When Should you Stop Swaddling?

ByBrie Ann

As a sleep consultant I get asked, “When should I stop swaddling my baby?” The simple answer is that you should look for signs that your baby is starting to roll over. As soon as you see this happening it is time to start transiting your baby to a transition swaddle or a sleep sack.

Once you see signs of your baby starting to roll over, it’s time to ditch the swaddle!

Here are some signs to watch for when your baby is beginning to roll over:

  • During tummy time you may notice them lifting their head and shoulders more
  • Rolling onto their shoulders or side often
  • Some baby’s will kick their legs and scoot in a circle on their backs
  • If they are showing increased leg and hip strength, rolling the hips from side to side and using their legs to lift up their hips

If you see these signs then it’s time to stop swaddling your baby!

Remember if your baby is rolling over it is no longer safe to keep them swaddled at night or for naps. A swaddled baby should never sleep on their tummies. Remember to also keep their sleep space free of any blankets and pillows to prevent suffocation.

Your baby is rolling, it’s time to stop swaddling! Now what?

A great next step is a transition swaddle! One transition swaddle I recommend is the Zipadee Zip, this swaddle covers the babies hands. I have found that parents really like that feature as it keeps their babies hands warm at night. Another favorite of mine is the Love to Dream swaddle. This type of swaddle helps some babies transition easier from being swaddled to un swaddled because it helps decrease the Moro reflex (startle reflex).

A sleep sack helps build a positive sleep cue for your baby to associate sleep with. When you put a sleep sack on your baby at night it provides a cue for them that sleep is coming soon! A sleep sack also is a safe way to keep your baby warm.

There are several different swaddles that work well for summer and winter. All swaddles have rating system called a TOG. The lower TOG number is better for summer, the higher TOG number is better for winter. Woolino also has some great sleep sacks that fit your baby as they grow so you don’t have to purchase multiple sized sleep sacks.

As a sleep consultant I highly recommend my clients use a sleep sack for safe sleeping!

Here are some tips to help your baby start to sleep without the swaddle.

  1. Start with one arm out and one arm swaddled in for one night. If your baby is really struggling to fall asleep you can swaddle both arms back in after the middle of the night feeding.
  2. Then on night two switch arms and do the opposite arm out and one arm swaddled in.
  3. On the third night do both arms out. Feel free to transition to your favorite transition swaddle or sleep sack now.
  4. Feel free to go as slow as you would like to help your little one sleep. Transitional swaddles are helpful for babies who really need arms out but aren’t ready for a sleep sack yet.

Once your baby is rolling you can expect a few nights of disrupted sleep! It’s a new skill and it will take time for them to figure it out. If they can roll over by themselves then it is safe for your little one to sleep like that. Give them some time to figure it out before you rush right in, your baby might surprise you and fall back to sleep!

The good news is that once they are able to move around and get comfortable on their stomach you might find that your little one will sleep longer!

If your little one is struggling with multiple night wake ups or 30 minute naps now is a great time to introduce gentle sleep training! Schedule a FREE 15 Minute Sleep Evaluation call. Let’s chat and figure out the next best steps for your family!