Hello!

Our daughter is now 3 months and I am hoping to move her out of the swaddle wraps (which she is fast becoming too big for) and into a sleeping bag. I’m just concerned that she will have difficulty getting to sleep if her hands are free, as she often sucks on them and works herself into a bit of a tizz. Anyone got any ideas how (and perhaps when) to make the transition as smooth and easy as possible?


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  • Dont until she wants to!


  • You have those sleeping bags what is a crossing between a sleeping bag and a swaddle, where you can open up the arms if you want to
    https://www.swaddleshop.com.au/shop-by-brand/love-to-dream/love-to-swaddle-up-original-1-0-tog-by-love-to-dream/
    And from that bag you could make the move to a sleeping bag like this at some point
    https://www.swaddleshop.com.au/shop-by-brand/ergopouch/ergopouch-2-5-tog-sleep-suit-bag/


  • My son was the same. I found that he was making his way out of the swaddle so for me I knew the time was right and knew he was ready. Put him into the sleeping bag with socks on hands because he also startled himself with his hands. He is nearly 19 months and still doing the same.


  • Some babies will not settle with their arms tucked in. They will wriggle around until they are absolutely exhausted before they give in and go to sleep. I personally know of 4 babies. One was wrapped up wither arms loose within a week and was always asleep within 5 minutes. Prior to that it would be 20 – 30 minutes. They found sleeping bags were the best option as swaddles didn’t stop them from trying to move around once they gained strength in their legs. While on a bed being on a flat waterproof change mat, one of them rolled over from her stomach to her back at 7 weeks. In the warm weather they had no airconditioning, only a fan, so she was tucked in with a light sheet just her length. She couldn’t wriggle under it. In the hot weather she was in a short sleeved onsie, singlet or short sleeved top and nappy. We found singlets rolled up under her back, so it wouldn’t have been very comfortable.


  • you can get the swaddle sleeping bags or grow bags


  • Crisis averted!!!! I put her in the sleeping bag last night for a trial run and she has been in it every sleep since with no issue. So much for the anticipated problems I had created in my head. Hahaha. Turns out I probably could have done this much earlier and saved myself all the hassle (and washing!!) of double swaddling for the last 3 months. Thanks for your input though ladies…..much appreciated :)


  • We moved from a swaddle to a sleeping bag when our little one starting getting out if them.


  • We did swaddle our Bub during day sleeps from early on. We used love to dream swaddles and she started rolling back to front at 3.5months so had to transition out, we started with 1 arm out for a few days and then the other arm out for a few days, then both arms out. She was unsettled a bit for a week or so but it settled down. Good luck!


  • Thanks for your suggestions ladies! I have just put her in one swaddle tonight (instead of the usual two swaddles!!). So we will see how that goes and then use your ideas as we transition further along. Hoping it won’t be too difficult!


  • could even help to keep babies lower half swaddled then in the sleeping bag so they don’t feel as uncomfortable with the extra room and slowly start to lossen the swaddle on their legs each sleep


  • i would start with leaving my arm unswaddled and the other in and get her used to sleeping one arm out first.
    We use love to dream swaddles for our 3 month old, and havent yet to start the transition, but will be doing one arm in one arm out when we are making the move.

    also a great idea to start with day sleeps first as if she hates it she isnt loosing too much sleep.


  • Do it for a day sleep first and see how she goes, she may not even notice (some don’t). I found the Bonds soft sleep bags the best but they might feel a bit “roomy” straight from a swaddle. Good luck!


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