Help! Stopping swaddling at 6 months... is it is dangerous to continue if he can roll over?

[lucy101]

Hi there,

My 6 month old DS has slept like a dream with a swaddle and a dummy but yesterday I woke up to find him face down (still swaddled) crying in the morning (he sleeps in a co-sleeper so right next to my face).

He obviously couldn't turn back again so I am worried that it is pretty dangerous for him to roll onto his front like that with his arms still swaddled.

However... I tried him in a grobag last night and it was a disaster: pulling his dummy out, bashing his head with it, hitting himself, thrashing about and screaming for all he was worth, so I haven't had any sleep. He finally fell asleep in bed with me (but then I don't sleep....).

Has anyone else had this experience? Just wondering whether I should persevere with the grobag or carry on swaddling (and assume he will be ok if he ends up on his front).

Honestly? I'd stop because it could be quite dangerous if he ends up on his face.

It will take a few days to get used to not being swaddled anymore if you go cold turkey. If he's rolling it sounds like he might be ready to try sleeping on his front which will stop his arms flailing about? Is his head control good and can he roll both ways?

Do persist with the grobag. My DS went from swaddled to grobag as could roll, and he got the hang in the end, I just had to be a bit persistent...

I swaddle my 6month old DD for naps and she's recently started at nursery. They have found that just tucking her in really tightly with a blanket across the cot works just as well for flailing arms. might be a halfway solution if a grobag doesn't work.

Hi there - and thank you so much for the tips and advice. We were all exhausted today after last night... but (huge but, fingers crossed etc.) he has fallen asleep in the grobag without crying at all. Will persist and hope he lasts a few hours....

if not, try swaddling under the armpits, leaving the arms free...may still give him the feeling of swaddle, then be less of a transition to no swaddle at all