How to stop swaddling

[CarlyRose80]

Hi. LO is 5 months and sleeps at night just in a Grobag but in the day has to be swaddled to sleep as he will fight and fight. I want to get him out of this as its getting warmer now and it's just an extra layer he doesn't need. He always shoves his hands in his mouth and knocks his dummy out, eats his blanket etc, how do I encourage him to settle in the day without the need to swaddle?

[moonprayer]

I have the same problem. Have tried to un-swaddle my 4mo DS for one week, and the daytime napping becomes rubbish. Previously it was all great. Today I swaddle him again and he went straight back on sleeping without much struggling :( so it's all because of swaddle... How should I stop it?

[brainonastick]

Can you try it gradually - maybe just one arm in/one out, then both out, then the legs?

(why do I have the Hokey Cokey going round in my head now? )

[christmasmum]

I swapped to swaddling with a thin sheet, then left one arm out, then both arms (but still wrapped tightly round chest) and then stopped it all together. Took about a fortnight to wean my DD off it completely.

[loveisagirlnameddaisy]

Took me quite a while to wean off swaddling but we were doing it the other way round - unswaddled during day and swaddled at night. I adopted the same approach as christmasmum and after a few weeks we were able to remove swaddle altogether.

[CarlyRose80]

Thanks. I may have to try that one arm out etc. tried without it this morning as its roasting in his room (south facing) so just put him down in a baby grow but he would not go to sleep. Eventually I stripped him to his nappy and swaddled him (its only thin tshirt like material) and swaddled him-asleep in minutes. It's frustrating as I know he will sweat but what can you do. Luckily he's ok without it at night oddly enough and I guess naps will decrease over time so I have the easier battle but even so its too hot for this swaddling malarkey.

[shouldibecrossaboutthis]

My son is quite a hot baby and still swaddled - I use a muslin and put him in with just a nappy on when it's warm. He's 7 months old and I'm going to wean him off it when he can get his dummy back in his mouth by himself!