Tips for weaning baby off swaddle and transitioning baby from RNP sleeper to crib?

I'm so afraid of how to do this!!!

Right now, my 3 1/2 month old sleeps through the night, swaddled in his Swaddle Me and in his Rock N Play Sleeper.

How should I get him used to sleeping without a swaddle? (he only sleeps with his arms swaddled - his legs are covered with a blanket). He still has a startle reflex, but I don't think it's as bad as it used to be.

How do I transition him to a crib? He's so used to sleeping in that upright position. DH and I joke that we're going to end up having to find a Swaddle Me and a Rock N Play Sleeper for our 26 year old son one day if we don't break him of the habits soon. (only half joking...

Do I break of him the Swaddle Me habit first? Or after I put him in the crib? Or at the same time?

I'm so afraid to put him in the crib with his arms swaddled in case he rolls and can't turn over with his arms restrained. He hasn't learned how to roll over on his own yet...

What do you suggest?

Re: Tips for weaning baby off swaddle and transitioning baby from RNP sleeper to crib?

I put DD in the crib with the swaddle so that she didn't feel "lost" in the big area of the crib. It was not even a week and she started busting out of the swaddle and got very upset when I started to do it at night, so she kind of weaned herself off of that. She did have a strong startle reflex, but I think she might have learned to get passed it at night. I think she had practice during the day, we never swaddled her for naps. Could you tilt the mattress slightly to get that angle effect? Not sure if that is a safety no-no, but I think I have seen things for that in BRU. Good luck with trying it out....it'll be OK!

Re: Tips for weaning baby off swaddle and transitioning baby from RNP sleeper to crib?

You can put something under the mattress to elevate it. Babies with reflex need this. Also the woombie make a convertible swaddle that the arms come off, so baby can wean through that.

Re: Tips for weaning baby off swaddle and transitioning baby from RNP sleeper to crib?

On of my babies had the severe reflux and the doctor told us to roll a towel (we used a beach towel) and put it under his mattress. This put the mattress on an incline. It definitely seemed to work.

I would put him in the crib first and then slowly get rid of the swaddle. My triplets are 5 months old and have been in their cribs from day one
(no room in our bedroom for all 3), but I just broke the swaddle off of one of my sons last week (my 5 month olds are very tiny since they were preemies, he isnt even 11lbs yet). For 2 nights, we took out one are and then after that we took out the other night. The first 2 nights we got very lttle sleep. Every time he moved and his arms moved, it startled him and he woke up screaming. Now only a week later, he LOVES having his arms free and sleeps all spread out, and is back to STTN!!

Hope this helps!

Re: Tips for weaning baby off swaddle and transitioning baby from RNP sleeper to crib?

DD slept great when she was swaddled in the Rock n Play. We had to stop using the Rock n Play suddenly one day when she was about 10w old. I was nervous too, but that first night in her Pack n Play, she slept 8 or 10 hours. I think the trick was that we did everything else the same - bath, massage, nursing, swaddle, songs - but put her in the Pack n Play instead of the Rock n Play. The transition was fine. She slept about 2 hours fewer than normal at first, but for a 10w baby, I wasn't going to complain about only 8 hours straight of sleep.

A week or two later she'd fight her way out of the swaddle every night and every naptime and we had to take that away suddenly because it was becoming a danger to her. That was a MUCH harder transition. We're still working through that one 3 weeks later. Naps are tough without the swaddle. If I had the luxury of doing it as leisurely as I wanted, I'd do a different step every 3 days or so:

Crib, swaddled at night; then
Crib, swaddled for naps; then
Crib, unswaddled at night; then
Crib, unswaddled for naps.

Re: Tips for weaning baby off swaddle and transitioning baby from RNP sleeper to crib?

No advice but I am I the same position as you. DS is 3 months, still swaddled and sleeping in the RNP. I'm terrified to transition. He sleeps great and I don't want to disturb that but he's nearly 17 lbs and barely fit a size large swaddle anymore.
Good luck and please let me know how it goes!

Re: Tips for weaning baby off swaddle and transitioning baby from RNP sleeper to crib?

My DS is almost 5 months and just started sleeping in his crib 3 weeks ago. Before that he slept in the Rock n Play swaddled so we just started putting him in his crib swaddled. In the Rock n Play he slept great (9-10 hours) and we never needed to give him his paci back... now he wakes several times and usually we can give him his paci back and he falls back asleep but he seems to be waking earlier to eat. As for the swaddling Ive been wondering about this too! He cant really sleep without the swaddle! He even needs it for naps now that they are in the crib. Sorry not much help but Im in the same boat with the swadding situation! Its like he wants to get out of it and sometimes does bust out but then moves his arms around... grrrr

Re: Tips for weaning baby off swaddle and transitioning baby from RNP sleeper to crib?

MY DD was a BIG baby and was swaddled tightly in the miracle blanket until she was 6 mos old (her legs were free the last few months). The transition from RNP to crib was a big one for her and for us. She moved ALL over once we moved her to the crib...so back in the swaddle she went.