Swaddling Through "Transition"

When a baby is brought into this great big world – it is a truly remarkable moment. You glance down at your brand-new baby and your heart bursts with love. Fast forward to that those first few months at home, desperately trying to swaddle a tired and upset baby. Some swaddling blankets can have stiff Velcro, excess blanket, and just be a plain pain for a sleep deprived parent. 

Your baby was in your womb, curled up and cozy for 9 long months. Now they have entered the world, everything is cold, hard and wide-open spaces. This is where the Ollie Swaddle comes into play! Babies love the secure and snug feeling while sleeping, and this is exactly what the Ollie Swaddle offers for your baby! 

Unfortunately, babies cannot stay in their swaddles forever (even though some would like to) The appropriate time to stop swaddling varies depending on the development of your child. At the first sign of rolling, your baby should begin the process of having arms out of the swaddle for safety reasons. This rolling milestone typically occurs between 8 weeks and 4 months. Every baby is different with this milestone, but if you start to suspect your baby is close to rolling, it is best to start the transition right away. 

The swaddle transition can be a tricky one but thanks to the versatility of the Ollie Swaddle, it will be smooth sailing after a few nights. Some babies take to this transition much quicker than some, while others may fight the transition in an effort to hang onto their beloved swaddle. 

How do you make this transition? 

There are a couple of options to help make the transition go smooth for your family! 

1) Cold turkey. 

Completely remove baby’s arms from your Ollie swaddle, and instead swaddle snuggly around the chest/armpit area. It is important that you do not make the swaddle too tight, or too loose which may allow baby to slip out of the swaddle. 

2) Swaddle one arm out. 

This is a great option that the Ollie Swaddle offers for this tough transition. Swaddle just as you normally would but leave one of your baby’s arms out of the swaddle. I recommend starting this transition at bedtime since the pressure to sleep is much higher at bedtime rather than nap time. Begin the process with naps the following day and do this for 2-3 days before releasing the second arm at bedtime again. At the point where both arms are free, you can then swaddle around the chest area as mentioned above. 

Be mindful of creating new habits during this transition. If your baby was once an independent sleeper prior to dropping the swaddle, you do not need to start assisting to sleep at this point. If 

sleep derails due to dropping your swaddle; stay patient and consistent. Consistency is key to everything in the sleep world! 

Good luck! 

Certified Sleep Consultant | Sleep EZzz Consulting | www.sleepe-zzzconsulting.com