Swaddle Transition Success Using The Zipadee Zip

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Does your baby love to be swaddled, but ready to transition from it? A swaddle transition is usually not so fun. Your baby’s new form of freedom usually leads to flailing arms, rolling over, and (ick!) constant wake ups.  I tried to do it the old-fashioned way, and struggled! Luckily, I eventually discovered this awesome swaddle transition product called the Zipadee Zip, which helped my baby sleep longer stretches and allowed me some more shut-eye.

Swaddling is an ancient art form that’s been used for centuries to calm babies.  Similar to how a baby feels in the womb, a swaddle creates an environment that helps keep them snuggled up.  As I learned from my favorite new mom read, The Happiest Baby on the Block, Dr. Harvey Karp also explains that since newborns do not have control of their reflexes, they can feel out of control at times, leading to bouts of frustration.  These frustrated feelings lead to crying and, in turn, a lot less sleeping!

Just like your little one, my baby LOVED to be swaddled.  With a proper swaddle, he could go from screaming and crying one minute, to totally content the next.

Until one day, he rolled over.  That changed everything.  I knew he could no longer be swaddled due to safety and suffocation reasons, but what was I going to do? We both needed sleep.  Although I was excited for his new step towards development, desperation set in.

I first tried swaddling him with one arm out.  Didn’t work.  Both arms out… even worse.  This boy went from sleeping 2-hour stretches, to waking himself up every 20-30 minutes.  As if getting up every two hours wasn’t bad enough, 20-30 minutes had me feeling bonkers.  I thought it may just take some time for him to get used to his new sleeping arrangement, but after a week, I gave up on that wishful thought.

I looked into a popular swaddle transition known as the Merlin Suit.  Although people use it, it is not safe to use if your child can already roll over.

After more investigation, I discovered my sanity, or what is also known as the Zipadee Zip.  Mentioned in my other popular blog post regarding how I got my baby to sleep better using an easy routine, the Zipadee-Zip is a transition  that was featured the popular show, Shark Tank.  Created by a mom who, like me, also suffered from this terrible swaddle transition and needed a safe alternative for her child.

What the heck, why not try it?

You guys, I’m not even lying, the first night he wore this crazy looking, zip-up blanket, he slept better than he ever had.

Below is a quick review of this swaddle transition product, so you can assess if it’s the right thing for you and your little one.

Pros:

1. 1. The safety factor of the Zipadee Zip is huge for me.  The design of the blanket includes just enough space for their arms and legs to feel close to their body, but just enough room to push themselves up, in case they roll over.
   2. I love the lightweight fabric since my baby is pretty sweaty and I live in the flaming hot desert of Arizona.  They also have fleece options for colder climates.
   3. Its survived numerous, numerous washes.
   4. The Zipadee Zip comes in different sizes, depending on your baby’s height.
   5. Amazon Prime finally made the Zipadee Zip available for purchase!  Before, I waited a week for shipment and delivery. The desperately tired mama does a lot less waiting now!
   6. A mom designed this swaddle transition for a mom, and I like supporting other moms on their business ventures.

Cons:

1. 1. The Zipadee Zip is kind of expensive.  You pretty much need three of them in the rotation, so the road to more sleep can end up costing you, but it’s still cheaper than a therapy session.  After days of not sleeping, I would’ve paid anything to fix it!
   2. Although the quality is good, once again, for the price, I’m surprised they can charge that much.  It’s pretty much cotton material with a zipper.  I don’t sew, so I guess I have no room to talk.
   3. They seem to have super cute patterns for girls, but need some better boy designs. What else is new, though?

The Bottomline:

This product is a game changer.  If your child is ready for the transition, or you want to prepare yourself ahead of time, you need a Zipadee Zip now. Don’t wait like I did!

I still use the Zipadee Zip, even though my child is past the swaddle transition age.  I love that it acts as a blanket, without having any loose items in his crib. Truth is, I’m also afraid to find out how he would sleep without it, as he finally started sleeping through the night! (Cheers to my new mom life!)

Comment below and let me know how your swaddle transition goes with the Zipadee Zip! I love to hear other success stories from products that I use and love in my everyday life.

For more of my sleep tips check out my posts on the suggested wake times for your baby, a routine to help with better and longer stretches of sleep, adjusting the type of bed for your baby, and my favorite sleep products. I promise, I used to be a tired mom too, until I applied these tricks and tips to my life.