Swaddling 101 (Part 2): Transitioning Your Baby out of a Swaddle

Make educated parenting decisions! Read the updated safer sleep guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) here and talk to your child’s pediatrician about his/her individual risk factors for SIDS. Always use baby products in the way recommended by the manufacturer and check the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for recalled sleep products.

The Science

Swaddles can be very helpful in helping babies stay asleep through the little movements and startles that happen during sleep (see our swaddle blog here for safety tips). However, swaddles are sleep associations, meaning a swaddle is something that your baby will expect to have as a cue for sleep and as a comfort during sleep. The experience that a baby has transitioning out of a swaddle is very similar to what would happen to you if you suddenly had to learn sleep without your pillow. It is possible for you to sleep without a pillow, but you would probably have several nights of disrupted and uncomfortable sleep before you adjusted to sleeping without it.

When to stop swaddling:

Currently, the AAP hasn’t made an official statement but the lead author of the SIDS task force suggests in an online statement not swaddling past two months because some babies can roll that early. Most parents we work with do decide to swaddle for longer than two months, especially if the startle reflex is still pronounced. However, if your baby is learning to roll, it’s time to stop swaddling immediately. We also recommend talking with your pediatrician about when to stop swaddling.

How to stop swaddling and what to expect:

It’s often helpful to phase out the swaddle in phases because most babies will have very disrupted sleep when sleeping without the swaddle at first. It's a good idea to make a plan to wean your baby off of the swaddle before your child starts rolling. Remember, once your baby starts rolling, you will need to stop swaddling completely. If you start before your baby begins rolling, you'll have more control over the situation.

Start at bedtime:

The best time to put your baby down without the swaddle at first is bedtime when your baby has the strongest drive for sleep. It may even be helpful to put your baby to bed 15 minutes later than normal on that first swaddle-free night to increase your baby's sleep pressure without making your little one too overtired. Expect your baby to resist this change the first few nights. For many babies, this can be 40-60 minutes! Yikes! Be prepared to respond in a consistent manner during this time to help your baby negotiate the change. Some families will choose to stay with their baby and will be very interactive the whole time and others will take a less is more approach. (If you aren't sure what approach will be best for your baby, we offer a variety of step-by-step options in our newborn class, sleep training class, and personalized consults for all parenting styles and baby temperaments.) Plan for it to take about 3-5 nights for your baby to get used to the new freedom and mobility while unswaddled.

Partial night swaddling

If you put your baby down at bedtime and s/he wakes earlier than normal (i.e., due to not having the swaddle), repeat what you did at bedtime for the first half to 2/3 of the night because sleep pressure is highest at that time. You can re-swaddle your baby during those last, more difficult hours of sleep. Once your baby is sleeping well without the swaddle during the first part of the night, you can stop swaddling during the last part of the night. As long as your baby isn't rolling, you may continue to swaddle your baby during the day while you are working on transitioning out of the swaddle at night. Once your baby is out of the swaddle at night, you can transition out of the swaddle for naps.

Offer one nap at a time without the swaddle

As above, if your baby is rolling, then stop the swaddle immediately for safety. If your baby is not yet rolling, you can put your baby down for one nap a day without the swaddle for several days to get your baby used to sleeping without it. Once your baby is doing ok sleeping without the swaddle for one nap, you can unswaddle your baby for another nap. Continue increasing the number of naps your baby takes unswaddled as your baby gets comfortable sleeping without it.

Your baby may take shorter naps when unswaddled. Check out our nap blogs to work through how to keep your baby rested during the day without the swaddle.

What sleepwear should you use in place of the swaddle?

You should only use baby products in the way they were intended, which means we do NOT recommend swaddling your baby loosely, or with one arm out.

We recommend that you transition your baby to a sleep sack or wearable blanket after the swaddle. Remember, babies should not have any loose blankets in the crib, so a wearable blanket is a good option to provide the lightweight insulation and comfort of a blanket, without the hazard of having loose material in the crib. As with the swaddle, match your baby's sleep attire to your environment (see our blog on dressing your baby for sleep). You will need to use lighter fabrics in the summer and heavier fabrics in the winter, but always monitor your baby to make sure s/he is not in danger of overheating when you use any new product.

If your baby is really struggling without the confinement of a swaddle, which is common for babies between 3-5 months, you may find a product like Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit helpful (note: we do not receive any compensation from the company, we just find this product helpful for babies during this tricky time). The “Merlin” as we like to call it, looks a bit like a puffy snowsuit but it’s made of lightweight material. The Merlin can help suppress some of the lingering startle reflex your baby might be experiencing while coming out of a swaddle AND may help to keep your baby positioned in the safer “back to sleep” position for longer as it makes rolling over a bit more challenging (it’s not designed for tummy sleep for the same reason). The Merlin should be used in sleep environments where temperature can be controlled to avoid overheating. If your baby likes to suck thumb or finger, the Merlin might not be the best choice because the puffy fabric makes it harder for little fingers to reach little mouths. Again do not use the Merlin if your baby is rolling, follow the manufacturer's recommendations, and always check with your pediatrician before introducing a new sleep product to make sure it is safe for your baby's individual situation.

References

Pease, A.S., Fleming, P.J., Hauck, F.R., Moon, R.Y., Horne, R.S., L’Hoir, M.P., Ponsonby, A.L. and Blair, P.S., 2016. Swaddling and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome: a meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 137(6).

Franco, P., Seret, N., Van Hees, J.N., Scaillet, S., Groswasser, J. and Kahn, A., 2005. Influence of swaddling on sleep and arousal characteristics of healthy infants. Pediatrics, 115(5), pp.1307-1311.

Van Sleuwen, B.E., Engelberts, A.C., Boere-Boonekamp, M.M., Kuis, W., Schulpen, T.W. and L'Hoir, M.P., 2007. Swaddling: a systematic review. Pediatrics, 120(4), pp.e1097-e1106.

Gerard, C.M., Harris, K.A. and Thach, B.T., 2002. Spontaneous arousals in supine infants while swaddled and unswaddled during rapid eye movement and quiet sleep. Pediatrics, 110(6), pp.e70-e70.