How to transition your baby out of the swaddle

At the Goodnight house, we LOVE using swaddles for newborns and we encourage swaddling in our online Newborn Class. However, as you’ll find out below, swaddling isn’t developmentally appropriate after a certain point.

This post will take you through:

• The importance of swaddling during the newborn stage

• When you should begin transitioning your baby out of the swaddle

• Our three step plan to make the transition a breeze

• Our thoughts on specific swaddle transition products

What is swaddling?

Swaddling is snuggly wrapping your baby in a blanket or swaddle product (like a zip/velcro swaddle) with their arms inside. 

When done correctly, swaddling mimics the feeling of being in the womb for your newborn and helps them feel safe and secure. For newborns, swaddling is developmentally appropriate. Once your baby gets to a certain stage in their development, they don’t need the swaddle in the same ways they did before and the risks of swaddling outweigh the benefits.

When should we begin transitioning our baby out of the swaddle?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends transitioning baby out of their swaddle as soon as they show signs of rolling over. Many babies start working on rolling around 8 weeks old. 

The skill of rolling over can happen abruptly, so you want to always be watching for it, especially by 8 weeks. There is always the chance your baby could learn sooner. 

Three steps to transitioning out of the swaddle: 

We personally love using the Embe transition swaddle to transition babies out of their traditional arms-in swaddle. Products like the Embe swaddle safely allow for one arm to be out and one arm to be in, which makes the transition much easier on your little one. Releasing one arm at a time helps them get used to the freedom without being overwhelming. 

Use code GOODNIGHT for 15% off Embe Swaddles.

Attempting to do one arm in / one arm out with a traditional swaddle blanket can pose a suffocation risk because baby may be able to loosen their blanket too much.

Step one: When it’s time to start transitioning your baby out of their arms-in swaddle, begin by swaddling with one arm in and one arm out for 2-3 days (Jess likes to rotate which arm is swaddled in and which arm is free, every other nap and nighttime). It’s ok to follow your baby’s lead on the timing of how many days you do this for. 

Step two: After a few days or when your baby seems to be doing well with one arm out, graduate to both arms out. We appreciate how the Embe transition swaddle has the chest / torso portion that you can continue to wrap around them to provide a last little bit of support as they get used to both arms being free.

Step three: You can continue to use the transition swaddle until your little one grows out of it and then move straight to an arms out sleep sack.

You can read all about sleep sacks, why we love them, their benefits, and which ones we do and do not recommend in THIS POST. 

Click HERE to get your child’s perfect daily schedule! 

Popular products and important safety considerations:

There are a lot of products out there marketed as swaddle transition products. Many of them, like the Embe swaddle, are great! However, there are a few we don’t recommend for safety / developmental reasons. See below for some products we think are good options and some that we would encourage you to avoid.

What about the Magic Merlin Sleepsuit?

The Merlin Sleepsuit is marketed as a swaddle transition product. It’s a little suit that keeps your baby on their back, preventing them from rolling, and provides the same benefits as a swaddle. The problem is that if your baby is too old for the swaddle, they’re too old for the benefits the swaddle previously offered.  

We believe using a Merlin Sleepsuit can slow your child’s development. If they’re showing signs of needing to be transitioned out of their swaddle (i.e. reaching for their feet, showing signs of rolling), they need to be transitioned out, not put into another product that does the same thing as a swaddle.

At this point in their development, your baby needs to be learning how to move and roll around. 

The Merlin Sleepsuit is also sold in 3-6 month size as well as 6-9 month size. Keeping a baby immobilized, on their backs for up to 9 months is developmentally inappropriate (for all the reasons listed in this post).

Additionally, preventing your baby from developing the skills they need to roll and control their bodies and keeping them on their backs for 13+ hours a day during naps and nighttime sleep will increase their risk of developing flat head syndrome. 

What about the Nested Bean Sleep Sack?

We prefer to stay away from the Nested Bean because it is a weighted sleep sack (your baby doesn’t need a weighted sack unless directed by your pediatrician or a physical therapist).

What about the Zipadee Zip?

The Zipadee Zip is a similar style to the Nested Bean, but it is not weighted and it does not restrict your baby’s full range of motion. It is advertised as and should be used as a swaddle transition product. 

Unlike the Magic Merlin Sleepsuit, your baby can safely push up, roll, and wiggle inside the sleep sack. It gives the enclosed feeling of a swaddle, but it doesn’t prevent them from moving or developing skills as they make the transition from the traditional arms-in swaddle. After a few weeks, we’d preferably like to see them out of the Zipadee Zip and into an arms-out sleep sack. 

A word of encouragement:

Introducing something new to your baby is always challenging. Give yourself and your little one so much grace! If you already have a great sleeper, you can expect a few rough nights, but once they’ve made the transition they should fall right back into their great sleep habits! 

If your child struggles with sleep, please know there is hope! Our mission at the Goodnight House is to equip parents with the tools necessary to help their babies get the sleep they need and experience more rest, peace, and joy in parenting. 

If you have a newborn 0-12 weeks and you’re wanting to help establish great sleep habits from the very beginning, our online Newborn Class is for you! This class will make any future transitions, like transitioning out of the swaddle, much easier on your little one. 

If you have an older baby or toddler, we offer 1:1 Personalized Sleep Plans to help get your child (4+ months) sleeping 11-12 hours per night.