Swaddling Questions

My son will be 4 months old on the 18th and absolutely loves being swaddled. I've been told that I should start weaning him off for development reasons and the fact that he "shouldn't" have his startle reflex anymore. Now I've tried not swaddling during nap times and he won't fall asleep at all, no matter how much he yawns or fusses he will fight going to sleep. Recently he's been kicking his feet a lot in his sleep so we keep them out of the swaddle. Is this his way of slowly getting ride of the swaddling? Should I try only swaddling just one arm? Or let him decide?

I have found that the gradual approach to weaning from swaddling works best. My son LOVED to be swaddled and I really dreaded the day we decided to wean! However, we started with one arm out for a few days or a week, then the other arm for a while. After a bit, I started to lay him down to naps without a swaddler and he got used to falling asleep without it. He did love "sleepers" though, which are nightgowns that have blankets for the bottom. That way he isn't swaddled but still has something over his legs. Check them out! 

I agree--gradual weaning is best. Try swaddling just his arms, and then when he gets used to that then try it looser and looser. It may be rough at first, but he'll get used to it. Good luck!

We went to the pediatrician yesterday and found out he's having an allergic reaction to something, weaning will wait. His doctor did seem upset that he was still being swaddled, she said we should have started weaning at 3 months. I do have like 7 different sleepers he can use once weaned. I'll definitely try having one arm out at nap times, once he's better of course. Thanks for the tips, this is one time I'm not looking forward to he just loves being swaddled so much.

My wife and I were never good at swaddling, so we didn't have to really worry about weening off swaddling... all of our babies were wiggling free after a few weeks!

I'm sorry your son is having some allergies. Those are no fun. I hope you are able to figure it out soon. Weaning will happen with time. Just be patient and hang in there. Keep us up to speed. :-)