Sleep itself is mostly stable this week — four naps, wake windows of 90–105 minutes, bedtime near 8 PM, one or two night feeds — which makes it the right week to handle the swaddle transition before rolling forces the issue. A swaddled baby who rolls onto their stomach cannot push up or roll back, which is why the cutoff is the first sign of rolling rather than the first roll.
Expect a few rougher nights while the startle reflex is unbuffered. It fades on its own by four to five months.
Transitioning out of the swaddle
- One arm out for 2–3 nights, then both. Many babies skip the middle step fine; use it if the first night is rough.
- Swap to a sleep sack the same night — the warmth and the "contained" feeling carry over.
- Do it at bedtime, not naps, when sleep pressure is highest and the routine is strongest. Naps follow within a few days.
- Keep white noise and darkness constant — you are removing one cue, so hold every other one steady.
If the transition wrecks sleep
A few nights of more frequent waking is expected — the Moro reflex is still active and arms are suddenly free. What helps: a firm, snug sleep sack, a hand on the chest for a minute at bedtime, and patience. What does not help: going back to the swaddle once rolling signs have appeared. If sleep is still much worse after a week, check the room (too warm? too bright?) and the wake windows before assuming it is the swaddle; 13 weeks also sits at the doorstep of the 4-month sleep changes.
Schedules are averages.
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