Swaddle Weaning

[cwolff]

I am afraid to wean dd because the swaddling works.  But lately I've seen her sucking on her hands and fingers and wonder if she might do that instead of the pacifier.  However, when I leave one arm out she yanks the paci out.  I haven't let it get farther then that, I just reswaddle her.  I'm wondering how you others weaned from the swaddle, and if your babies had pacifiers.  Also, did they yank them out, and how long did it take for them to learn not to do that?  Thanks everyone for your info!

[Little Bear's Mum]

Hi, I went cold turkey a couple of weeks ago. My ds had just turned 5 months at the time. It took about 3 days until he'd settle as easily as he had when wrapped, infact, a couple of times I fed him to help settle/relax him. He also did a few 40min naps again, but seems to be over those now.

BUT I noticed his once per night waking started happening at 1amish instead of 4am ish. So the last 2 nights I wrapped him agian. To my delight he slept thru from 7pm - 5.45am! He did murmur at 4am, but I left him and he went back to sleep. I tried to wrap tonight but he wouldn't let me, so I've left him unwrapped. I know he can sleep all night so if he wakes, it's because he's unwrapped. I also know he doesn't need the feed. It might just take a bit of resettling.

So anyway...... all I can say is be prepared for a few unsettled days, but yes, it does get better. Oh and no, ds doesnt have a pacifier.

[Jaime]

both my kids naturally gave up swaddling around 7 months, and then all i had to do was cover them with a blanket and they were fine.  course, my kids were only ever swaddled from the chest down.

dd had a paci - only recently took it away at 2+ years old!  :oops:  but it went very well - better than i hoped!  i can't remember when she could stick it back in on her own... 8ish months???

ds never took a paci.

[JKHH]

My daughter just got weaned from her swaddle yesterday!

I too was reluctant to give up the swaddle for fear she would not sleep. Kay is 4 months and 3 weeks. I started trying a month ago and she was not ready. I was advised to wait to try until she was 4 and a half months and waiting those few weeks made a big difference.

At first, Kay started sucking her fingers so much during the day that she was trying to get at them while in the swaddle So, I left an arm out for her...but she wouldn't suck her fingers and still needed the paci. It took a number of tries for her to suck her fingers while in the crib. I proceeded pretty slowly as she was so used to the swaddle as part of her routine. By the end Kay started breaking out of her swaddle to get at her fingers...and was going back to sleep with her arms free.

I found it helped to try new things (like an arm out) after her first nap since it is usually her best.

Re the paci: I guess I am lucky I have not had to fight the paci being taken out. I still use one only in the crib if she needs it. I am not worried about it since she has never been all that interested in it. I had to really work with her to even take it at all.

BTW, Kay now sleeps in a grobag. It is great because she doesn't have any blankets to break out of.