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Removing swaddle- please help!

5 replies

AwakeMum · 03/01/2024 09:48

My DS will be 9 weeks tomorrow. We introduced a swaddle gro bag early on and he got on well with it- giving us stretches of at least 4 hour sleep at night, once even 7 hours! He has always contact napped in the day, or slept in his pram out and about.

A couple of weeks ago we thought this was going so well so we started to transition him out of the swaddle, especially after reading the AAP advice to stop at 8 weeks. We removed one arm and it seemed to be ok for him, whichever arm we chose and he kept up with a 4 and 3 hour stretch overnight.

After a week or so of this we moved him to both arms out so turned into a normal sleeping bag. It started badly- he would do about 2 hours when put down, another stretch of 1-2 hours then 40 mins for the rest of the night. We have persevered in case he got used to it but after a week, it’s got worse if anything and we get 2 hours and then fight for every 40 mins for the rest of the night. I can’t cope any more. I have no idea why he is waking up- but he is often sucking his right fist, even though he doesn’t do this when his left arm is swaddled!

I want to go back to what worked but I’m worried the swaddle isn’t safe! He can roll front to back already but no signs of rolling the other way- he just lifts his knees but can’t rock or move his upper body. Should we carry on or is he really not ready to be unswaddled and we should go back to one arm put and try again in a few weeks.

Experience of this age welcome- 🙏 m an incredibly sleep deprived FTM!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Charlottenr3 · 04/01/2024 17:07

No advice in particular here other to say I am now transitioning my 5 month old out of her swaddle . I thought it was fine to swaddle until they start rolling back to belly which she hasn’t done yet but starting to try , so I would have thought 9 weeks is ok to swaddle still unless trying to roll ? Ive only ever swaddled her arms but she loves it and sleeps through now so dreading the transition . Every time I’ve even taken one arm out she’s slept terribly 🥲I’ve read the magic Merlin sleep suit ( US brand but avail on amazon) is good to transition them as muffles movements but is safe to roll in if they do . It’s arrived today so going to try it tonight and will let you know how goes !

faithtrustandpixiedust · 04/01/2024 19:44

We swaddled DD until she was 5 months using the tommee tippee grow bag (as far as I'm aware it's safe to swaddle until they are rolling back to front). she found the transition to normal sleeping bag really difficult so I bought a 0.2 tog swaddle bag and when transitioning to one arm out I put the normal sleeping bag over it to get her used to being in that and it seemed to work. within a week we were two arms out and the next again week took the swaddle bag away completely.

Charlottenr3 · 05/01/2024 06:34

Ok news in ! Used the magic Merlin last night and she slept as well as she did swaddled which was nearly a 10 hour stretch . Because it’s quite a squeeze to get in I didn’t take it off to feed her at 5am and she fell asleep straight after feeding and went right bask down for another1hr 20 which is unheard of ! I’m going to buy a back up right now 😂

ryanrobbie · 05/01/2024 08:42

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AwakeMum · 05/01/2024 10:16

That is so useful to know! Will give that a try when we are ready to brave the transition again!

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