As a general rule it is recommended to stop swaddling your baby when they start to show signs of rolling. The signs you can look out for are: Starting to roll over during play time. Using hands to push up during tummy time.
You should stop swaddling your baby when he starts attempting to roll over. Many babies start working on this move at about 2 months old. Swaddling once your baby can roll over may increase the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) and suffocation.
Babies are super strong and it isn't long before they can wriggle their way out. Or perhaps you feel it is a safety issue because your child is becoming more mobile. Current guidelines urge parents to stop swaddling around the 8 week mark so its not long before your baby needs to learn how to make the transition.
The short answer is that swaddling must stop when your baby can roll. While every baby is different, some little ones start rolling as early as 2 months. The longer answer: In general, babies do best when swaddling lasts until they're 4 to 5 months old…but that won't work for early rollers.
Can I swaddle my baby with their arms out? Absolutely! Though many parents assume that you have to keep your baby's arms within the swaddle blanket, it's completely safe to have one arm or both arms out when they're sleeping.
During the 4-month sleep regression, a little extra comfort can go a long way to help sleep problems. A lightly weighted swaddle (if baby isn't rolling over yet) or sleeping bag will help keep her calm and cozy while falling asleep.
According to a study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies will sleep better when swaddled. Swaddling prevents newborn babies from startling themselves awake with random arm movements. Also, it was concluded that swaddling promotes “sleep continuity”, which means they sleep longer.
Swaddling protects your baby against their natural startle reflex, which means better sleep for both of you. It may help calm a colicky baby. It helps eliminate anxiety in your baby by imitating your touch, which helps your baby learn to self-sooth.
Babies need to be able to move their legs freely, bending them and stretching them, swaddling the baby does not allow for these actions there for hindering growth.
Deactivating the Startle Reflex
So simply placing a baby on their side or completely onto their stomach, helps calm them and stop their crying. Of course, when you place a baby on their side or stomach, you always need to be sure that baby's airway is clear so their breathing isn't obstructed.
In order for swaddling to allow healthy hip development, the legs should be able to bend up and out at the hips. This position allows for natural development of the hip joints. The baby's legs should not be tightly wrapped straight down and pressed together.
As such we recommend a two-step approach to transitioning: Step One: Releasing one arm out of your baby's swaddle for all sleeps, to allow your baby time to become used to this new way of sleeping. Step Two: After a week or so of one-arm-out sleeping, remove both arms from the swaddle.
If your baby is swaddled, keep them swaddled throughout their night feeds. Or if your baby is older, keep them in their sleeping bag. If you need to do a diaper change before or during their feed, re-swaddle them again or put them back in their sleeping bag as soon as they are changed.
By 2 months, baby's last nap should be ending by 6:30pm. Bedtime should be around 6:30-8:30pm and should occur about 1-2 hours after the last nap ends. 3 months: babies this age should be on a solid 4 nap schedule with the last nap of the day ending by 5:30pm.
It's thought by some that gentle, repetitive tapping on the bum is said to mimic the sound and rhythm of a mother's heart beat in the womb. If your baby was head-down-bum-up like most are in the third trimester, their wee bottom's are what was closest to Mom's heart in utero.
wearable blankets and sleepsacks
For newborns who want to feel comfy and warm but need just a little more wiggle room than a swaddle provides–wearable blankets–also known as sleep sacks–are perfect! These are bodysuits with blanket-like material.
Many four month olds do best with that 7 to 8 pm bedtime. However, some babies do hold on to a later bedtime just a bit longer. So please know, if your baby is thriving with a bedtime between 8 and 10 pm, there's no need to change anything yet.
How many naps should a 4 month old take each day? Most babies this age need 3 - 4 naps per day. Babies who are already taking longer naps can typically stay awake longer, so they tend to do well on a 3-nap schedule.
Many Parents Swaddle Incorrectly!
Well, the most common swaddling mistake is not swaddling tight enough. Many parents are afraid of swaddling too snugly. When your baby is loosely swaddled, she will most likely bust her arms out and startle herself awake.
The Moro reflex is the cause of your newborn baby to sleep with his arms above his head. This reflex, commonly referred to as the “startle reflex”, disappears by 6 months of age.
Your baby's hands do not need to be covered at night. As long as their core body temperature is fine, cold hands shouldn't bother them. If you think the cold extremities are affecting your baby and feel that covering their hands will make them more comfortable or reduce night wakings, that's ok.