3.5 Month Old - HELP - Sleeping/swaddling - Happiest Baby on the Block

Can you do sort-of a swaddle but without his legs and/or arms in?

When I was transitioning my 1st out of the swaddle, I would do the swaddle wrap just around his torso, with his arms out the top, and without doing the legs. I think it gave him a feeling of being held, with the tight swaddle around his body, but still gave his arms the freedom to do the 'touchdown' pose :)

Or, even just go part way, and leave one arm out, but not the other for a little while. Or if it's really the legs that he kicks out first, swaddle his arms but don't pull the bottom up so his legs are free. Try all the combinations until you find one that seems to help.

This may not be a consideration for you, but I let my second two belly sleep and they did so great. I always let mine fall asleep on the breast and sometimes we would just snooze together. All three of mine have been great sleepers. All of mind fought the swaddle, so I guess I had to get creative!! I told my pediatrician that I was letting my second tummy sleep and he said he could not officially recommend that, but he had many moms in his practice that did the same. My doc said that at 3 months their sarcadian rhythms start to straighten out and they can go longer at night. Wish you the best whatever you decide! I am a big believer in rocking, cuddling, nursing to sleep and basically doing what works! Good luck mama!

I had one that would fight the swaddle to some extent. We started by letting him keep one arm out and swaddle the rest. Then we did two arms and just swaddled his body and legs. That worked for day time naps, but for some reason, he still would do better swaddled completely at night. He was definitely younger than 4 months when we started doing the partial swaddle.

The nature of their sleep becomes like adults at 12 weeks. This means they have to learn how to just roll when they wake up.

I didn't swaddle my son, and he was a great sleeper. I let my 5 week old have an arm right now because she likes to put her hand in her mouth.

They don't have to be wide wake going into their bed. They just need to be aware of where they are going. But it's important to put them down awake at this stage, as it helps them learn to self-sooth. If they fuss, you pick up, help thm sooth, and then put them down again. You repeat unil they fall asleep.

I got a swaddle wrap that velcroed on to a sleep sack, and then came off and could velcro onto their footie pajamas. Maybe something like that would help? I used it until mine started rolling over, after that he was a stomach sleeper.

If you are getting up to put in the nuk and not adjusting the swaddle, then it is probably 1 of 2 things. First, he wants his pacifier and hasn't learned to put it back in yet. or 2. That he is going through a seperation anxiety phase. He needs you to come and put in his binky so that you can "be" there and he is reassured about it. Either way, this too shall pass. Its a phase thing and will end in a little while when something else comes up, probably rolling over.

I wish you quality sleep since it won't be quantity for a while. :(