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Tonia · Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:00 pm Post subject: Sleeping alone

I am curious about how people transition their babies from co-sleeping to their own cribs in their own rooms. My son is almost three months old, and has been co-sleeping since birth. We trade between the big bed and the bassinet, but he's growing so fast that he'll outgrow the bassinet in no time (24 inches long and 16 lbs at last check!) We have a beautiful crib in his room that he's slept in exactly three times, and only for naps.

I've been reading several different books on the subject, and cringe at the thought of "crying-it-out" as a viable way of sleep-training. But I don't necessarily want to have a toddler in our queen-size bed with us, either. At the current rate of growth, he'll be as big as a six-year-old by then!

How have you guys done it? Opinions? Suggestions?

Carole Hayes · Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:45 pm Post subject:

My older daughter stayed in my room until she was just over a year old. She slept in the bed with me for awhile, then I moved her to the co-sleeper. From there, I moved her to the crib, but I put it in the same place that I'd had the co-sleeper, and she didn't seem to mind. Because I was pregnant again, and I didn't want her to feel pushed out of her bed by the new baby -- but didn't want to buy a new crib, either -- I moved her to a toddler bed when she was about eleven months old. I just moved all of the bedding, including the bumper pads, to the toddler bed and she never seemed to even notice that anything was different. She didn't even try to climb out -- she always waited for me to come get her! (Of course, I did the same thing with my son, and after about fourteen months, he started climbing out and looking for me when he woke up -- but the room was childproofed, so it was fine.)

I moved her toddler bed to her own bedroom when she was just past a year old. I'd had a bookcase and a ficus tree next to her bed in my room, so I moved them into her room so that everything would look familiar when she woke up -- again, she didn't seem to notice the difference, or care. I kept the same bedtime routine that we'd always had (nursing, songs, backrub), and she fell asleep in the new room just fine.

Good luck!
Carole : )

Sasha Taylor · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:36 am Post subject:

My older daughter was about 9 months old when we moved her our of our room - she co-slept, then moved into the bassinet and when she outgrew that and I still couldn't bare her being away from me, we used the pack and play. Finally, we decided it was time. To start with we tried to comfort her or have her asleep to put her to bed, but I was getting exhausted and after talking to my paediatrician, she recommended the cry it out method. I too hated the idea, but tried it. The first night, the 5 minutes you wait before going in were the longest of my life (I'd never really let her cry for much at all before) and I was in tears too and my husband was pretty much sitting on me to stop me going in. It was really hard, but the first night was about an hour before she was asleep. The second night was even harder, but by a week, we could put her down and she'd talk to herself etc. before going to sleep. Btw - once asleep, we never had any problems during the night.

Our latest addition is now 5 months and tonight is the night. I'm very nervous about it, but I think doing it earlier means that she'll be less aware. Plus, she's too big for the bassinet and is kicking her feet on the bottom of it. I think she'll be more comfortable in the crib. I think second time round as well, I'll be more able to let her cry it out, because i know how well it works. I know most of my friends with little ones also tried not to use the cry it out method first and all resorted to it in the end. Pretty much everyone had good results in a week (with the 4 - 7th nights being pretty easy - maybe just 5 -10 minutes upset before sleep). A few never had problems at all...fingers crossed we're like that tonight Smile

Good luck! I do think the earlier you do it, the better! But I wasn't prepared to do it too early either...it's a special time and who wants to be getting out of bed all the time for night feedings? Much better once that's reduced or they're sleeping through the night!
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josefiensmommy · Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:10 am Post subject:

our 3 month old is already sleeping in her own crib, since birth she has been in our room, in a pack and play that holds a bassinet aswell. on the night where she would be fussy we would have her in her our bed inbetween us. at 2 months we decided to try and keep her in her crib overnight. she too had been taking her afternoon naps there. we never had any transition problems.. babies adapt easily I guess. although when they are younger they probably have less methods to make it difficult for you (like climbing out) a 2 month old cant do much more then cry (wich she didnt) if your baby has slept in the cib just fine in the afternoon, she will probably be fine in the night

Maaike
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those who grow a garden believe in tomorrow

Sasha Taylor · Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:43 am Post subject:

Success! We put Teagan down last night - fed and drowsy, but awake and she played and "talked" for about 10 minutes before falling asleep. I must have checked on her about 6 times during the night, but she was fine every time. And she woke up happy this morning Smile

Fingers crossed it repeats tonight.

Having done it at two different times (with two babies who slept well and were both sleeping through the night) it was definitely easier with the second one - and I really think the age makes a difference. Earlier the better!

My 2c anyway Smile

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Tracy · Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:05 pm Post subject:

I ditto the age thing... we actually do the crib a LOT earlier than most... just because I can't hardly sleep with the baby in the room with me... I am an absolute mess without much sleep... and when I have to get up in the night it is really hard cuz then I just don't sleep...

Are you putting him down awake for his daytime naps? if so then nighttime will probably be pretty smooth as well...

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