7 Tips for Swaddle Transitioning
Are you getting ready to transition your baby from swaddling? This can be a difficult process, but it is important to do it gradually and follow the proper steps. In this blog post, we will discuss seven tips for swaddle transitioning that will help make the process easier for both you and your baby!
Keep a Consistent Routine
One of the most important things you can do when transitioning your baby out of swaddling is to keep a consistent routine. This means that you should continue to put your baby down for naps and bedtime at the same time each day. You should also try to keep the length of naps and nighttime sleep consistent.
Start Very Gradually
You should not try to transition your baby out of swaddling all at once! Instead, start very gradually. For example, you could start by swaddling your baby with one arm out until your baby is acclimated to it. Then, you could swaddle with both arms out until your baby is used to that. Finally, you could stop swaddling altogether.
Follow Your Doctor's Advice
Before you start the swaddle transition process, it is important to talk to your baby’s pediatrician. They will be able to give you specific advice based on your baby's individual needs. If you’ve found difficulties with your baby’s sleep in the past, you may consider working with a sleep consultant.
Start the Routine During Naptime
A great time to start transitioning your baby out of swaddling is during naptime. This will give you a chance to see how your baby does without being swaddled and make any necessary adjustments.
Partial Nighttime
Another way to transition your baby out of swaddling is by doing partial nighttime swaddles. This means that you would swaddle your baby for part of the night and then put them down without a swaddle for the rest of the night. You can gradually increase the amount of time that your baby is not swaddled until they are able to sleep through the entire night without being swaddled.
Use the Magic Sleepsuit
The Magic Sleepsuit is a great tool to help with the swaddle transition process. This sleepsuit provides babies with the comfort and coziness they need and helps them feel safe and secure without being in a traditional swaddle. The Magic Sleepsuit is a great way to help your baby feel comfortable and safe while they are getting used to not being swaddled.
The Importance of Proper Swaddle Transitioning
It is important to transition your baby out of swaddling properly in order to ensure their safety. Additionally, if you do not transition your baby out of swaddling gradually, they may have difficulty adjusting and could end up sleeping worse.
How Baby Merlin Can Help
If you are struggling with the swaddle transition, don't hesitate to reach out to Baby Merlin for help! We are here to support you and your family through this process. We offer fantastic swaddle transition products like the Magic Sleepsuit to help keep your baby sleeping comfortably and safely. Contact us for more information on how we can help.Also in Our Blog
What’s the Difference Between a Swaddle and a Sleepsack
Five Questions about Early Morning Wakeups for Baby
The team at NAPS helps you tackle the issue of early wakeups. *BONUS* NAPS is hosting a webinar on February 24th. Register here and use the extra-special code MAGICMERLIN and you can join the webinar FREE of charge!
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The sound of cheery calls of “MAAAAMAAAAA” from the next room may be lovely at 7am. At 4am, or 5 am, not so much. Your baby may be up and ready to start the day, but you probably aren’t.
Answering the questions below may help you get there.
- Is your nap schedule mucking up your baby’s overnight sleep?
This might seem like an obvious question, but your baby’s sleep needs will change fast in the first few years of their lives. A quick look at the average nap number and duration might give you an idea:
- For babies from 3-6 months old, it’s normal to take 3-4 hour-long naps per day.
- For babies 6-15 months old, expect 2 naps with 3-3.5 hours of total sleep.
- For one and two-year-olds, you should expect a single 2-hour nap.
Part of the reason you might be seeing earlier wakeups is that your baby has graduated from one nap cycle to the next.
- Does your baby have enough time between their last nap and their bedtime?
We call this an “awake window,” and it can make a big difference. It might seem strange that your baby went to bed fine the night before, and you’re seeing a response to nap scheduling in the pre-dawn hours, but if your kiddo’s sleep is disrupted at night, it will impact the morning.
- 3-6 months, at least 1.5-2 hours between final nap wakeup and bedtime.
- 6-12 months, at least 2.5-3.5 hours between final nap wakeup and bed.
- 12-18+ months, 3.5-4.5 hours between final nap wakeup and bed.
- Is the room staying dark after the sun comes up?
Black 0ut curtains can make a big difference here. Remember that our brains signal wakeup when the light changes. So if dawn is at 430am, and even a little bit of light comes into your baby’s room, their little brains will PING with wake up juice.
- Is your baby going to sleep too early or too late?
It might seem counter-intuitive, but a late bedtime can actually backfire on you. Overtired kids don’t sleep as well. If you made their bedtime later and it didn’t fix the problem, try an earlier bedtime and see if that helps. You might be surprised.
- How do you make it better?
Try to make one change at a time; just one. Stick with that change for 3-5 days to see if it impacts things. (One night is usually not enough to see substantial change.) Be as consistent as you can with the change you made. For instance, if you decide to increase the space between bedtime and final nap wakeup, make sure to stick to the wakeup time you planned.
If your baby is waking up and chirping happily to themselves, feel free to leave them there for a little while. Let them get used to being alone in the crib. If you can, try to delay the start of the day by 5-10 minutes each day. This can make a big impact.
Everything else aside, remember that this is a short time in your kid’s life; as they get older, their sleep will become more regular, and so will yours. Don’t let yourself get too discouraged. Things are hard now, and you’re doing a great job.
