Dropping The Swaddle
Dropping the swaddle can feel stressful, but it doesn't have to be! I like to use a 5 or 7 day method to drop the swaddle.
This transition should happen by 11-12 weeks of age OR sooner if your baby has started to show signs of rolling.
I generally recommend a wean-down process when getting rid of the swaddle. It looks something like this:
Swaddle 1 arm out and 1 arm in for 3 nights/3 days
Swaddle the other arm out, and put the first arm back in for 3 nights/3 days
Swaddle the trunk (stomach chest) of your baby with both arms out for 1 night
Night 8...no more swaddle!
If you wanted to make the switch a little sooner, than I would recommend doing 2 nights of each arm out, followed by swaddling their body on night 5, and then night 6 = FREEDOM!
The 5 S’s of Sleep
The 5 S's of sleep are a soothing technique that was founded by well-known Paediatrician, Harvey Karp. He is the author of The Happiest Baby on the Block and he swears by his 5 S method.
The 5 S's are something that I teach all of my newborn clients within their support.
They are:
Swaddle
Suck (pacifier)
Swing
Side/Stomach (supervised)
Shush
He claims that by doing all 5 things at once, you can calm ANY baby down.