If anyone has any great ideas on how to ween this little one from sleeping swaddled (the woombie) I’m all ears. With our other kids, as soon as they started to roll around in their bed we stopped swaddling. I tried that with Cannon and he just wouldn’t sleep. I’m figured if I waited long enough and listened to him cry long enough he would eventually fall asleep. But in today’s experience, he was good and tired and after more than an hour he still refused to sleep. He was exhausted and still wouldn’t sleep without his arms tied down. I’ve tried several days in a row which has left me with a sleepless child who more than anything wants to sleep…swaddled.
Did I mention he’s seven months??
He’s not sitting yet but he’s mastered tummy time and he’s got a giggle that is to die for. Those cheeks and those legs are the best!
With both our kids we had to stop swaddling gradually. I don't know the woombie set up but first we would unswaddle legs for a week, then one arm for a while, and then eventually we would try totally unswaddled. Good luck!
We're starting to let some limbs out of the swaddle. Wish us luck!
Such a CUTIE!! I had a really hard time cutting out swaddling with our little guy around this age too. Eventually he got it, but I started with leaving him out of the swaddle for naps first, then gradually he was able to sleep at night. Really the swaddle wasn't helping much at that point anyway.. he was such a little escape artist!
I'll have to try nap time first – I definitely don't want to mess up the decent sleep schedule we've created at night. Thanks!
We just weened ours last month (at 6mo) … it was a one-two week process- with a lot of sleepless naps. But he is successfully sleeping in his own room and without being swaddled! I would dip his pacifier in gripe water (all natural, miracle juice!), and then hold his arms down (sometimes tightly) while rocking him, and shushing loudly in his ear- until he was calm. We learned that our little one loved to sleep on his stomach, so I would lay him down on his side, and he would naturally roll to his stomach. I think finding his favorite sleeping position is key! Also, I realized nursing and/or bottle before nap time really helped the transition from swaddled to not.
And one last helpful hint that was passed on to me: when laying them down and they are still slightly awake, I would firmly place my hand on his back while shushing him and slowly ease my hand off his back( for 1-2 mins). It was an affirmation for him…I am still here. Hope this is helpful. Good luck!
Every time I get him from his nap he's on his stomach, I think he rolls to his stomach to sleep, I'll have to pay attention a little bit more. I'm dreading the sleepless naps we have ahead of us! Thanks for the tips, wish me luck!
I am a random follower; meaning, I love to watch your ideas but we've never personally met. My kids were all swaddled as long as I could. What helped us was a heavier blanket that I would lay upon the kids; I really feel like that weight still gave a sensation of being surrounded. So my heavier blanket was a knitted blanket. Good luck.
Hello and thank you for commenting! I've heard weight could help, the trick is using a heavier blanket when in Arizona we're in triple digit heat already…I've got to figure out a "cooler" alternative. Thanks
Is there a reason you don't want him swaddled?! This might be a dumb question. My kids liked it but kind of grew out of it after a month or two. Just out of curiosity…
Both of our girls liked being swaddled at first. Then it got to the point where any time we put them down already asleep, they'd wake up if they were on their backs. Once I knew they could lift their head well, I'd let them sleep on their tummies and that helped. I know that is a huge no-no but I'm a tummy sleeper and our 2 year old naturally turns over onto her tummy while she sleeps. Maybe that would help?
As he's starting to roll over in his crib and move around he gets a little trapped without the use of his arms and then gets frustrated. I'm shocked he's still swaddled to be honest with you but it really is comforting to him. I think he rolls to his stomach to sleep every time so I should be okay to put him down to sleep that way. I'll have to try that, thanks for the tips!
My youngest baby (now 11 mos) was swaddled for naps until about a month ago! He just wouldn't nap longer than 25 min without his arms tied down! We got rid of the swaddle at night around 4-5 mos, so I knew he was capable of sleeping "free"… but he just wasn't having it at nap time. Like your wee man, sometimes I'd find my guy frustrated and flipped at the end of his nap… and finally during a time when his naps were all short anyway because of teething, I just pulled the swaddle cold turkey. I put him in a sleep sack, and as others have suggested, started laying him down on his side so that he could roll to his tummy. It has been about 4 weeks now and we've finally started seeing some longer naps again. Phew!
Good luck!