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Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

How long should I swaddle my child? My daughter is almost five months and still seems to enjoy it.

Re: How long should I swaddle my child? My daughter is almost five months and still seems to enjoy it.

The Bump Expert

We recommend that parents stop swaddling their babies by three or four months of age. At this time, most full term infants are acclimated to life outside of the womb and no longer crave the constriction of a swaddle.

It is actually extremely important to give babies over four months old the freedom to move at night. When we stop swaddling our children we were astonished to see how much they traveled around their crib during the night. They scooched and flopped from one end to the other, several times a night! Babies may look peaceful when they sleep, but don't be fooled. They are actually doing important exercise while they slumber. All that nighttime movement helps them enhance their gross motor development, which is crucial for upcoming milestones like crawling, standing and walking. A swaddled baby doesn't have a chance to refine these skills at night.

sleep experts conner herman and kira ryan Conner Herman and Kira Ryan, cofounders of Dream Team Baby | May 12 , 2009 2:20 PM

Stop swaddling? Are we loosing our common sense here?

My first two and my youngest little guy were always swaddled at the beginning but when they were ready they told me so. I don't think you should determine how long you swaddle by the age, rather you should focus on when they are ready. Both of my children swaddled until they started pushing their way out of it. Usually the arms came out first and then I just started loosening up on the swaddle. They slept well when fully swaddled and then slept well when they didn't want the swaddle, (if you need a date, around 5 months). I sort went with their cues not their age. To suggest that if you swaddle too long that you are hampering the progress of your child's "gross motor development" is really stretching it. Again, if you watch your child's cues and the child starts getting out of the swaddle then he is using the motor skills the way he naturally should.

citronella | April 23 , 2008 1:56 PM

re: Q: Stop swaddling?

We just recently starting "weaning" our son from the swaddle. He is 18 weeks old today. We figured he was ready when every night he started breaking out of the swaddle and waking himself up to get out of it. But, when we went completely without it, he couldn't fall asleep either. So we started by leaving one arm out of the swaddle. We did that for about a week and then moved to both arms. We now just swaddle him from the waist down. He sleeps well this way. I like this because I don't worry about him kicking off the blanket and getting cold or pulling the blanket up over his face and restricting his breathing. We use the kiddopotamus swaddle blankets that velcro and we love them. We are going to swaddle from the waist down for a little while longer and then move him to using a halo sleepsack. I agree, go by your LO's cues not just by their age. Every baby is different.

BBHolmes | June 03 , 2009 8:34 AM

re: Q: Stop swaddling?

I stopped swaddling my daughter at about one month. She just liked to have her arms free to put behind her head. She sleeps just like her daddy. So, I have been swaddling her from the waste down ever since and she sleeps just fine. I agree. You need to take the cue from your baby. They'll let you know when they are done being swaddled.

chelsiebells | June 23 , 2009 10:40 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I think it is redundant to say "take the cue from your child". Thats obvious. What the experts say is a guideline, even they realize every child is different. But when they say 3-4 mo it has been designated so because on average, thats when it is been shown to be the most beneficial for children across studies. Additionally, across those studies it HAS shown that not swaddling is beneficial for the the childs gross motor development. At that stage everything is. Development is good, not bad. As for me, my son is 4 months old today and we still swaddle. He manages to wiggle his way out of it or move around and that fine with us. The reason we continue to swaddle is because it helps him go to sleep and get into a deep sleep before he wiggles his arms out and his little nervous system goes to twitching and causing him to fling his arms up and into his face. If he is in a deep enough sleep he wont wake up. If we didnt swaddle him he would never get good sleep...but then he also is developing. He wiggles himself out and moves all over his crib...and thats fine. Good motor development with good sleep. Works for this Mom.

angiedtaylor | September 04 , 2009 9:02 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My son loved it at first, he wanted to be swaddled every second. From the start he had to have his arms out, he'd scream and wiggle them out even at 3 days old. When he started wiggling so much he was getting out of it we stopped. That was about 3-4 weeks old.

green6 | October 13 , 2009 7:09 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My doctor told me to never swaddle. Not sure if it had to do with the fact that I had a summer baby. Was surprised by this but none the less I followed his advice.

barbilis | November 01 , 2009 6:53 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

Those individuals are mistaken. The specialists are not saying swaddling in general is bad or interrupts development stages of the newborn, they are saying that swaddling while the baby is awake is bad. It is a no no to swaddle the baby all day long. It will delay certain developmental stages of the baby if she/he is swaddled during the day when she is awake. If you swaddle your baby it is never bad. It is very helpful for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It is also soothing for the infant to feel like she/he is in the womb all snuggled up. She/he will also still have baby reflux issues and throw their arms and legs around and this will wake the baby and this is bad for sleep. So swaddling is never bad during sleep hours but if the baby is awake it is not good to swaddle. Most docs say around 4months because that is when a baby should start gaining control of their own movements and not have as many involuntary movements. If you swaddle that is fine, if you want to stop that is fine too. If you dont swaddle that is fine. Whatever works for you and your baby at night is what matters.

emoore82 | January 06 , 2010 8:15 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I HAVE to swaddle my 3 month old daughter or we would have some very sleepless nights. I was also told by my peditrician that we should stop swaddling around 4 months as well. However, I'm going to stop when I feel like she no longer needs it. I made the deal with myself that I will not swaddle for naps (she doesn't like the swaddle during day anyway) but only for nighttime. You have to get the rest you need at night in order to be a good parent and infants need their sleep at night too. I met a lady in the store the other day who swaddled until 9 MONTHS. She said her daughter met all of her milestones just fine. She also mentioned that you can do it looser and looser as they get older. Just thought Id share since I worried myself sick about having to "swaddle-wean" by 4 months. Forget it---I'm going to take the good old advice---DO WHAT WORKS FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN.

brookemarrelli | March 23 , 2010 7:17 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My hospital Kaiser Permanente swaddles their babies with their arms out. I didn't agree with it so I swaddle my baby. I feel it helps them sleep longer. He is now 12 weeks and has started getting out of it but it's ok as long as it puts him to sleep.

YESICA101 | April 02 , 2010 12:01 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My son just turned 9 months. He is still double swaddled for every nap and at bedtime. He has been in a jolly jumper since 2.5 months, crawling since 5 months, walking with help since 2.5 months and walks by pushing things on his own since 8 months - so don't worry about people saying if they are swaddled they won't develop properly. My son is blowing people out of the water with out advanced he is and I plan to swaddle till I can figure out how to get him to sleep without it! Do what works and don't worry about anyone else :)

lyriksmommy | April 03 , 2010 10:39 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My son liked the swaddle but he didnt ike his hands inside from day one, he always broke free. We stopped swaddling him early because that was what he showed us. I agree that you use the signs of your child, if your child responds and sleeps good with it then go for it. Sleep is precious so get it any way you can.

icrtthru2u | May 13 , 2010 7:40 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My son was never that into the swaddle so we dressed him in a sleep sack instead. He's 10 months old and has been sleeping in the same sleep sack since he was a newborn. I found that it settled and soothed him into a regular pattern and reassured him when he was in his crib. A word of advice, stay away from polyester because it can overheat baby which is a potential SIDS risk. Merino and cotton are best!

mynaturalbaby | May 18 , 2010 7:53 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

my baby girl is 4 months now & I still swaddle her.Now I only do it from the waist down with a light blanket and I only do it for bed time. When I try to put her to sleep at night w/o it, I've noticed she'll wake up every half hour! The second I wrap her legs, she knows 'it's nite nite time!" and she sleeps through the night, & so do mommy & daddy, making for rested ,happier parents ;)

YXIA | June 25 , 2010 10:59 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My son is 4 months old. And we just eased him out of swaddling a couple of weeks ago. We first left one are out, then both arms out and eventually no swaddle. A first he would kick his legs and sometimes have a hard time falling asleep. But now he is doing great. I think once they lose most of their startle reflex, and are ready to be unswaddled, then need some time to figure out what the deal is with their legs. Then they are good to. Just go with your babies cues. They are all different.

boeckmand | August 26 , 2010 1:00 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I started to slowly quit swaddling our daughter when she was three months. Not because of her age, but because she was wiggling out during the night and the blanket would end up around her face. I was terrified she was going to suffocate. I started by half swaddling her, just around her legs and waist, and eventually she didn't need it anymore.

dantemedema | September 04 , 2010 2:25 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

Every child is different. We swaddled only at night and with the arms out because the hospital did it that way and our daughter didn't seem to startle herself awake. She found her thumb really early and I think that is no coincidence. We stopped by around 6 weeks because the swaddlemes were getting too small and she slept just as well with the sleep sack. My pediatrician bro-in-law recommended not doing any swaddling (even at night) beyond 3-4 months because it could affect hip development. AAP recommends discontinuing for sure once they can roll - otherwise they are in danger of getting tangled.

allibear612 | September 07 , 2010 12:51 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

mine has never liked being swaddled but if we dont he throws his arms around so much that he whacks himself in the eyes and screams from obvious pain and wont sleep. He always finds a way out of the swaddle but then is awake the rest of the night or wont take a long enough nap. So what should we do to get him to keep from slapping himself in the face and sleeping throughout the night if he needs to learn is gross motor skills and not be swaddled.

Sarah3186 | September 19 , 2010 10:35 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

i stopped around 3 months, he would kick himself out and i am paranoid about SIDS so i stopped swaddeling him and now he loves to kick all around his bed when he wakes up its adorable.

smallwd_h | September 26 , 2010 2:29 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I haven't swaddled my 4 mo old daughter for the past 10 days and she hasn't slept longer than an hour and a half to two hours. I decided to put her back in a swaddle and I just put her to bed after only one try! She was sleeping through the night since she was a month old, but the past 10 days without the swaddle was so hard for me, and her. She likes her swaddle without it she would wake up as soon as I lied her down so I ended up putting her in the bed with me. She is now swaddled and fast asleep in her crib. I think I am going to slowly try and wean her one arm at a time. I read this after I put her down or I would have tried to do that tonight. I figure she will be out of a swaddle by 5 months.

llvv | October 18 , 2010 9:30 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My daughter is 4.5 months and we just stopped swaddling because she flipped over on her stomach while swaddled which SCARED US TO DEATH. We knew that once she could do that, the swaddle would be gone for good. So since then we stopped swaddling and have used a sleep sack instead. She liked being swaddled so I think the sleep sack is a good alternative because without it she sleeps terrible and keeps waking up. So far, the no swaddle has been ok some nights, and others a bit more rough but I think she is learning to get used to it. For those of you who swaddle past 4 months, what do you do when they flip onto their stomachs???!!?!

gmason18 | November 17 , 2010 3:08 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

Well, most official opinions (Dr's, etc) say when the child learns to roll over. Because then they wouldn't have their hands free to turn back over or assist in moving their heads. Makes sense. Other than that, I have never heard of a time limit on swaddling before that time. I swaddle my kids until they are either A)turning over or B) not enjoying it anymore. My son is 4 1/2 months old and loves to be swaddled at night. I use the Summer/Kiddopatomus brand swaddlers or the "Woombie" My kids have all loved their hands up near their face, so I swaddle loosly up top with their hands beneath their mouths so they can use their hands. They sleep so so soundly when swaddled. I am on my fourth baby and I have never seen my children move about the crib too much until they are able to flip over. I stopped swaddling at different stages for all the kids... even before they flipped over, depends on how much they've enjoyed being swaddled. But they make super big baby "Woombie" swaddling bags for a reason, even bigger babies who do not flip over yet still like to be swaddled. THat is what is important. I don't know why we parent on statistics and such rather than experience and gut feelings. My gut has never steered me wrong. (Now I know some people really do need life spelled out for them, but most do not, we have mothers and friends, etc to help us). I just feel like we parent out of fear and its not a big deal. You aren't going to hurt your baby swaddling them till 4-5 months or just 2-3 months. I think the important thing is to stop swaddling their arms up at least (maybe use a halo sleep sack?) when they start to turn over.

SPlatns | January 14 , 2011 11:54 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My son only enjoyed being swaddled for the first week after he was born. He would fuss everytime I swaddled him and when I unwrapped him he would be fine. As he got older he would just wiggle out of it. He's 3 months now and doesn't even like a blanket on him, he'll kick it right off so now I use a sleep sac.

ransomwrightbaby2010 | February 06 , 2011 8:47 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My daughter liked it for about the first 4 weeks and then she was threw.

firstbabylt | February 18 , 2011 12:29 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I use a Woombie with my son who is almost five months old. He does not sleep well w/o it. I like this swaddler because it is stretchy and he can move around in it he just can't smack himself with it on. also they are made so you can put one or both arms out. When he starts rolling over I will stop if he still has his arms in it.

mammapoppit | March 28 , 2011 1:22 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My son never liked to be swaddled. I stopped swaddling after the first 2 weeks he was home because he would fuss (like many of you were saying) or he would manage to get an arm out. To this day (he's 1), he wiggles out of his blankets at night - he does not like to be restricted in any way. It's amazing how their little personalities are developed so young. I absolutely love it! :-)

jcmom32010 | March 30 , 2011 11:04 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My daughter is 4 months old and she will sleep for 12 hours if I swaddle her. I put her to bed at 8:00 PM and she doesn't wake up until around 8:00 AM. But during the day, she won't sleep unless I hold her... and if I lay her down after she falls asleep during the day she'll only sleep for about 15 minutes.... I don't want to limit her mobility at night but she does seem to move around plenty during the day. She has even rolled over already. So should I just keep swaddling her? Or should I just deal with her waking up over and over throughout the night? I know I can't do it forever but how do I make the transition?

JPoole21210 | April 02 , 2011 12:47 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

As an occupational therapy student, I can assure you that gross motor skills are acquired through play and opportunity during the day and have little to do with sleeping. As a mother of a 4 month old, I swaddle him at night to calm him and generally put him in the crib in a loose swaddle. He usually breaks at least his arms out on his own. If swaddling helps your baby sleep you do not need to be concerned that they will have delayed gross motor development.

MatiaL | April 30 , 2011 5:42 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

Ok I know this is going to sound crazy but I swaddled my son until he was a little over a year old. I tried to stop a lot sooner a few times but he would always wake up because he wasn't swaddled. He met his milestones just fine. On 98% of them he was a few months early on even. I worried myself sick over the fact that I still swaddled him and it wasn't worth it. Do what your child needs not what someone else says they need. I dis notice that he would get his arms out which was fine I just would pull them all the way out for him so he wouldn't accidentally pull the blanket over his face. He is 3 n a half now and completely normal and developed. So I'm doing the same fir my four month old. I don't swaddle during the day for her tho and only at night to give her a feel for what she might like and she seems to prefer her swaddle blanket the best. She wakes herself up with her hands if not swaddled. I use the kidpottomas swaddling blankets as well.

layliya120 | June 13 , 2011 4:46 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I dont remember how long I swaddled my oldest son for. It was a long time tho. He was not a good sleeper at all!! Once I did stop using the swaddler with him I put him in sleep sacks. I have swaddled my 4 month old now since bringing him home from the hospital. He is a great sleeper unlike my first born..there has been a couple times that he has gotten his little arms out but other than that he stays wrapped up till morning. I worry about him rolling over as well and when he does I'll just swaddle his legs. But he hasnt rolled over for me yet. I say go with whatever works, parents need sleep!! If baby is rolling over while swaddling than it's not woking anymore. Try a sleep sack.

chaxton | June 26 , 2011 12:49 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

Our daughter has been swaddled from day one, but we have always swaddled her with her arms bent so that her hands could be up by her face for self soothing. Most nights she got out of the swaddle with her arms, but it was helpful for her to get to sleep. Since about 6 weeks she has been loosely swaddled, but on her belly instead due to gas issues that impeded her sleep and she has done well with that too. She has been able to roll from belly to back since about 7 weeks and back to belly since about 14 weeks old. She is now 18 weeks (4mos1week) old and she is still swaddled loosely with her arms bent and up near her face and she does great with it. She sleeps from 8:30ish until 6 or 7am every night. I think you just have to do what works for your child and keep trying different things until you find one that works. Swaddle until they don't sleep well with it anymore.

CoriHill | June 27 , 2011 2:41 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I stopped swaddling my son a week after I brought him home from the hospital. Not because he didn't want it but because I wanted him to get used to his sorroundings faster. He gave me his first smile at a month and he's already kicking, punching things, doesn't like his blankie. It all really depends on you. When I have a second child I am going to do the same thing I did with my son because he's a very fast developer :)

arifariello | July 03 , 2011 3:02 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I agree with all the mothers who keep stressing the fact that you have to pay attention to the baby. My little man didn't mind being swaddled too much, but he sometimes tried to get his arms out. So a couple days after we came from the hospital I started swaddling him from the waist down, and then in a couple more days stopped that too. It worked for us. May not work for many others. Moms, please watch your little individuals and go with their lead and your gut feeling.

dark4sun | July 11 , 2011 9:28 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My daughter is now 7 months and she still needs to be swaddled to fall asleep and I don't feel that this is delaying any of her gross motor skills. She breaks out the swaddle within minutes of being laid down and flips and rolls all night without waking up. I think now it has just become more of a sleep "cue" than anything else. Within minutes of being swaddled she is fast asleep =) I will stop swaddling her when she is able to understand when I tell her it's time to go to sleep!

jaycie1223 | August 03 , 2011 12:28 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I stopped swaddling at 1 mo and then at 4 mo my son started having trouble napping so I STARTED swaddling again at 4 mo. If I didn't do it, he would move around and smack himself in the face and wake up. i think that making sure your baby gets enough sleep is more important to their motor development than not swaddling. We play when he is awake, and his motor skills are great! He rolls in both directions and scoots across the floor at 4 1/2 mo. so clearly swaddling is not slowing his development.

lexicgrace | August 19 , 2011 3:37 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I swaddled my son until he was able to roll over on his own. For me personally I just used this milestone to give not swaddling him a try and he took right to it. My daughter is 4mths now and I plan on doing the same for her.

Nikster809 | October 24 , 2011 9:08 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

The Incredible Hunk was sleeping in the bassinet. My son would "break out" of his swaddle every night. He would grunt and break free. Needless to say, swaddling didn't last very long. He has been sleeping in a sleep sack since he was two weeks old. He has slept through the night since he was 6 weeks old. Good baby, just doesn't like to be tied up. . .

amykeller88 | October 24 , 2011 10:07 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I never swaddled my daughter. She hated it from day one and sleeps just fine. She has always loved to move around and use her hands. Swaddling prevents her from being able to move her hand and feet and it just makes her angry. I am not really sure why swaddling is pushed so much. I have heard of mothers forcing their child to be swaddled even though the child hates it. I am sure that defeats the whole reason you would swaddle your baby.

sjksak88 | October 31 , 2011 10:55 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

It has been 3 wks since I started babysitting a beautiful 9 month old baby girl. I was wondering why this little baby wouldn't pick up toys sit up or ever try to do push ups. I realized that his mother would swaddle her to "calm her down" I felt so bad for her. I understand parents may be tired after work and do not want to hear the kids crying or whatever the reason may be this is part of parenthood. Well after 4 weeks of me not using that horrible thing during the day (I have her for almost 9 hours) she has now sit up on he own plays with her toys, stands in the port-a-crib holding on and loves to sit in the highchair to eat. All it takes is TLC and patients. My kids are all grown I had never seen or used these swaddlers . I can see the point from maybe 0-4 months but not much longer. Development is the key. BTW she likes a simple blanket to be put over her chest to fall a sleep, she likes to touch the blanket. Her mother sees the changes in the baby. I only hope she stops using the swaddler soon.

babysitter12345 | December 08 , 2011 9:20 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, but the nursing staff at my hospital, including the lactation consultant, told me that they're actually getting away from swaddling. They've not only been told, but personally seen how fully-swaddling a baby can be dangerous. Even when a newborn, a baby can flip over (goodness knows we've all seen how strong our babies can be when they're hyped up!). When a baby's arms are swaddled and she flips over, she is unable to move her head and has a much higher chance of suffocation. This, I was told, has even been witnessed with babies only a few days old. My nurse (confirmed by my doctor) recommended swaddling my son only up to his armpits, giving him the secure, womb-like feeling, but allowing him to use his arms to help move his head should he flip over suddenly. Of course, once the baby is active, swaddling should be minimized anyway to allow for movement discovery and exploration. My son hated swaddling after the first couple of weeks, and it was only after we stopped that I learned the above information. Yes, he threw his hands up in his sleep and occasionally woke himself up, but it was a small price to pay for feeling safer. He's 3 months old now and sleeps consistently through the night (he's also 15 lbs), and has done so for almost a month, so I know that it's not the swaddling, or lack thereof. I just wanted to let you know what I was told was coming down from American Academy of Pediatrics, that fully-swaddling can be dangerous!

skichiknh | December 13 , 2011 11:39 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My baby is 3 months old and doesn't like to be swaddled any more but when I don't swaddle her, her hands feel freezing and I am worried she is cold. Any suggestions to keeping her warm at night without swaddling?

eherr02 | December 20 , 2011 11:22 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My son just turned 4 months on the 17th. He still has to be swaddled for naps & at bedtime or he will grab his face, squeeze, and scratch! He wakes himself up like this. So I think whenever he's ready, he will let me know! Until then, I'm going to continue to swaddle him. He loves it!

tgalin00 | December 21 , 2011 8:56 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My daughter is one month old, we stopped swaddling her after 2 weeks because she wiggled out of every single swaddle we did. She hated it, so we stopped. She now sleeps in her crib in a nap nanny with a single blanket across her and has been sleeping for 6 hour stretches! Do what works for your baby. They are all so different.

devoncrabtree | January 02 , 2012 4:46 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

Our twin daughters are a little over 4 months old and are still swaddled, one of them recognizes that when she is swaddled it is time to go to sleep, it calms and relaxes her. I believe we will start trying to wean them off in the next month or so, until then happy swaddling!

melaniemorrissey | February 02 , 2012 4:19 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My son is now a week away from 5 months old. We just this week stopped swaddling him and moved him the the sleep sack. After reading the recommendation to stop swaddling at around 3 months of age I tried not swaddling my little guy and it was a DISASTER! He was waking up crying throughout the night. It's true that you know when your child is ready because this week is totally different. After waking one morning to find him on his belly after flipping, I knew it was time to try weaning him again... and sure enough... he's doing well without it. We kept the nighttime routine the same (bath, lotion, bottle, sound machine) and layed him down on his back and done! Yes, he flips at night, but I feel so much better that he has his arms free to push himself back to his back or move his head to the side and do some tummy sleepin'. YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD SLEEPING BABY WITHOUT THE SWADDLE. You just have to be patient and let them tell you when they're ready, don't make it about when you're ready.

bubbles42 | February 22 , 2012 2:22 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

We never swaddled our daughter, she didn't like to be constricted! At first we would try but she would fight with her arms and keep kicking while we trying to wrap her up and it made it impossible so we put her in a sleep sack right from the beginning. We also put her straight into her crib too, she has never had a bassinet, we just put her in sideways to make it easier for me to lift her out when I was recovering and also so that it was at least a little smaller of a space for her to be comfortable in. Plus, my logic behind these things is that the less you have to change your baby's life, habits and routine, the more secure they will feel with their surroundings. We also only give her a binky when she's sleeping (to reduce risk of SIDS). I figure now we don't have to struggle getting her used to different pjs, going without a binky, her crib, even her big-girl bed because I bought a convertible crib! She's been sleeping through the night since she was 4 weeks old so it seems to be working (or we got REALLY lucky) - maybe a bit of both!

kater91 | March 02 , 2012 12:53 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

Every baby is different, however our LO is 3 months and sometimes all it takes is a good swaddle from dad to put him to sleep. We don't tape the blanket to him (of course) so he usually wiggles out of it. He never wakes himself up though to do that. I do not think there is a certain age either. Sometimes we leave an arm out (because he likes to suck on his hand to fall asleep) and other times we swaddle his lower body and still some nights we swaddle him as tight as he liked it as a newborn. At this age, following your child's cues is the best advice!

StaceyF89 | March 09 , 2012 11:43 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

STFU all of you bickering stupid women. Do what's right for you and your baby. Don't worry about validation from some hyper vigilant yeehaw with to many hours of internet expertise under their belts...

emilybest | April 04 , 2012 11:08 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

Please, please think about this: you need to stop swaddling BEFORE they can roll over. If they roll over in a swaddle it is a suffocation risk because they can't use their arms to push up or over again. I was super pro-swaddling until baby tells you otherwise, but did some research and found babies have died due to this. Which is why 3-4 months is the guideline.( when they should begin rolling over.) Just FYI.

willsonstaci | April 11 , 2012 1:26 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

I have 4 1/2 month old twins and they sleep just fine with their pj's with the footies. We stopped swaddling around 3 months mostly because they were getting too big for the blankets we were using to swaddle! We transitioned them from swaddling to pjs by using sleep sacks. First we put them in the sleep sack with a onesie and socks and after about two weeks just their diaper. (they were getting too hot) then they got to hot for the sleep sacks and I went ahead and put them in their pjs. They move around A Lot more. So much so we may have to put them in separate cribs already! - I believe Babies R Us has a pretty good selection of sleep sacks.

rachelandadam123 | May 01 , 2012 8:54 AM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

My oldest...HATED to be swaddled. I tried, she would cry, every time. Unfortunately, this child was stubborn and the only way I could get sleep was for her to sleep in her infant carrier (this continued for the first 6 months of her life). Needless to say, that child is six now and perfectly developed. My second is another story...unlike her sister, she LOVES to be swaddled (hates her infant carrier by the way). Anyhow, she is now 4 months old (3 months adjusted, she was a preemie), and I still swaddle. I even switched blanket types because she broke free from her HALO swaddle blanket and would cry because she got her arms loose! I got a Miracle Blanket and she sleeps great! I think once she becomes more mobile (i.e. able to stand in her crib), I might try to back off on the swaddling, but right now, if I want more than 15 minutes of sleep at night, she has to be swaddled.

Jessikinz | May 14 , 2012 2:09 PM

Q&A: When to stop swaddling?

Who is this bump expert on swaddling? If the baby can't sleep without being swaddled at 3 or 4 months then don't stop. This recommended age is way too you and this website should do more research before answering any questions. Also makes me rethink all the other answers the "bump expert" has posted. I hope parents are not solely relying on this information!

ziggy618 | May 19 , 2012 9:16 AM

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