Transitioning Out of the Swaddle

Sleep Sack"text-align:left">Transitioning Out of the Swaddle

My baby breaks out of the swaddle. Does this mean I should stop swaddling?

It depends! Breaking out of the swaddle can happen for different reasons.

If your baby breaks out of the swaddle and is showing signs of rolling, this does mean it’s time to stop swaddling.

However, there are other times we see babies break out of swaddles that have nothing to do with rolling. Let’s talk about those reasons and how to help keep your baby swaddled safely:

Active Sleep - You may see your baby break out of the swaddle during very active sleep (which is a normal part of newborn sleep!). Be sure that the swaddle you are using is following the guidelines for swaddle safety.

Overtiredness - Your baby may also fight the swaddle or break out of the swaddle when they’re overtired. You can help avoid overtiredness by watching your baby’s sleepy cues and wake windows.

Growth - Keep in mind, as babies get older, they grow bigger and stronger. This can make it easier for them to break out of the swaddle. Be sure your baby is in the correct size for their height and weight and that you swaddle snugly.

Type of Swaddle - I highly recommend using swaddles that velcro or zip to make safe swaddling easier. Different babies do prefer different swaddles, so you may need to find the one that works best for your baby. If your baby is still breaking out of the swaddle with a velcro or zip design, consider one of these: the Norani Snugababe nd the Swaddle Sleeves Pod both have a hands-down design that makes it more difficult to break out of the swaddle and helps avoid loose bedding.

Should I stop swaddling when my baby rolls to their side?

It depends on your baby’s age and individual development.

For newborns in those early weeks: Typically, when a brand new baby appears to roll to their side, it’s due to an involuntary muscle flexion called the newborn curl. This is not actually a sign of rolling, which means you don’t need to stop swaddling simply because you see the newborn curl. In fact, when done correctly, swaddling actually helps babies sleep safely on their backs. (Of course, talk with your pediatrician if you have any concerns.)

For babies who are older: If your baby is able to get their body up onto their shoulder (typically seen between 3-4 months according to the AAP(1)), this is a sign of rolling rather than that involuntary newborn curl. When we see signs of rolling, it’s time to stop swaddling.

If you have any questions, please talk with your pediatrician.

How to transition out of the swaddle:

Here are four options to help you with transitioning out of the swaddle:

1. Cold turkey

Just move your baby into a sleep sack with arms free. For some, this truly is the most effective option.

2. Swaddle with one arm out

This works great with a swaddle like The Ollie Swaddle. Swaddle snuggly like you have been doing but leave one arm out. This gives your baby a chance to adjust slowly. Do this for 1-2 weeks; then, when your baby is adjusting well with one arm unrestrained, allow both arms free and transition to a sleep sack. Follow your baby's lead on the exact timing.

3. Partial night

Babies coming out of the swaddle too early can cause major sleep disruptions. However, sometimes parents simply feel in their gut that it's time to begin transitioning out of the swaddle. If this is you AND your baby isn't showing signs of rolling, the “partial night” option may be best. With this technique, you'll start the night with one or both arms out of the swaddle. When your baby awakens, swaddle them back up with both arms inside the swaddle. Each night try to go a bit longer with arms free. When your baby is able to sleep well with both arms out OR your baby shows signs of rolling, transition to a sleep sack.

How to successfully transition from the swaddle to sleep sack

Your baby started to roll on their side while sleeping. You know that it’s time to make a change. Nobody likes to change; however, for your baby’s safety you must drop the swaddle. This blog post will go into detail as to how to do this seamlessly., and also what “not” to do.

How to drop the swaddle?

Whether you want to drop it fast or take it slow. Here are three tried and true ways to eliminate the swaddle once and for all. One thing I would recommend not doing is purchasing a Merlin Sleep Suit, a weighted sleep sack or any other similar item to this that can prohibit your child from meeting milestones. Plus – I, and many other sleep consultants, question the safety of these items.

The one thing you can do is invest in a transitional swaddle such as the Love to Dream Swaddle UP ™ Transition Bag (this is what I used) or the Halo Transitional Swaddle. Both are great options. I prefer the first over the latter because it turns into a sleep sack that you can use for several months later and dress your child appropriately underneath.

If you do not want to invest in a transitional swaddle, that’s quite alright. You don’t have to. However, no matter which sleep sack you use, this is how you will transition our babe out of the swaddle once and for all:

1. One arm out, and then second armThis is a good approach for those using a swaddle like the Love to Dream transition bag, or a traditional swaddle. What you’ll do is leave one arm out for a few nights, and then take the second arm out a few days later. I recommend keeping the swaddle on for naps while working on eliminating for nights, and then take it away nap by nap. Of course, during the day if you are using the swaddle, you will monitor your babe closely to ensure they do not roll with it on because we don’t want this to become a safety issue.

2. Partial NightsPartial nights is an option for those who are nervous their babe will not go back to sleep after the middle of the night feed. For a partial night transition, you will start with the beginning part of the night by removing the swaddle (letting one arm out at a time for a few days), but after the night feed you will swaddle the baby back up so they can sleep to their wake time. After 2 – 3 days of doing the partial night, you will then remove the swaddle for the whole night, but of course one arm at a time to ensure that your babe has time to adjust to the freedom of their arms.

3. Eliminate Cold Turkey

Eliminating the swaddle cold turkey is another option if you feel your baby will adjust quickly. Generally, this is not the way I recommend doing things, I believe in slow and steady, but if you want you can go all in and get it over with knowing that your baby will take a few days to adjust.

What about naps and swaddling?

When it comes to naps, I recommend eliminating the swaddle for the first nap ONCE baby is sleeping at night without their swaddle on. Let your babe get the hang of it for the first few days, then eliminate for nap 2 and then a few days later nap 3.

What method do I like?I like the one arm out for the whole night for a few days, and then second arm out a few days later. Then taking naps slowly. If a baby that I am working with just doesn’t seem to be adjusting well, but is showing signs of rolling, then I typically recommend the Halo Transitional Swaddle because it is a little more snug around the arms for baby and she can wear it a few months while maturing and mastering rolling.

Need more help improving your baby's sleep? Shoot me an email at [email protected] so we can schedule a FREE 30 minute discovery call and discuss how we can work together to make that happen!

How to transition out of a swaddle: 4 easy steps with pictures

Swaddling is a great technique to help your baby adjust to life outside of the womb. By wrapping them up into a little baby burrito, keeping their arms tight to their body, you can prevent baby's startle reflex from waking them through the night and keep them feeling safe and secure when they're put to bed. Most parents find that a swaddled baby is a baby who sleeps through the night and through their naps!

But while swaddling has lots of great benefits, there comes a time when it can become more harmful than helpful. When your baby is growing up beyond the swaddle blanket, you might worry about how they'll feel without it during nighttime sleep and naps, and start to dread the transition.

But don't worry - there's plenty you can do to keep your little one feeling calm as they adjust to their new nighttime sleepwear and routine! Here, we'll help you learn when you need to stop swaddling your baby, how to transition out of a swaddle blanket, and what products can help you through this adjustment period.

Signs that your baby has outgrown a swaddle

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should stop swaddling as early as 2 months old.

The exact age to stop swaddling can vary depending on the baby but as a general rule of thumb, 8 weeks is the soonest, and 12 weeks is the absolute latest!

Common readiness signs:

Fighting being swaddled.

Breaking out of the swaddle.

Starting to rock and roll over.

Waking up frequently, after a history of sleeping well.

Decreased Moro reflex

Why transition baby out of a swaddle

SAFETY: If they are starting to roll, we want to encourage that, and we want to do it safely. You can’t stop it, so celebrate it!

DEVELOPMENT: Even if they aren’t rolling yet, you need to get them out for developmental reasons. The startle reflex goes away by 4-6 months, and in my experience babies who keep the swaddle longer than 12 weeks tend to more easily wake themselves up during sleep as they’ve become so used to the swaddle.

Should I stop swaddling cold turkey?

If your baby is a pro at self-soothing, going cold turkey to stop swaddling might work fine for your family - otherwise, it might lead to disrupted sleep from a confused baby who isn't sure where their favorite sleepwear went.

How to Transition out of Swaddling in 4 easy step

Once you know it’s time to stop swaddling your baby, it is important to have a plan in place to make the transition easy.

Instead of going cold turkey, we have created a simple step-by-step plan you can follow each day to successfully transition from a swaddle to a wearable blanket in as little as 7-10 days.

Pick a start time, nap or bedtime. Either one is okay! Begin my taking one arm out of the swaddle, and allowing the other arm to remain contained.

For the next nap, swap! Swaddle the arm that was last free and take the other arm out.

For the next night waking, swap! Swaddle the arm that was last free and take the other arm out.

Continue swapping back and forth between arms for each nap and night waking.

Follow a 4-Step Swaddle Transition Plan

Just like you would take a little time to adjust to a new sleep routine, a new mattress, or a new pillow, babies can take some time adjusting during this transition out of a swaddle.

This simple transition plan will help your baby adjust to sleeping without the swaddle. We recommend transitioning from your swaddle to a weighted baby sleeping bag. Without being swaddled, the baby's arms will be free.

A gradual transition will work best for you and your baby. Our 4-step plan takes as little as 7-10 days – but every baby is different, so it might take shorter and it might take longer. No matter what, every parent who owes a full night’s sleep to their favorite sleep swaddle should follow this plan before their sleeping beauty outgrows swaddling and disrupts their restful nights.

Swaddle Transition Plan Step 1: Swaddle arm(s) free

Start by swaddling with only their dominant arm out. Why only one arm? In case the Moro-reflex(also known as startle reflex) is still prevalent, the closed arm will offer resistance necessary to curb the disturbance caused by the jerking of both arms that comes with no swaddle. Try this for 2-3 nights.

If there is no Moro-reflex present or your baby is used to sleeping with one arm out, you can try swaddling with arms out completely. Try this for 2-3 nights. Every baby is different, so this step may take only a few days or it may take a week or so. Be patient!

Swaddle Transition Plan Step 2: Check if it’s too early to transition

After 3-4 days, get both arms out!

Once you have tried the one-arm or arms-free solution, your baby will let you know if he or she finds it easy to settle in their new state. Try this option during nap-time at first so you can observe your baby's response.

If your baby still shows signs of Moro-reflex (or startle reflex), is unable to sleep at all, or is still waking up multiple times during sleep periods, it might be too early to transition. Try swaddling for a couple more weeks and then give it another go.

It is normal for your little one to take a little longer to fall asleep at first, but this should change after a couple of days.

Swaddle Transition Plan Step 3: Transition to a wearable blanket

During the daytime, try to up that tummy time! One of our most popular podcasts so far is the one with Baby Begin, talking about tummy time - and for good reason. It's one of the first exercises your baby will ever do, and it's vital for their muscle development and for reaching exciting milestones like crawling.

Experts recommend 5-6 tummy time sessions per day, about 3-5 minutes per session, which can be increased in length as your baby gets older until your baby can go for a full hour. By giving your baby tummy time, you can help them practice rolling over back and forth, which is great for safely sleeping without a swaddle.

This gentle pressure helps with the transition as it provides a more secure, comforting feeling than regular wearable blankets.

It also has plenty of room to move and grow and eliminates the safety concern of loose blankets in babies' sleep environments. Plus, its 2-way zipper makes diaper changes a breeze! Moms who have used it report their baby sleeps 2 hours longer on average!

Adjustment period

When it comes to making any kind of change for your baby, it's good to have a timeframe in mind so you can plan ahead. If you're wanting to stop swaddling your baby, it will usually take a few weeks to go through all of the adjustment period stages we went over.

For example, you'll want to have three or four nights where your baby has one arm out of the swaddle, then another three or four nights with both of your baby's arms out, and so on.

Of course, these timings can (and should) be adjusted to meet your baby's needs. For example, if your baby is bursting out of the swaddle every night and rolling over, you won't want to keep their arms in anymore. On the other hand, if your baby is finding it hard to let go of the swaddle, you might want to transition a little more gradually with a few nights extra for each step.

Swaddle transition schedule

Pick a start time, nap, or bedtime. Either one is okay! Begin by taking one arm out of the swaddle, and allowing the other arm to remain contained.

For the next nap, swap! Swaddle the arm that was last free and take the other arm out.

For the next night waking, swap! Swaddle the arm that was last free and take the other arm out.

Continue swapping bath and forth between arms for each nap and night waking.

After 3-4 days, get both arms out!

What if my baby won’t sleep without a swaddle?

Once your baby shows signs of trying to roll over it is time to stop swaddling. This is when you'll need to start transitioning to a sleeping bag or a transition swaddle. If a baby rolls over to a prone position and is unable to roll back either due to underdeveloped muscles or due to the swaddle restrictions, it would increase the risk of suffocation.

But if your baby is being fussy without their swaddle to keep them cozy through the night, don't worry! This is a completely normal reaction to have - and one that can usually be solved with a few tips and tricks!

Swaddle transition tips

Best transition swaddle: swaddle can convert into a wearable blanket with its detachable mesh sleeves, which can be easily zippered on or off to let your baby's arms out. This can help give your little one a feeling of comfort and familiarity as they transition away from swaddling.

Sound machine: white noise can help your baby sleep without fuss by blocking out the noise of the outside world when they're trying to snooze. Some baby-safe white noise machines even feature a setting designed to mimic your heartbeat for some extra comfort!

Blackout curtains: minimizing the amount of light that comes into your baby's sleep environment during naps and nighttime sleep can help by reducing any overstimulation your baby might be experiencing that is keeping them awake.

Pacifier: this classic sleep aid satisfies your baby's need to suck between feedings, giving them some comfort through the night and helping them self soothe through wake ups.

Summary

Here are the 4 steps to transitioning out of swaddle:

Once you have noticed the signs that it's time to stop swaddling, swaddle with one arm out for 2-3 nights than with both arms out for another 2-3 nights.

Monitor how your baby is receiving this change to their regular sleep circumstances. If your baby is not sleeping well unswaddled, try swaddling for an additional week or two.

Transition to a wearable blanket- these are made specifically for the swaddle transition period.

Keep an eye out for when your baby starts rolling on to their tummy.

Remember all babies are different, so make an effort to be patient and consistent.

Common questions about How to transition out of a swaddle

How long does it take to transition a baby out of a swaddle?

You should start to transition your baby out of a swaddle by 3 to 5 months old. The process will take a different time for every baby so be patient and don't give up! Most swaddle transitions will take anywhere between 7 to 10 nights.

How many hours a day should a baby be swaddled?

It is important that your baby has time to stretch and breathe, out of their swaddle. However, swaddling can be very calming for babies and can be used for up to 20 hours a day.

Should I swaddle my baby for daytime naps?

Babies should be swaddled for all periods of sleep if it makes them more comfortable. When you transition your baby from their swaddle, you will need to focus on nap times as well as nighttime sleep.

When should you stop swaddling your baby?

You should start your swaddle transition when your baby starts to roll over during their sleep. This usually occurs at around 2 to 4 months and is needed so that your baby can roll themselves back over if they roll onto their tummy.

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