Weaning from the swaddle

So I know there have been tons of posts about this in the past, but here it is again...we are getting ready to wean the boys from their swaddles. I'm actually not gung-ho about doing this now, but two things have prompted us to go ahead and make the leap. First, Andy, my 19 pound strong big kid, has easily figured out how to work at least one arm out the swaddle on most days. Second, my husband has been increasingly eager to get the boys moved into their own cribs very soon so mommy and daddy can have their room back The boys nap swaddled, and of course, sleep at night swaddled, too. I've read on this forum that the best way to be successful at weaning them from the swaddle is to first have one arm out of the swaddle for a while, then both arms out with the swaddle still around their chest and legs for a while, then completely de-swaddled How well did it go for you guys when you went through this? When did you start weaning from the swaddle and how long did it take?

 

I don't really have any experience, as my kids started fighting the swaddles around 6 weeks, and became more trouble than they were worth, so we just stopped altogether. I just wanted to comment on how much they have grown since birth!! Way to go babies and momma!! :Clap:

 

Some people try not swaddling for naps, but swaddle at night...

 

We got the girls out of the swaddle exactly as you described the progression, and it went very well. :good: They didn't even notice when I switched them to sleep sacs.

 

I waited to stop swaddling until my LO's were just over 6 months and did it just as you described. A night or two with one arm out, then a night or two with both out, then just gone. I was so freaked out about it all, but it was truly seamless. It really didn't phase them a bit. The first night they woke up a couple of times from arm movement, but really it was so much easier than I made it out to be.

 

We stopped swaddling for naps, and then went cold turkey at night. I was scared, but it was fine.

 

I think that i am a odd man out here. We try to wean from swaddle when they were like 4 months and it didn't go over well. So we waited a few months and i started with naps free, at night time we went to 1 arm free, and i did that for a few weeks, and then we went to the sleep sacks. It did not go over well for Aurora. Maya was totally fine with it and didn't actually have a problem. Aurora on the other had had horrible sleep for about a week, frequently waking all throughout the night. I finally gave in and re 1 arm swaddled her and she hasn't had any problems sleeping again. My pedi just said that she just might like to be snuggled down. In fact she was waking frequently during her naps too recently and i went to swaddling her again and she has sleep MUCH better during naps since doing so..

There are several mornings that i wake up and she has broken free and i guess until she starts rolling or breaks free more often i think we will just stick with the swaddle so that we can get some sleep...

 

I say why mess with something that works. When they don't want to be swaddled anymore they will let you know. Two out of three of my children decided by 7 months that they didn't want to be swaddled anymore. My little guy now 8 and half months old still needs to be swaddled and is encouraged to be by PT and OT because it helps him stay calm and feel secure. good luck with whatever you try.

 

We had to stop swaddling Jonah at 5.5 months because he started to roll over onto his belly. So he went cold turkey. We weaned Mady a little slower -started with one arm out, and then just one day around 6 months, she was ready. I swaddled her with both her arms out (only around the belly and legs) and she did just fine. Now they both sleep in sleep sacks at 8 months old.

 

we stopped swaddling our kids at 4 weeks! LOL!
they would kick and fight to get their blankets off and once they did they would fall asleep. weird, i know.