Time to unswaddle and move to separate cribs?

Our babies have finally figured how to bust themselves out of their swaddles at night, which makes for a few wakings to reswaddle them. They are 4 months old and my DH and I think its time to try letting them sleep unswaddled. Any advise on how we should do this? What kind of sleep will they have the first new nights getting used to moving their arms around?

Currently the babies sleep in the same crib in the vertical position, but they've have now become too big to lie like that, and it appears we need to move them into their own cribs, which are side by side so they can still see each other. Anyone have experience on what sort of transition this will be for them? Will they miss having their sibling beside them?

 

I don't have any advice on the crib separation, since ours were always in separate cribs.

We just quit swaddling last week though. They were busting out and getting cold and waking themselves up. One DS was waking up at 3:30 every morning. We had heard about swaddling with only one arm out or with both arms out. We discussed it and decided we would just deal with a couple of bad nights to get it over with quicker. We weren't using the swaddling to put them to sleep though only to keep them that way. We decided to use the sleepsacks and longsleeve onsies so they didn't get cold and we started last Friday.

The first night, last Friday, was bad DS1 was up twice before we went to bed. DS2 woke up twice after that. They both woke up early that morning. The second night was a little better I think between the two of them they were up 3 times. After that it was twice a night at most and then just back to the 3:30 wake up call. Just last night though they both STTN including our 3:30 waker. I'm hoping it continues! Good luck and start on a weekend!

 

We ditched the swaddles when they started breaking out of them at about 3 months or so. We just went cold turkey and they seemed fine. As for the cribs I had them napping in them at about 4 months and then once I knew they were napping well then I moved them to their respective cribs by about 4.5 months. They did just fine.

 

Mine like sleeping sprauled out -arms legs, stretched out. that is why we had to separate them, they would kick eachother too much and move around. We moved ours in separate cribs but in the same room, they did just fine. Probably better knowing they have more room to really get comfortable. And I think they sense when the other is in the room. They will be comfortable knowing they are not alone. Good luck

 

We had the same problem right around the 4 month (adjusted for us) mark. I know some people wean from swaddling by freeing one limb at a time, we just went cold turkey though. We moved them to their own cribs, got rid of swaddling and binkies and started CIO all in the same night. It was hard, but after the first night things have been great!! They now sleep for about 10 hours stretches!!

Good Luck! Whatever you decide to do, I would say just be consistant.

 

We went cold turkey here, but I've heard the gradual de-swaddle works well, too.

 

I went through a switch from bouncy seats to one crib at about 4 months, then at about 4.5 months transitioned to separate cribs. Honestly mine slept a lot better apart than they did together. I would say after about a week we were back into our groove and they were only getting up maybe once per night...now they are STTN!

 

Close to three months is when started unswaddling. They were breaking out anyways and really wanted to get their hands to their mouth. For a few nights we swaddled but left the arms out and then no swaddling. We had a few hard nights getting them finally to fall asleep. My girls didn't want their arms swaddled but didn't know what to do with their little arms when they were out. It took a few nights for this to get better. We went to separate cribs between 3 and 4 months. I thought this would be a big deal, but it wasn't. They did great starting the first night. Good luck.

 

QUOTE(saffysgirl @ May 21 2008, 11:54 AM) [snapback]785397[/snapback]
Our babies have finally figured how to bust themselves out of their swaddles at night, which makes for a few wakings to reswaddle them. They are 4 months old and my DH and I think its time to try letting them sleep unswaddled. Any advise on how we should do this? What kind of sleep will they have the first new nights getting used to moving their arms around?

Currently the babies sleep in the same crib in the vertical position, but they've have now become too big to lie like that, and it appears we need to move them into their own cribs, which are side by side so they can still see each other. Anyone have experience on what sort of transition this will be for them? Will they miss having their sibling beside them?


At 4mo I weaned them from the swaddle, one arm each Friday and then unswaddled their legs/belly at 5mo. My girls are 7mo old and still share a crib and sleep vertically. I dont ever plan on putting them in 2 cribs either. I have yet to have a problem, they like it and I dont have room for 2 cribs!

Good luck!!

 

We did it gradually. Try a Peke Moe. www.pekemoe.co.nz We swear by them. The babies loved them as they still felt nice & secure.

 

I still swaddle at night (almost 5 months), but their arms are out because they suck their thumbs. Usually by the morning, they have worked their way out but they never wake up in the middle of the night to complain. Their daytime naps I just lay the blankets over them and not swaddle and they are fine. I think the reason I swaddle at night is because it's colder and when I put blankets over them, they both kick them off, so this way they are at least covered for most of the night.

We moved them to seperate cribs about 3 weeks ago. I thought it was going to be this huge transition with them crying and looking for each other, but nope, they did not even notice. :lol: I think they sleep a lot better now that they are in their own cribs. They both like to lay with their arms sprawled out and when they were in the same crib, they were always hitting each others heads.

Good Luck!!