Moving on from swaddle (Zipadee Zip?)

[BerthaYoung]

Hi everyone. DD has slept happily in a (DIY - big muslin) arms up swaddle basically since birth. But she’s now 11 weeks and we probably need to move on - she’s wriggled an arm free a few times and has started scooting up the bedside cot overnight and arching her head and neck back as if to turn onto her side - I guess this is in preparation to roll? She still has quite a strong startle reflex, though, so I’m apprehensive about going straight to a sleeping bag. Has anyone used these Zipadee-Zip things? (Have attached a pic. Why do kids’ products have such cringey names...) I like the idea that she’d be free to use her limbs without risk of loose bedding, but that the startle is still somewhat contained. (I don’t like the price though. £30!!!) But the material is very thin and I worry she’ll be cold. We currently tuck a blanket over the swaddle from chest down - can we still do that now she’s more active in her sleep? Or does anyone have any other recommendations (for products or techniques) for making the switch from a swaddle? Thank you!

BabyGro

All the way. Alllll the way.

Like a swaddling sleeping blanket. My DD loved hers 😍 made the transition to normal sleeping really easy.

Sounds promising, @PlinkPlink! What is that? Google isn’t being very helpful...!

Grobags are by the Gro Company.

I got just a plain one, originally for my DS but he never took to it. I tried swaddling with him a bit too late.
So when DD arrived, I gave it a go with her and she slept so well in it. She loved it.

They do lovely prints too.

Gro . Co . uk

Thank you @PlinkPlink! Looks like they’ve merged with Tommee Tippie. So it’s kind of a snug sleeping bag where you can have arms in or out. Very cute prints! We actually have something similar already, an Ergo Pouch (like pic), but ended up swaddling manually instead as she obviously wanted her arms up.

It’s the arms that are bothering me really - as she nears rolling she needs them free, but not so free that they wake her up. Maybe we just need to be brave, risk a few disturbed nights, and let her learn...!

Yeah, my DD was the same. She eventually learnt not to flail her arms 🤣 its a natural reflex that one, I think, so they all eventually get out of that.

Hope you find some good ones 😊

Ours was in a Love to Dream swaddle suit until she was about 4 months old. I was really worried about how she'd cope in just a normal sleeping bag and had done all the research about what to buy next - but in the end she was just fine.

You could always just try her in a normal baby sleeping bag before you shell out any more ££ - she might just surprise you.

Yes, that’s a good point @Ihaveoflate. Just because some product or other exists doesn’t mean we actually need it. It’s very tempting to get sucked in by all these products’ promises! Did you still have baby’s arms in the Love to Dream till 4 months, or did you zip the wings off? I’m not sure how close DD is to rolling - not much sign in the daytime - but when I find her contorted in the corner of the cot at night I worry it’s coming soon!

And thanks, @PlinkPlink. May my DD be as easily converted as yours...!

If I have any advice, my ds has one similar to this. He was swaddled when tiny then I moved him to this because he just used to pull his dummy out and constantly wake himself up when he started sleeping arms free.

I regret it MASSIVELY. He's now almost 7 months and is still in this, he sleeps in a sleepyhead so there's no danger of him rolling over with his arms held in and getting stuck but he cannot sleep with his arms free now! If he's napping in his pram I have to tuck a blanket round him so he feels him arms are held in.

My advice would be to just go with the normal sleeping bag, and deal with a few nights of disruption maybe as at your lo age they will get used to it much quicker!

Obviously it's completely your choice and you know what's best for your baby! I just thought I'd let you know how difficult it could possibly make it for you in the long run xx

@BerthaYoung

She was in the normal Love to Dream swaddle (no arm zips) with arms inside until she was 4 months. I think we actually left it a bit late, because by that point she was getting annoyed about being inside it when she woke up for her night feed. She had a really strong moro reflex when tiny, but babies change all the time and I should have tried her sooner with her arms out.

I would suggest giving a normal sleeping bag a try - you've got nothing to lose. If it goes badly, then either keep her swaddled a bit longer or try something else. If it goes well, then you've saved yourself a heap of money!

We are the same! 12 week old DS has been swaddled for all sleeps. At night we use the tommee tippee sleeping bags (arms firmly in) but for the past few nights he is trying to escape, kicking his legs up, moving all around the cot and honestly he has such momentum in his legs he is almost going onto his side. He is also madly trying to suck at his hands. He is such a wiggly octopus. Tonight we are going one arm in and one arm out... I'm dreading it!!

Love to Dream swaddles are great when they’re not rolling.

DS just started rolling at 11 weeks though so we’ve had to move on. His Moro reflex is strong and we tried straight to a sleep bag and had a few awful nights.

He’s now in a Zippy. We’ve only had it a few nights but seems to be going better than the bag. He had two rough nights but I think that was due to epic late day naps, not the Zippy. Last night was better. Seems ok so far, certainly better than the sleep bag and he can’t be swaddled any more so this is our best option.

Thanks everyone, lots of interesting experiences and reflections here, and great advice. I agree we need to try what we already have, the pouch thing, and see what happens. As I’m learning with parenting, babies aren’t a problem to be ‘hacked’ but a little person who is ever changing, and we just have to keep trying stuff. (As per the sudden refusal of the sling after weeks of smug and blissful walks 😭) I’m not sure about putting one arm in and one out as DD has only ever had her arms swaddled up, but I can see the logic if you’re moving from a traditional swaddle.

Good luck @DisneyGirl2387! Come back and let me know how you get on ☺️

@BerthaYoung I chickened out last night and swaddled again. But we had our worst night in a long time. DS was awake every 2 hours! I felt like we were back to the newborn days. I've ordered a new love2dream swaddle with the zip off wings. Lots of caffeine and biscuits needed today!

☕️🍪 very much needed by the sound of it, @DisneyGirl2387! We’re waiting for the weekend then will brave arms out 😬. Though DD freed one arm from the swaddle again last night. It doesn’t help that she protests so much at bedtime we wrap it in a rush. Twice last night I found her huddled in the top corner of the cot. Like yours, it’s all in the legs!

A little update, in case anyone cares! Thanks to the wise advice upthread from @Ihaveoflate and @marti2 we’re now using the sleeping bag we had. (The one that’s sort of swaddle-y in that it’s very snug round the waist. In fact it’s snug everywhere as she’s pretty much outgrown it already 🙈) We’ve had a couple of disturbed nights and a couple of settled nights so it seems not to have made any discernible difference - apart from that now at least I know she’s warm enough all night and I won’t wake up to find the swaddle round her ankles. We turn the mitts over on her sleepsuit so her dabbles in finger sucking don’t wake her, and she seems ok with that. Delighted not to have to boost Amazon’s profits and fill our house with even more baby tat on this occasion! Thanks, all. Next step, normal sleeping bag...

Good to hear @BerthaYoung

I remember feeling really pleased about moving onto sleeping bags for exactly the reason you mentioned. Now I have the transition to a bed and duvet to look forward to - it never ends!

@BerthaYoung that's really good op! Glad you've had some settled nights! Hopefully it carries on for you 😊

I'm still putting off the night of putting my 7mo in a normal grow bag, give me strength 😂