately happier. Also, I found once we stopped swaddling, he was able to get into positions that were more comfortable for him. We used a sleep sack, too, and that worked well to keep him warm enough on cool nights.

My daughter was a different age when I stopped swaddling (4mths) but possibly my story will still be helpful. I stopped cold turkey with my first baby. I treated it the same way I approached sleep training with my kids. I did the modified cry-it-out in intervals. If she was upset for not being swaddled, I would go in her room after a couple minutes and shhhh her with my face really close to hers (what a pain leaning over the crib :)) and pat her on the back or arm to sooth her but I would not pick her up and cuddle her or talk to her. I would leave the room, then come back 4 minutes later if she was still crying. Then I repeated 8 min later, then I repeated 10 minutes later. I kept going in at 10 minute intervals until she calmed herself down and put herself to sleep. It only took a couple of days for her to get used to not being swaddled and learn to put herself to sleep.

I am a believer in cold turkey, I did it with the pacifier too. Do what you are comfortable doing and good luck!!!!

HI E.!

I too swaddled my daughter who is now 8 mths. She was fully swaddled for almost 5mths until she started to "wiggle" and get caught up in the blanket I swaddled her with. I had read similiar things about slowly unswaddling your baby and I always wondered when should I start. Your baby tells you when they are ready by their movements (wiggles). I started one night over the weekend so if my husband and I lost sleep we could help each other out. I simply swaddled her w/out her arms in. I wrapped the blanket around her just underneath her arms. Yes she moved her arms a lot more, but she never did wake up. Best of luck to you!

At around 3 months, my girl figured out how to kick off her blanket, but her startle reflex kept her awake (any slight noise or movement would have her arms flinging in the air). So, we "swaddled" her arms only (used a receiving blanket wrapped around her arms and tucked under her body). But, by 5 months she had decided that she'd much rather sleep on her belly--so the swaddling had to stop! We just put warmer pajamas on her (they have to have footies) and let her sleep sans blankie. Once she was big enough to figure out how to cover/uncover herself (and her face, if needed), we put the blankie back. That was around 7 months. This whole time, she's been a good napper (2-3 1hr naps a day) and co-sleeps with me. At 8 1/2 months I decided that she should start sleeping in the crib. I settle her in with a medium weight blanket and her favorite stuffed animal when she's on the verge of falling asleep. Now she only ends up in my bed about once a week (usually when she's not feeling well).

Don't know if that helps, but it's what worked for me. Eventually your girl will have to figure out how to work the blankets herself and how to get comfortable and put herself back to sleep if she wakes up--I say the sooner you start, the sooner she'll get the hang of it. I also read that swaddling for too long may delay some motor development. Do you use a pacifier? If so, it's nice for her to learn to find it in bed and put it in her own mouth when she needs it to sleep.

Good luck!

My son was swaddled like your daughter - every nap & night time for I think seven months. We pretty much went cold turkey. I thought it would be a really rough transition and it wasn't! Good luck! Oh, along with this transition, since she is six months old, if she isn't already sleeping through the night you could work on that at the same time so you don't have to go through two processes! We used the Ferber method and it worked great.

Hi E.,
I swaddled both my boys, and didn't quit until they indicated (by wriggling out of them almost as soon as I put them in), they didn't need it any more. If she's strong enough to get out of the swaddle, and does so regularly, it's time, and cold turkey should be fine :) (I also looooved sleep sacks!). Once in the sleep sack, I'd wrap them from the waist down only, from belly around and under their backs.
t

I swaddled my girls (twins who are almost 7 mos)for naps and bed too. As soon as they could roll over, I stopped for fear that they would roll onto their bellies and not be able to get back over. I did it slowly as you mentioned. I kept one arm out for awhile and then both out so that just their middle was wrapped with their feet inside and then, finally, I took the swaddle off completely. It was pretty seamless and didn't seem to disrupt sleep. That said, when my boys were babies (they're 3 now), I stopped swaddling cold turkey and their naps shortened considerably for awhile. Good luck with it.