Try as hard as you might, you can’t lovingly let your baby in a swaddle forever. Babies grow way too fast. It’s only natural, of course. But knowing when to transition to a sleep sack is an inevitable question.
You want to make sure that what you’re doing is right and at the appropriate time.
Here are 5 signs that your baby is ready to transition:
A broader range of motion
It’s time to transition when your little one starts to roll over. Another sign would be when they wriggle out of their swaddle. Sleep sacks give them the freedom to move their arms and legs. It also prevents the risk of suffocation, which is a huge worry when you use blankets.
Change in sleeping pattern
Suppose your baby has a good sleeping pattern. He sleeps through the night (or as much as they usually do). This is a win for both mom and baby. Suddenly, this good sleeping pattern gets disrupted. A possible reason would be his swaddle. Your baby might start to feel too restricted by it, making him feel uncomfortable.
More environment interaction
A baby’s curiosity never ends. Almost everything can capture their attention. As a mom, you should encourage this curiosity. It encourages your baby to know more about his surroundings. This can easily be achieved through the use of a sleep sack. A sleep sack frees up their arms and legs, while still making them feel safe and comfortable.
The diminishing of the Moro reflex
The Moro reflex is an automatic response. It is activated when a baby experiences an abrupt movement or noise. He will start to cry or move his arms or legs at the sudden stimulation.
A baby in a swaddle can be easily comforted even when their Moro reflex is activated. The cocoon-like nature of the swaddle helps them calm down. However, the Moro reflex disappears as the baby grows up. Thus, the cocoon-like nature of the swaddle will become unnecessary in the long run.
Transitioning trial
As long as your baby is at least 6 months old, you can go ahead and start to ease him into transitioning. Start by having his arms out of the swaddle for a couple of nights. If this doesn’t bother him, swap the swaddle for a sleep sack.
Swaddles imitate the warm feeling of being inside their mom’s womb. But as babies grow older, swaddles can be harmful to your baby’s development. With sleep sacks, you can get the best of both worlds: your baby still feels comfortable while having the freedom to move about.
