When/how to stop swaddling?

[copperbottom]

Hi

My 3 month old ds is swaddled to sleep..

We use one of the Mothercare "miracle blanket" swaddles which is rather like a straight jacket, but it seems to work well and he seems to like it.

During the day we just wrap a shawl around him for naps when at home, but he sleeps ok in the pushchair or car seat..

Anyway, the swaddle blanket is not going to be big enough for him much longer, so tonight I tried to move him into a sleeping bag. It didn't go very well at all; he'd go to sleep, get put down in the cot and then wake himself up again within minutes thrashing his arms around..

I don't mind swaddling him longer, but was just wondering what other peoples experiences are in moving their babies out of swaddling and into sheets or sleeping bags..

How long are other babies swaddled?
Are we odd carrying on into his 4th month??
Any advice on how/when to try again?

Thanks

my 4mo ds2 is still swaddled

i bought swaddle sheets (can find link if you like) but he manages to wriggle his arms free and then scrabbles about at his face, bothering himself

so i also put him in a 1.0 tog bag, swaddled, but am very careful about being nearby when i do this

I think some people do it as a gradual process e.g. leave one arm out first and then the other and then stop altogether.

i dont think your odd for still swaddling if he is happy id keep doing it my ds was never swaddled as he wouldnt sleep with his arms under a blanket and started pulling it over his face in his sleepi coocoon myself in my duvet everyone has their own way off sleeping comfortable would let him keep doing it

I swaddles my DS in a cot sheet and kept doing it until he was able to fall alseep without it.

I was thinking exactly the same. I still swaddle my DS who is 4 months for his afternoon naps as it's the only thing that makes him sleep for longish periods. Though he does struggle a bit when i put him in but after a couple of minutes he is out like a light and in deep sleep. I use a large kiddopotamus wrap which is big enough for him though i think i will only get a couple of more weeks use out of it. I also tried swaddling him under a 1 tog grobag - though not for the whole night as was not sure about the safety of doing this! I would like to swaddle him for the whole night as he tends to scratch and rub his face all night and wake himself up otherwise but it's too cold with just the swaddle blanket now so not sure what to do!

you can get combined sleeping bag/swaddles from that do up to 6 months. I havent used them but you can get them here

ps it is the Swaddleaze I am talking about- you have to scroll down to find it

We just kept trying and eventually our dd got used to a grobag. I did put her in the grobag and left her arms inside, seemed to work. She has a big head so there was no way she would slip through.