When to stop swaddling

[MandaLynn]

DD is 16wks. She can rollover...but only done it 3 times and shows no interest in rolling (desperately wants to sit up though)

When swaddled, she can do 6-8hr stretches.

This week I have been trying to wean her off with one arm out of the swaddle and now she can't do longer than 2hrs before she wakes herself up.

Could I keep the swaddle? Or how can I get her to sleep now??

I had similar (although not such long sleep stretches - wow). I found a sleeping bag worked well. Have you tried that?

I think (just a theory) that DD is more likely to wake herself when she has a small chance of breaking out of a swaddle or semi-swaddle. She doesn’t have that chance of loosening a sleeping bag and therefore doesn’t wake herself up when she kicks and wriggles.

Also, a lot of the sleeping bags have press studs at the armholes so you can still do the progression of one arm out, then two arms out.

Once they start rolling, they say you need to immediately stop swaddling. In your shoes I'd probably cold turkey it, and just make peace with a few rough nights while she gets the hang of it (although your rough nights sound like some of our best!)

But also, there is the 4 months sleep regression too. If it's that, then it might take longer

I was hoping to tackle the swaddle before the 4mo sleep regression hit, but think we might now have both at the same time! 😭

Don't be fooled..2hrs is the best she'll do with one arm out. Most of the time it's 45-60min. Or last night where she would sleep, but only if I was holding her. So she slept okay, but I was up for hours and hours

Another sleepless night...any wisdom on how long it usually takes to get used to being out of the swaddle??

Is she in a sleeping bag now?

@THNG5 yes, just went straight to the sleeping bag last night.

Hey @MandaLynn - how have you been going?

My baby is 16 weeks and rolled back to tummy today so I know I have to stop swaddling as of tonight - dreading nights of no sleep! Please give me some hope that she will sleep again!

Oh @k80pie I wish I could be more positive, but it's not been great!

Though to be fair, we're definitely knees deep in the 4 month sleep regression and teething. I think within 4 days or so she'd gotten used to being out of the swaddle.

Good luck! 🤞🏻

Dare I ask @MandaLynn how long they took to get used to it? We need to make this jump and it's bloody awful

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl I think it probably took about a week to fully get used to it. But we actually then moved her out of the next2me and into her cot - that made the biggest help. She definitely needed more space to flip her arms out and stir a bit to get herself comfortable

Good luck!