From swaddle to sleeping free.

Warning: Long post, likely holds little to no interests for non-mothers of babies.

I remember the day that I brought Dylan home from the hospital thinking that everything was going to be perfect for our first night home... you know, noticing that he's getting sleepy around 8 pm, put him in his crib where he would sleep soundly until morning, except for the middle of the night feedings that I would have to wake him up for.

Yeah right.

The first night home from the hospital was an absolute nightmare, complete with me bawling on the stairs because I was tired and couldn't get my baby to sleep. The night ended with me sleeping on the couch and Dylan catnapping in his swing.

After that first hellacious night, I thought that maybe it would help him to be swaddled. Nope, didn't work. Once he was swaddled, he made it his personal mission to wriggle out and get his hands to his face. And you know when that happens, it's over. I quickly decided to invest in this little treasure:

The Miracle Blanket saved my sanity, because it helped Dylan finally sleep soundly without his pesky arms getting free. He spent every night and naptime in this little straight jacket and really did love it. Unfortunately, he started getting too smart and squirmy for the Miracle Blanket, so we decided to switch to the Woombie around 4 months.

It looks a little funny, but it seemed like a good step from the straight jacket style swaddle and more in the direction of sleeping free. Dylan has loved his Woombie, but over the past few weeks I've decided that it was time for the next transition towards sleeping free. You see, Dylan was quickly growing out of his Woombie and I didn't want him to turn out needing to be swaddled until his 3rd birthday like the kid on the left:

A little too odd for my liking.

Anyway, Dylan is now sleeping in  a Halo sleep sack, which is basically a wearable blanket. Kind of like a Snuggie for babies, right?

Arms are free, lots of moving room, hooray! The transition from Woombie to Halo has not been easy... as soon as I would lay him in his crib he would roll over to all fours and would crawl around his crib, thinking that it was playtime, not naptime. It usually took him 20-30 minutes to finally go to sleep in his own, rather than the 5 or so with the Woombie.

Difficulties aside, I am now happy to report that Dylan went right to sleep for his 2 pm nap with no rolling, playing, or fussing... all while in his Halo. Hooray!

Here's my little pal taking a nap as I type: