HELP!! Nap issues... breaking swaddle and RNP habit

Today is def a challenge...

Some background... DS is about 5 months old and has always slept well swaddled in his RNP. He always tried to break free, but it stopped him startling.

Last weekend, we decided not to swaddle during naps. He did okay... still startled awake, but I figure he has to get used to it, right?

Last night, we put him to bed without the swaddle at night for the first time. It was just o.k.... he woke up a lot and had a hard time containing his flailing arms. He was wide awake and talking at about 12:30am, but never cried. I don't know when he fell back asleep... I fell asleep watching him on the monitor. He woke up about an hour earlierthan normal.

With a 3day weekend, DH and I figured it was a good time to also get him into his crib for naps. So, for his morning nap, we put him in the crib, with the mattress on an incline. He cried for about 10-15you minutes, but the n all of a sudden fell asleep. He slept about a half hour and woke up crying. .

For his 11:30am meal, he was cranky, fussy and seemingly exhausted. So, I ditched our normal eat, play, sleep pattern and put him in for a nap since he fell asleep during his bottle. I wanted him to sleep well so I just put him in the RNP, swaddleless. He woke up crying after just 20 minutes! Now I'm actively helping him nap... he's startling awake every 2 minutes, sometimes waking to a shrieking cry! I keep rocking him back to sleep, but he keeps JUMPING in his sleep repeatedly and crying. When I rock him, he makes that tired cry sound and falls back asleep until he startles awake again.

Any advice? Right now, I just want to swaddle him back up so he gets good sleep, but I also want to break him of the swaddle and RNP habits. Help! Any advice?

Message edited 1/14/2012 2:06:04 PM.

Re: HELP!! Nap issues... breaking swaddle and RNP habit

Since he's been swaddled for so long, he just doesn't know what to do with himself. Give it some time, he will get used to it!

Also, maybe try to break one habit at a time. Try going swaddle-less and once he gets used to that, then start transitioning him to the crib.

Hang in there!!

Re: HELP!! Nap issues... breaking swaddle and RNP habit

Maybe too many changes at once? My dd is still swaddled and in the rock n play and is 4 months. About a month ago I moved her into the crib for naps, I have the mattress on an incline by putting a rolled up towel under the top half. Soon I am going to put her in the crib swaddled for a couple of days, then slowly unswaddle 1 arm, then both arms then just put her in the sleep sack. It will probably take about a month. The slow transition worked with my older dd, and I am hoping will work with #2. If I see that she is sleeping just fine, I will make the transition quicker.
HTH, I also introduce a lovey for them to hold once they are unswaddled.

Re: HELP!! Nap issues... breaking swaddle and RNP habit

I gradually took away the swaddle by swaddling only one arm for about a week. The second week I swaddled her body so both of her arms are out. I think maybe the change was too quick for your LO.

Re: HELP!! Nap issues... breaking swaddle and RNP habit

Re: HELP!! Nap issues... breaking swaddle and RNP habit

Did you try swaddled in the crib. I would change where he sleeps first. Then how he sleeps.