How to Transition Out of the Swaddle
Swaddles are a popular way to help babies sleep longer and deeper by muffling the startle reflex. When it’s time to transition out of the swaddle, however, many parents are unsure of what to do.
Swaddle questions come up often in my newborn sleep class Q&A – if your baby is 0-4 months (or you are expecting and looking ahead) and you want a chance to ask all the questions about swaddles and newborn sleep more broadly, then enroll in my Supporting Newborn Sleep class.
In this blog post I’ll share:
When to transition out of the swaddle
Tips for transitioning out of the swaddle
And additional strategies to support the swaddle transition
When should you stop swaddling?
The AAP recommends transitioning out of the swaddle at first signs of rolling. Many babies are showing signs of rolling by 3-4 months, although they may not be able to roll both ways until closer to 6 months. The startle reflex begins to integrate between 2-4 months. For some babies, there is a gap between when you should move away from the swaddle and when the startle reflex is gone.
Signs of rolling
You should stop swaddling at the first signs of rolling. Babies who roll onto their tummy while swaddled are at an increased risk of SIDS. Some signs of rolling include:
Rolling to the side
Lifting the chest
Ability to prop themselves on forearms
Reaching for objects
Reaching across the midline of the body
Rocking from side to side or twisting the body
Some parents may want to wean off the swaddle earlier, or at least limit its use. Babies who are struggling with body tension (think torticollis or upper body tension often associated with oral ties) benefit from more time with free movement. Spending a large portion of their day swaddled with restricted movement can slow down the benefits of bodywork and other supports aimed at helping with body tension.
How to transition away from the swaddle
There isn’t one right way for how to move away from swaddling. Here are a few ideas to consider.
Unswaddling one arm at a time
Start by unswaddling one arm over several nights to a week or more. Then unswaddle the other arm. This can allow your baby to get used to one arm having increased freedom of movement before both arms do. With many swaddles you can continue to gently swaddle your babies torso so they have that gentle hug feeling. Note, you’ll need to check that your swaddle allows for one arm to be not swaddled – they don’t all allow this.
Try a swaddle transition
Try moving to a swaddle transition like the Zipadee-Zip or Love to Dream. They allow for more arm movement while still having just a bit of containment that some babies find helpful. They are also safe for rolling unlike a traditional swaddle.
Unswaddle for part of the night
You can unswaddle for part of the night, gradually expanding the time your baby isn’t swaddled or has only one arm swaddled. Babies generally sleep better in the first part of the night so starting the night with one or both arms out of the swaddle when sleep pressure is high can make sense, then swaddling at the first wake, gradually shifting to later in the night as baby adjusts.
Stop swaddling all at once
If your baby is already rolling or showing clear signs that they may roll soon, getting them out of the swaddle faster is safer. If you have a calm, easy going baby they may also do well with a faster transition. In this option you simply stop swaddling for all sleep rather than gradually easing into it.
To support the transition focus on floor play
Make sure your baby has lots of floor play time on their tummy, side, and back. This helps them learn to control their arms and legs and integrate their reflexes. Likewise, actually startling helps babies integrate the startle reflex so the more we swaddle the longer it takes for the startle reflex to integrate.
Tackle naps last
Assuming your baby is not rolling yet, I recommend focusing on nighttime first when sleep pressure and circadian rhythm are helping support sleep, then working on naps once baby has adjusted to being out of the swaddle overnight. You may start with the first nap of the day before moving on to other naps or simply unswaddle for all naps at once. For a highly sensitive baby going more slowly will be helpful. This is also a great time for babywearing or contact naps if your naps are very disrupted through weaning off the swaddle.
The only real way to get used to sleeping without a swaddle is to sleep without a swaddle. This can be a big transition for many babies so it’s good to expect some increased waking while your baby adjusts.
What should they wear when they aren’t being swaddled?
Once your baby is no longer being swaddled you may wish to use a sleep sack or swaddle transition. These extra layers are mostly about warmth, although the swaddle transitions do give a bit of gentle containment.
A note here that the AAP does not recommend weighted sleep sacks. They are often recommended as both a weighted swaddle or weighted sleep sack to help baby sleep as you move away from the swaddle. However, they are not considered a safe option.
Some babies will transition out of the swaddle easily and for other babies this will be a time of disruption and adjustment. As with many things with sleep, patience, understanding, and some ideas to try can make a big difference.
If you want more information about normal newborn sleep, check out my Supporting Newborn Sleep class.