Can't get baby to sleep without swaddling

[Sk8ermaiden]

We have been swaddling DD since she was 3 weeks or so. She sleeps SO well that way. The problem is that she is extremely mobile for a pre-crawler and has been rolling for a while. Yesterday she figured out how to roll in her swaddle. When she started screaming, I came in to find her face down on our bed (she later did it in her crib as well) and as a result, definitely do not feel comfortable swaddling her to sleep anymore.

I have tried today to get her down without it, but the only thing that works is to rock her until she falls asleep and then put her down. It takes upwards of 1/2 an hour! I was lying in bed with her just now (what I usually do when getting her to nap) and she was just rolling, scooting and squawking for 30 minutes and I finally gave up and swaddled her and she was asleep in 3 minutes!

I give up. What do I do?

[Violet2]

Don't expect immediate results. It'll take her a few days to settle into a new routine. DD took about 3 days to sleep well after we quit swaddling.

Plan on some interrupted sleep/crappy naps though until she's in a groove.

This also might be a good time to use a crib for naps and do some gentle sleep training.

V

[Pookietooth]

Do you cosleep? Can you keep her with you while she sleeps so you can catch that again?

[dislocator3972]

What about a sleep positioner? It should be able to hold her on her back.

[Sk8ermaiden]

We don't cosleep because we have a full bed which fits us with very little to spare. She co-sleeps with me in the mornings after DH gets up. I *think* we are about to sidecar the crib. I would feel fine while in there with her, because she wakes me up very easily, but at least 2 of her three naps are without me, and she is alone in the bedroom from 7 pm to midnight or so. Someone else suggested a sleep positioner and I may try that if it doesn't piss her off too much. Honestly though, I don't think it would keep her from turning over just in place. She is very strong, and very, very determined.

[hibiscus mum]

I started using a Grobag (sleep sac) when my kids busted out of the swaddle. It took a few days for them to get used to it, but it was worth it. I didn't worry about tummy sleeping when my kids were able to put themselves in that position on their own (both were between 3 and 4 months when they started rolling over to sleep).

[lovepiggie]

You could try a woombie? This is from their FAQ page

Rolling is a sign that it is time to stop swaddling. It is important to always position baby per Pediatrician guidelines using the recommended sleep positioners, but there does comes a time when baby is just strong enough to roll over on his own. Rolling babies should not be traditionally swaddled because of limited upper body mobility when they are belly down. The Woombie does allow for more freedom of upper body, unlike traditional swaddling where ares are "pinned" to the sides, increasing mobility in the torso area. If your baby does begin to roll, ask your Pediatrician for advice on whether or not swaddling with the Woombie should be continued.

[pastrygirl]

30 minutes isn't that bad... It used to take me at least an hour to get my older son to sleep, until he was around 9 months old. I'm hoping this baby doesn't take that long later on when we're not co-sleeping anymore (in another month or two). I'm always amazed that there are babies that go right to sleep.

[birthangeldoula]

It took us a week to adjust to not being swaddled. Katie LOVED being swaddled but once she started rolling over we switched her over to a sleep sack. She had a strong startle reflex and after about a week of not being swaddled she decided to be a tummy sleeper which helped immensely.

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by dislocator3972

What about a sleep positioner? It should be able to hold her on her back.

This is what works for us. I swaddle DD and she stays comfortably on her back in the positioner.

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by Sk8ermaiden

the only thing that works is to rock her until she falls asleep and then put her down. It takes upwards of 1/2 an hour!

lucky lucky lucky...it takes us 45-60 mins nursing to sleep SWADDLED to make sure she's asleep enough to move to her crib, and even then it is like moving a land mine.

so no advice here, just and I'm

[Sk8ermaiden]

I feel bad for all of you whose babies take so long to get down! If Elle was like that I would spend half my day putting her down for naps. (She goes down again typically an hour and a half after waking.)

I think I am going to do the positioner. I have been still using the swaddler in our bed with a pillow on each side of her body and it seems to be OK.

I am much more scared of the Woombie than the swaddleme. The Woombie also pins the arms to the body, but since it zips to the neck and buttons, there is almost no way to get her arms out - whereas with the swaddler she can get them out eventually.

[mum23boyz]

we got one of these sleepers when we were weaning our Littlest from swaddling and he loved it !! called the pekemo and it keeps their arms inside but they have more movment. I also heard those woombies can be helpful, but if they get up or get out of roll etc then I don't think it would be good. We had our boy in the pekemo till he was about 16months old!