Isn't It Ironic?

Don't cha think?? Here's my latest parenting dilemma.....the swaddle! I think I expected some parenting dilemmas before I had a baby. Like breastfeeding vs. bottle, timeout vs. spanking, on demand vs. scheduled.....but swaddled or not swaddled??? Didn't see that one coming!

Here's the deal.... Mackenzie sleeps really well with her swaddle. But given my inability to do a good swaddle with a regular blanket, I use the "Swaddle Me" blanket, complete with little velcro tabs to keep the swaddle together. And it works like a charm. Sleeping through the night since 7 weeks - can't complain about that. BUT, I've been wondering when to stop using it. I've tried having her nap without it. Well, first of all - she doesn't nap all that well in the crib to start with. And really doesn't sleep well napping in the crib without a swaddle. So, we keep using it, but I was a little worried about what might happen if she rolled over while in it and couldn't hold her head up without the aid of her hands. I'd seen her trying to roll and get to her side in the swaddle, but figured we had some time.

Then, on Thanksgiving, the grandparents had her on the mat and she was trying HARD to roll over! GREAT! I think the swaddle's days are numbered. But, since she didn't actually roll while playing (and I assume it's harder to roll while swaddled), I figured I had some time. We would wait until we were home and not try to upset the apple cart while at the grandparent's house.

Fast forward to last night, we're home and I'm trying to put her to sleep without a swaddle. Maybe it was too much to do it on a night when we'd traveled that day, but I didn't want her rolling over and suffocating. At least at Meemi & Poppee's house, she was in a pack & play in our room so I could hear her better. At home she's down the hall, so I depend on the monitor. So, I gave it a try. She was hard to get to sleep in the first place (maybe due to so much sleep in the car?) and I tried twice to lay her down & she popped back awake. Third try.....she's down & asleep. 15 minutes later....guess who!??!? Back upstairs, I'm putting her pacifier in her mouth trying to calm her in the crib. It works....temporarily. 5 minutes later......awake again! At this point I've been trying for well over an hour, maybe 2, and it's midnight. We decide to swaddle her and try again later.

Then, this morning I wake to some crying and look at the monitor and think I see what looks like the back of a head! I quickly run to her room and sure enough, she has rolled over! Now, isn't that ironic?!?!? She rolls over the first night we attempted (unsuccessfully) to unswaddle her & she does the exact thing I was worried about! So....now what to do?? Was it a fluke? It seems a little early to roll over, but she's been trying. To top it off, I also wanted to try for an earlier bedtime this week, but probably shouldn't try too many new things at once. She's currently napping with one arm out of the swaddle. Maybe this is a first step for her? Any suggestions out there - when you stopped swaddling, how, etc....

For some fun on this post, I'm uploading our video of her attempt to roll over at the granparents house. Enjoy!