Please Help! Dont want to let him CIO!

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

We have gotten rid of the swaddle and moving on to the wedge. However, Gage has started screaming at every nap time because he want to be on his tummy and he is frantically trying to crawl. I try to reposition him and back he goes still crying. I have tried shh/pat and pu/pd (which doesnt really work because he is not looking for my comfort he wants to move around). I have tired to give him plenty of time to practice both in and out of the crib, but he still wants to do this at nap time. We still swaddle at night and now I am afraid to get rid of that now. Has anyone gone throught this? What do I do? I cant just let him CIO?

[Nikki~Nathanamp;Danielle]

I personally found the wedge no good anymore when my kids could kick or move out of it and really a waste of time and energy trying to keep them in it. As far as crawling and moving around, yep it definitely can be a disturbance to winding down for sleep for a few weeks or so. Can you pop him down for a nap 15mins sooner, so he gets lots of crawling time in there? What about just leaving him to crawl around or are you saying that he gets frustrated and starts to cry, or does the crying only start when you intervene? I think you'll find, that going to sleep for a nap will be forever altered, he will probably like to do a final bit of crawling at naptime as his own winddown - well I've found that with my kids anyway. If he is getting upset, I'd just continue to reassure, I probably wouldn't bother to reposition him if he's not stuck, but just say reassuring words to the effect that it's time for sleep etc and let him sleep whereever he chooses in the crib. Also, when my kids were strong enough and were able to rol onto tummy'sl I let them sleep in whatever position they chose - but that's your call.

HTH

[Gage and Sophie's Mom]

Oh I am sorry, I am trying to get rid of the wedge. I used it because I was afraid that he would roll while in the swaddle. He gets so frustrated while trying to crawl and he cries frantically. The most desturbing thing is that Gage is not a crier. I was thinking maybe his teeth were bothering him or the new butternut squash was giving him a tummy ache. Today's naps were better. I gave him tylenol and didnt give him the squash.Also, I tried to give him extra wind down so he is drowsy when I lay him down in the wedge  . I have to figure out how to get rid of this dang thing. He just wants so bad to roll over onto his tummy and crawl.

[Nikki~Nathanamp;Danielle]

Yep, those developmental milestones sure can throw a spanner in the works.  Hopefully things will work themselves out once he figures out moving a bit more. Just try not to start up any new habits that you're not happy with so once you're back on track you don't need to alter too much. I weaned both of my two cold turkey with both swaddling/wedges/etc - yes we had disruption, but it soon settled down.

This too shall pass...

[CharlotteandCharlie]

Hi there.  We cut out the swaddle cold turkey as well.  I figured I wasn't getting any sleep so now was as good a time as any.  She did very well at first then she figured out how to manipulate the bars of her crib.  Pressure of her foot, twist of her bum and on her tummy she was.  This was fine with me because she was strong enough to roll over again or cry if she needed help but things got a bit out of hand.  I would be up three and four times a night and the game was "where will she be now".  She was in all kinds of positions, without covers, legs hanging out of her buttons on her sleeper, arm hanging between the bars and so on.  I now put her in the sleep sack or wrap her legs with a large receiving blanket I have.  This keeps her from rolling over and using those bars to flip at will.  Gage may figure it out before Charlie does but wrapping her (somewhat losely) from her armpits down really helps us.  She can still go from side to side or curl up but she doesn't seem to travel like she did.

HTH