How to get away from a swaddle?

There are some nights my daughter still wants to be swaddled for whatever reason and she’s 2 but I get it because sometimes all I want to do is be wrapped up like a burrito all warm and cozy too :sweat_smile:
My sister refused to sleep without being swaddled till she was a little over 1 but it was never brought up as an issue
Is there a specific reason they told you she has to stop or was she just suggesting you do it?

My 2nd born was like this. Wanted to be swaddled past 7 months. I just did what he liked and he is a well rounded 8 year old who still loves cuddles.

I’d definitely listen to my kids needs for something like this, just because a ‘doctor’ says they need to does not mean they have to, every kid is different, they learn and grow at their own pace. If she is sleeping peacefully and throughout the night I do not see the harm in keeping up what you are already doing! Good luck momma❤️

Get a baby sleeping bag! Worked wonders for mine xx

Maybe trying to prop her on her side. Babies have a feeling of falling that’s why there are fly up in the air when on their backs. Either one of mine wouldn’t stay in the swaddle and they would not sleep on their backs dues to the reflex’s of falling. They were both tummy/ side sleepers from birth. It’s not recommend dues to SID"s but they really don’t know the true cause of it anyway.

If she’s able to roll over, that’s extremely dangerous to still be swaddling her and can cost you her life. She will get used to a sleep sack give it time. Maybe turn her vertically in her crib so she feels more compact and there’s not so much space in between her feet and head.

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Swaddling is supposed to stop at 8 weeks or at signs of rolling over. It needs to stop immediately

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SleepingBaby Poly Zipadee-Zip Swaddle Transition Baby Swaddle Blanket with Zipper, Cozy Baby Sleep Sack Wrap (Extra Small 3-6 Months | 8-13 lbs, 18-26 inches | Flamingos) Amazon.com

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I think the concern is babies starting to roll over and if baby manages to roll over in the swaddle they may not be able to breathe. I’d try swaddling loosely in a muslin blanket so it will come undone if baby does roll over.

Have you tried a halo sleeper? That way you can let one arm out and have her half swaddled for a week, then both arms out but her chest swaddled and then you can switch her to a sleep sack when you feel she’s ready. That’s what I had to do for my daughter

Grow bag is now the way forward as she’ll be moving around, it’s dangerous to have her in a swaddle that late because she could roll over and not to be able to turn back.

Safe sleep is SOOOO important. Your baby is so precious and the risk of losing them is not worth any convenience that comes with unsafe sleep. So good on you for following the advise of your pediatrician. This is a great group to reference for any and all safe sleep problems. Redirecting...

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Have you tried a sleep sack swaddle they still swaddle the arms up it can be like an in between transition

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She may hate them and I know its very difficult but it takes about 3-4 days for an infant to learn and get comfortable with a change we make in their routine

With that being said how much time is she being given to adjust to these different transition sacks you are trying?

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Good luck. My son is 6 months and still loves to be swaddled. He can fall asleep on his own without it. But it’s the startle reflect that gets him (he’d always had it worst then my first) and the fact he has allergies and stuffy nose/runny eyes. So he’s constantly rubbing his eyes/nose also. Right now I am doing 1 arm out, 1 in and it’s seemed to help. But going without is a no go, tried again last night and he woke every hour. :woozy_face: so if you find a magic fix let me know.

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also our issue! I tried EVERYTHING. He hated everything except the actual swaddling. It took 3 sleepless nights and then he was just fine. It’s hard but it has to be done

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Really lady. Your baby is 5 months old. If you start this stuff now you will have a pure brat on your hands

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Unfortunately you need to listen to your doctor not all children are alike but you don’t want to risk it… it will be a rough couple of nights but here is what it says Dr’s and the AAP don’t recommend swaddling with arms in after 8 weeks OR when the child starts rolling, whichever comes first, because it is a suffocation risk. The baby can end up rolling in their sleep but with their arms restrained in a swaddle they are unable to get out of the roll, and suffocate. Unfortunately there have been a lot of babies who have died this way.

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Swaddle her under her arm pits tight. We did for months and months and than was able to switch her to a sleep sack.

My baby is almost 3 months old and I’m having the same issue as she is starting to roll

What if you try to loosen it up each night so it isn’t so tight and see if that starts to help?

Honestly everyone’s advise is great but here’s mine and it will be hard to understand but just stop! Stop swaddling it will be hard the first week or so as she gets used to it but eventually she will and will no longer need to! Its like when your weaning binkies you just gotta stop doing it, cut them cold turkey!

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Try the merlin sleep suite, it is magic! Lol

I never heard of this problem my kids slept with me and never swaddled.

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Can’t help you. Both my kids would get themselves out of the swaddle literally from the day the were born. The nurses used to wake me up asking why I took them out of their swaddle I’d laugh telling them it wasn’t me. I knew right away it was the babies doing it. My first born after the nurse came in and woke me, she swaddled him again and left. I stayed up watching him and never once touched him. He started wiggling, kicking moving and broke out of the swaddle. When he finally got out, he fell asleep.
My second born i think she was about 3 hours old. I asked the nurses to put her in the nursery as I wanted to go for a cigarette after 72 hours of labour. The nurse put her in and she was swaddled. I came back about ten minutes later, cause I needed a coffee too, and sure enough the nurse brought her to me asking me why I didn’t swaddle her. I told her I did and she swaddled her again and left. I finally feel asleep and have no idea how long maybe 2 hours. It was shift change so the morning nurse came in woke me up and asked me why I took her out of her swaddle. I told her that I didn’t she does it herself. Of course she didn’t believe me but frankly I don’t care, just because you birth a baby doesn’t make you an expert on babies. Not once, even doubling the swaddle or backwards swaddle both my babies got out from the day they were born.

Why do you have to stop? Cot Death/SIDS rates lower as the child gets older.

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When I was transitioning my daughter, they recommended starting by just swaddling with arms out and I did that a few days before ditching it completely.

My son was the complete opposite, always had to pull his arms out.

She obviously needs to be swaddled so her body can regulate itself and sleep. It’s a sensory thing.

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Just like the binkie and bottle,take it away and deal with the crying. Shouldn’t take more than 3 days. My daughter was the same way!!!

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I use Sleeping Baby - Home of the Zipadee-Zip for my daughter. It helps babies transition from not being swaddled. They work great for her

Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How to get away from a swaddle?

Is there any health reasons for taking her out of a swaddle? If there isn’t, just keep doing it, if it means she gets a good night sleep and you do as well.

My girls are adults now and the first few months of life are precious.
May not be a popular opinion, but your kids are only young for a short period time.

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At our early learning center we slow transition….leave
One arm out then slowly add the second arm out etc

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Use a zipadee zip. They are specifically for transitioning out of a swaddle. My daughter used one from 3 months to 5 months. Now she doesn’t need it. Before the zipadee zip she would not sleep at all without being swaddled. But it is dangerous to swaddle a baby who can roll. It was a life saver for me.

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Sighs…sometimes…you just have to let them cry it out.
As a mama of 7…I know its hard.

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If she needs the comfort don’t give it up until she is ready.

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Try swaddling but leave arms out in case she rolls over

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Let her do it if that’s what makes her comfortable. It’s a 5 month old and she will move on to another technique.

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Your just going to have to let her cry. She’ll cry for a couple of nights but then she’ll get over it.

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my son was like this i just left him in it he was strong enough to break out of the swaddle when i started letting him sleep in his crib without supervision.

Swaddle your child if it makes her feel safe and secure and actually sleeps. You can loosen it at times, but she’s only a baby once. Adults enjoy hugs, and weighted blankets are used (where once we used tucked in blankets) and that’s allowed, so love your bub and go with what makes you both happy.

She’s 5 months old…she will absolutely sleep without being swaddled! How long do you think a 5 month old can refuse to sleep before exhaustion kicks in and she falls asleep? If she cries…let her cry until she figures out that you’re not going to rush in and swaddle her.

I used it until she was about 1 or so. It never affected my daughter and she is almost 12

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Try one of those weighted blankets. You can get them for little kids and babies ect now. There suppose to feel like a hug so maybe it will give the same feeling as a swaddle

She’s only 5 months old it makes her feel safe I really would worry too much. Every babies different. Don’t stress she’ll be fine.

They do make sleep sacks they have a little weighted character on them. It’s small and is on their chest area. It makes them feel like you are holding them. They work wonders. I have several kids at the daycare who parents say they won’t sleep unless we swaddle. Since we are not allowed to swaddle at daycare. We use these sleep sacks and the kids sleep. It’s all about feeling secure. If she needs her arms and hands covers we put long sleeve shirts on them and use the little mittens to cover their hands so they can still move them freely. They are actually shying away from swaddling anyways. It has been found that it can cause kids bones not to grow properly. They say it can cause their bones to have curves in them that leads to problems later in life. Also has been cause in many cases of SIDS as well cause the baby can not move properly to help itself if it can’t breath cause of the restrictions of the extremities.

I, never swaddled. Didn’t want to have to break the habit.

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She’s not ready yet. I have a 26 yr daughter who sleeps in a queen bed. When alone she surrounds herself with pillows and litterly tucks herself in tight.

We used the Love to Dream swaddle!! It was a life saver. Look it up on Amazon. I promise you won’t regret it

Please read up on safe sleep practices and SIDS ( sudden infant death syndrome )

https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/sleep/sleep-safety/safe-sleeping-tips

Love to dream 50/50 transition swaddle take off one wing till she drops her shock reflex then take off the other wing !

My son was the same way… I just made it loose, so if he moved around it would come undone…& he was fine like that.

My grand daughter was like this. I remember thinking how odd it was that she was so big and liked feeling tucked in. She out grew it

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Have you looked into the weighted baby sleep sacks? I just was reading about them the other day and thought maybe that was an option.

They will move out of the swaddle as they age. The older they get the more they will move about in their bed. Swaddling makes them feel safe. Their is a lot of scientific research around the link between feeling of safety up to the age of two and developing anxiety. Also further research about the long term negative effects on health (as an adult) if children don’t get enough sleep in their first two years.

Don’t stress. Just support your baby and their needs. She may need to be swaddled for so many reasons (breathing, safety, back and hip alignment, digestion, etc) Listen to your child and your gut! I took my child to the doctor and paediatrician saying that something was wrong with my child. They all said no. Years on and I decided to try other specialists, finally got someone who listened and I got my answers. Total of 7 diagnoses. Doctors and paediatricians don’t know everything, they are only as good as the few years they spent at uni. And if they don’t keep up with new research then they aren’t always up to date, they are also not specialists in every area of the body.
I have got more answers about my babies from speech pathologists (yes they see babies mostly for sleeping, eating etc) and child educational psychologists.

Your children are so precious. Pick your battles. Listen to your child’s needs and feelings.

Try to transition over to the sleep sack where they are wrapped but swaddled. I know some that are close to the yr old. So no worries enjoy your time and let baby be comfortable

Why is it time is there a medical reason you must stop using it or is it just your personal feelings that she must stop?

Let that baby be a baby

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Transition your swaddles. For a week slightly less compression next week even less etc

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My almost 3 yr old wears a sleep suit for his day time nap. Try a sleeping bag / suit

Mine wanted it until 2years. It never hurt him

Maybe try the baby brezza safe sleep swaddle blanket…

Have you tried the Merlin suit?

Why is it a problem to continue go swaddle?

If she can roll over you have to stop swaddling. She could suffocate.

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You know adults use weighted blankets that probably have same affect. Obviously you can’t do that now but explains why they love the swaddle

Why does she have to stop? Its how its comforting her? Shes only 5 months old.

https://lovetodream.com.au/products/swaddle-up-transition-bag-original-1-0-tog-white-dreamer.html

Gone are the days when you’d put your child to bed like a normal baby…in a footed sleeper, with a blanket, and pacifier (if they took one). I have no advice for your current situation as all four of my children slept through the night by the time they were 6 weeks old.

Not sure if you’re planning on having anymore children but I’d suggest for the future, go back to what parents have done for literally thousands of years. It seems to work.

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Swaddle her. She won’t be little long

https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/sleep/sleep-safety/safe-sleeping-tips

Find a doctor who worries about the aluminum hydroxide and formaldehyde in vaccines. Aluminum hydroxide can result in inflammation to the medulla and breathing cessation.

Why does she have to learn to sleep without it? No she doesn’t. Let her sleep in it until she outgrows it that’s when it’s time

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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How to get away from a swaddle?

Why not just wait it out until baby is ready? My baby would only sleep in a swing. Everyone was like don’t do that our she’ll never sleep on her own but one day she just didn’t like the swing anymore. I spent so much time stressing over something she simply out grew on her own.

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A couple nights with no sleep is worth it to me to know my baby is sleeping safely… I Swaddled for 3 months before I learned you’re supposed to stop at 8 weeks. So if she’s rolling you 100% do need to stop…

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My son did this and i was so frustrated. I TRIED EVERYTHING😭 Slowly start loosening it. Every night a little less tight until you cant to it anymore. I used the Velcro ones.

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I never swaddled my son since the day he came home and he slept all night without issues i guess every baby is different

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Just stop. It may be rough for a few nights but she needs to learn how to sleep without.

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Swaddle in one arm, and leave the other free for a few nights. Then swaddle with both arms out, but it still “swaddled” under their arms, this helped with our son!

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Oh wow. You’re doing the right thing to be working on this. How about a nice weighted blanket? That could help. Also, a few very busy days in row, with gentle pep talks and nice music at bedtime? She may ease into less bundling.

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My daughter was the worst when it came to swaddling. She had to be swaddled for naps and all. She was born 2 months premature and only weighed 2lbs. So she’s a bit behind. She’s 9 months and still isn’t rolling over all the time. Anyway, I tried everything as well, but she did like the sleep sack. She got too big to be swaddled. So in a way I had no choice. Try wrapping your lo in a slightly bigger blanket. That way the baby is still wrapped but not swaddled.

People saying stop when baby is ready. It doesn’t work that way. You HAVE to stop swaddling when they start rolling over. Stop cold Turkey. If she rolls over while being swaddled, she wouldn’t be able to roll back on her back and could suffocate.
Try using halo one with one arm in and go from there. Use a blanket to wrap around legs, and take it off right when she’s asleep. Stop swaddling is she’s rolling over.

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Swaddle with one arm out for a few days. Then let then both arms out. If she doesn’t like it go back to one arm and give her a little bit more time. Worked for me.

My son stayed swaddled like that until he was 2 1/2 YEARS OLD. No LIE!! He was a 2 pound preemie and is autistic. His dr was contented but it was the only way he would sleep. I even had to buy the bigger blankets at Walmart so I could swaddle him. He would ASK me too or cry cry cry. He’s almost 5 (December) and still will occasionally ask me to wrap him and cuddle

My friend’s first born was swaddled until 9 months old … She was also never told to stop either!!

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Just let her stop when she wants. Its not hurting anything. I stopped at 9 months with one baby and the other stopped at like 2 months. He was a bigger baby though.

Implementing some kind of sleepy time routine has really helped my kiddos! Any kind of schedule that you can do every night to show them it’s SLEEPY TIME SOON! Baths, books, feeding, whatever best suits your household and you can stick to. This isn’t an instant fix by any means but doesn’t just help baby but the whole family!

My son was like this. But i put my foot down and didnt give in, after night 3 he was sleeping again.

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I swaddled my son til he was almost a year. Our pediatrician said we could swaddle until he was ready to not to be swaddled, just had to make sure his hands were free after he started rolling

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So what, she’s a 5 month old, let her transition in her own time.

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Let them be, they will gradually get over it, think of you as a child and what did you like that made you comfortable that you didn’t want to give up

Slow transition out of it to starting with a single arm out and alternate the arm. Them both arms out and once she’s used to that sleep sack.

Ok some of these comments scare me

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I think I swaddled for a long time. I’m thinking 5-6 months. He was in xxl size. He’s 16 now and totally fine. :rofl::rofl:

Use a weighted sleep sack. She’ll get used to it…not going to be a one night thing but she’ll come around

Get the baby Merlín sleep sack, it mimics the swaddle and it’s weighted to help sooth

Stop her cold turkey. You’re gonna loose sleep but it’s the only way.