how and when to stop the swaddle

[Liz R]

my little boy has loved the swaddle, and it has saved our lives! However, he is nearly 3 months old, and likes to suck his fist. I am wondering if now is the time to stop swaddling, and how to start! I am also very scared that his (and our!) sleep will be disturbed, as he is a spirited/touchy baby.
liz

[NKmommy]

Hi!  My kiddo was a swaddling addict also, and he stayed swaddled until about 7 mos. 

Can you try to leave one arm out, and see how he does during naps or night?  He may be able to self-soothe by sucking on his fist.  If you find that his sleep is being disrupted, then you can always go back to a swaddle.

Good luck!   :wink:

[velvet]

Leave one arm out or even both!  MY little one is still swaddled as that's always been our sleep cue.  We swaddle his bottom half, then pick him up and dance, read stories and do an evening walk around the house.  When we put him in the crib, he quickly unswaddles himself and uses the blanket to suck.  And he's 8 months!  If your l/o can handle not being swaddles just do the bottom half.  He'll have fun kicking himself free.

[sunnysideup850]

I know the anxiety associated with this topic all too well.  DS was swaddled until about 3 weeks ago.  He will be 8 months old on Saturday.  I kept trying to lose to swaddle by loosening it, leaving one arm free, etc. but nothing worked.  I guess I was just trying it too early.  Then one day about 3 weeks ago I got really brave and went cold turkey and we haven't looked back.  Go with your instincts.  You can always reswaddle if it turns into a nightmare for all of you.  Sleep is the important thing, please try not to think about anything else (ie. he is too old for the swaddle, nobody else's children are still swaddled, etc.).

[tylersmommy]

If you use the Aussie swaddle with a thin fabric, like a bedsheet cut in half, he can get to his fist and suck it through the fabric. That's the intent of the Aussie swaddle. The instructions are at the top of this forum. We used it until Tyler was 8 mo old!

[tracefo]

I too am wondering if I should stop swaddling.  My daughter has started to get so worked up when I swaddle her that sometimes she cries hysterically until I remove at least one arm.  She also usually wakes up with both arms out. 
But she hasn't been sleeping as well since she started this.  What should I do?  I tried to swaddle her using a bag with no arms but she screams until she falls asleep or I let her out.  So I'm not sure the aussie swaddle will work either.  I am going to give it a try.  I think she's a pretty spirited baby.

[Liz R]

hi,
Been a while since I asked the question"shouls I stop the swaddle" and now I know the short answer is NO!
Tried a couple of nights in his gro bag sleeping bag, which lead to wakes ups at 2am(not heard of since he was newborn) and 4am (when he also realised he was hungry). so quickly stopped that ! 
I am of the opinion now that he loves it(smiles when he is fully swaddled) and it helps us all. Thanks for the aussie swaddle advice, seems to work well.
Liz.x