She can't fall asleep without the swaddle

[whitneyg]

DD is 3.5 months old and has been sleeping well with a double swaddle (legs out) for over a month now. Also, we are co-sleeping. She has been showing signs of learning to roll, so I was thinking we needed to get her to sleep without the swaddle so she doesn't flip over while wrapped up. I have tried nursing her to sleep unswaddled, she falls asleep in my arms, but wakes up agitated and is very thrashy and wiggly as soon as I set her down. This went on for about an hour until I gave up and wrapped her up. She fell asleep pretty fast after that. Does this mean she still really needs the swaddle? Will she ever be able to settle without it? Do I need to keep trying to get her to sleep without it before she learns to roll? Is there some sort of middle ground?

Thanks!

[hakeber]

DS was swaddled until he was about 7 months. He had obviously learned to roll unswaddled, but he never rolled while swaddled...where would he get the leverage? Try it! Seriously...pin your arms to your sides and see if you can just roll from your back to your side without leverage. I just tried it and nothing, I can't do it.

If you are really worried get her one of those side sleeping wedges to help keep her still.

I really wouldn't worry about it. They all out grow it in due time, and if she still likes to be swaddled as a toddler, that's okay. You can always graduate to a firmly tucked bed.

[maptome]

My babe did learn to roll swaddled. She would arch her back and throw her head as a counterweight to her body. So we started having her sleep unswaddled only when I was asleep next to her. I would lay really close next to her so that she couldn't flail so much. And still used the swaddle for naps, but when she would roll over, she would wake up. So, it was safe, but only short naps during that transition phase. Only took a few days for her to learn. And a few more days to learn to roll and go back to sleep. And then a few more days to learn to sleep on her tummy. Now, she's a pro. Oh, and she was 6 months at the time.

[pauletoy]

My DS loved being swaddled. He is our 4th so we have learned to just go with what works. He was swaddled until he was 15 months old (he was a preemie). There was no effort to get him to sleep unswaddled. He finally got strong enough to break free and that was the end of that.

[CherryBombMama]

i didnt entirely have the same problem,but it still might help you ...

my ds needed to be swaddled to fall asleep, but around 4 months, he started wiggling out of the swaddle in his sleep, which didnt wake him up, but it was scary to see him twisted with his hands over his face while wrapped so tight. so i would swaddle him to actually *put* him to sleep, you know, while i rocked him, and then when i put him down to bed, i carefully unswaddled him (but the blanket would still be underneath him) and then with a thin blanket i would tuck it TIGHTLY around and under his body, and then i would lay a thick fleece like blanket on top of him. it was as if he was swaddled, but if he ever moved or squirmed, the blankets would safely come apart. we did this for a few weeks until he didnt need it anymore

[blizzard_babe]

Originally Posted by hakeber

Try it! Seriously...pin your arms to your sides and see if you can just roll from your back to your side without leverage. I just tried it and nothing, I can't do it.

I think you need to take video of this.

Originally Posted by pauletoy

He finally got strong enough to break free and that was the end of that.

Yup, that's what happened with DS at around four months.