Update: after two weeks with one arm out, he rolled over on his belly a few times and now we’re doing both arms out in a sleep sack and after two days he almost sleeps through the night, just a little fussing around 5 am every morning then soothed back to sleep. He’s been in the crib from 7 pm to 7 am every day for two weeks now since I read the Baby Sleep Solution. Still working on stretching those 30 minute naps though haha. I don’t rock him to sleep anymore though, we put him down drowsy and if he fussed more Han a couple minutes I return and shush him and pat his chest. Sometimes it takes a few visits from me but eventually he drifts off. Once he’s in the crib I don’t pick him back up unless I’m desperate and he’s really wailing and has been for awhile. But gosh it’s really nice to have his cute lil arms out and no startle reflexes! Yay!

Original post below:

Ok so, I got our LO out of the the rock and play and into the crib and had him doing one arm out pretty good but then the sleep regression and teething hit. We still have him in the crib but I literally don’t know how to get this child to sleep without a swaddle! (FTM of course.)

Any advice on naptime routines and how the heck to get a baby to sleep without the sleep association of a swaddle would be so appreciated!

Right now when he gets fussy we walk around and turn off the lights and then read a book or two or watch 5-10 minutes of nick jr cartoons. When he quiets down I head of ether nursery to rock him and sing a few songs but that stopped working this week and now he just wails and fights me. So the only thing that settles him the. Is swaddling and then I sometimes need a pacifier also.

What else can I do?? He’s 4.5 months old and seems to young to just leave crying unswaddled in a crib to “learn.” We’ve tried it a few times but he’s just exhausted and fussy for the rest of the day. Even with the swaddle he only sleeps 30 minutes and it usually takes that long to get him down.

Its been a tough week and it seems like such a stupid question but...how do you get a baby to sleep without a swaddle as a sleep signal?!

Help this little cutie and this mom who overthinks everything!