When to stop swaddling and how to transition baby to arms-out sleeping (2024)

FAQs

When to stop swaddling and how to transition baby to arms-out sleeping? ›

When do I stop swaddling?# There isn't a universal age for coming out of the swaddle; instead, you'll want to stop swaddling when your little one is showing signs of rolling. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)⁽¹⁾, we typically see babies begin to roll around 3-4 months.

While there is no set rule for the exact time to move through the transition from swaddle to arms-out sleeping, it typically starts between 3-6 months old. However, some babies may start earlier and some may take longer.

While each and every baby is different, it's perfectly natural to wonder how long you should expect the transition process of weaning from the swaddle to take. Generally speaking, most babies will begin to adjust to sleeping without a swaddle within one to two weeks, maybe even within just a few nights if you're lucky.

When to Stop Swaddling. ‌You should stop swaddling your baby when they start to roll over. That's typically between 2 and 4 months. During this time, your baby might be able to roll onto their tummy but not be able to roll back over.

It's recommended that you stop swaddling your baby once they can roll onto their tummy or if your baby does not seem to like it. If your baby doesn't like to be wrapped or if they can roll onto their tummy, you may prefer to use a safe infant sleeping bag. A safe infant sleeping bag is fitted to your baby's size.

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.

Understanding Sleep Cycles

Normally we are fine with them falling asleep in our arms but then your arms start to get tired, or you start to think of all the things you need to be doing, or you have to go to the bathroom! We are here to tell you that the best time to transfer them is around the 15 to 20 minute mark.

After a year old, if your child is ready, you can start to transition from a sleep sack to a blanket. At this point, the risk of SIDs has significantly decreased as your child has the mobility to roll over easily from any direction.

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.

Even the prestigious AAP recommends parents should wean from swaddling when infants start to roll, which can happen as early as 2 to 3 months. The reason: When swaddled babies roll to their tummies, they do not have free hands to push up and liberate their face to breathe.

What do you transition to after swaddle? ›

Once you have stopped swaddling, baby should sleep in any type of pajamas. Footed sleepers, two piece pajamas, or a even a onesie are perfect. Babies overheat easily, so always err on the side of baby being cooler rather than warmer. I recommend sleep sacks only when a parent feels they are needed for warmth.

Most babies will outgrow the need to be burped by 4-6 months of age. You can often tell that a baby needs to be burped if he or she is squirmy or pulling away while being fed. This being said, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents try to burp their baby: When a nursing mother switches breasts or.

As a general rule, when to stop swaddling your baby is as soon as they start to show signs of rolling over. On average, children will begin to display these signs between 2 to 6 months old. It's important to note that for some babies this can happen as early as 8 weeks old, while for other babies, it happens later.

Swaddling still feels snug and secure even without arms being wrapped up, as just the slight pressure on your baby's chest can help to ease the womb-to-world transition. Swaddling your baby with one or both arms out is perfectly safe, as long as you continue to wrap her blanket securely.