Transitioning from Co-sleeping to Crib - Sugar Land,TX

I am in the same boat as you. We are trying the no cry sleep method. So far, we are establishing a routine. We give her a bath, read books, I breast feed her till drowsy. Then she goes to dad, and he holds and sings to her until she falls asleep.. which now only takes 5 minutes from the moment he picks her up. I am amazed to how they take to a routine, and so quickly. The problem we are finding is when he gives her back to me, no matter how lightly and quietly, she looks for my breast as soon as she is on the mattress. We are going to start trying to put her in her bed soon..

My daughter who is 13 months today just transitioned to a crib (she slept 12 hours last night (yay!) I never let her CIO, well maybe for 10 minutes if she was just fussy. She also nursed on demand all night practically till I weaned her at one. I have a pillow from our bed in her crib, we do a bottle, bath, I have music on, (I used to nurse after bath) and I put her down still awake but drowsy, and close the door. I also use I night light. Sometimes she would sleep for only 10 minutes, sometimes she would stay awake in there for a long time playing with her crib toys but never fall asleep, up until last night she would wake up after a few hours to come into bed with us and she would just sleep longer stretches before waking up in her crib(to come to bed w/ us). It was only hard for a couple of days not nursing throughout the night she would fuss, and I would get up and make her a bottle and I would just decrease the amount per bottle every night. I didn't find the transitioning to be difficult. I did this with my son too. The next step will be to get her in her room. Don't be in hurry, you will miss this time I promise. It will be harder as she gets older to get her out of your bed, but (and this is just what worked for me not necessarily recommending) that is why I transitioned my kids at one(n weaned) because they are still babies and although they put up a fight it is not a battle of wills like toddlers do cause they really don't know whats going on. Do what works best for you everyone is different.

We happily co-slept with all 3 of our boys when they were babies. My middle one lasted the longest (3.5 years!) I kicked him out when I was pg with #3. My eldest was the easiest to get out of our bed. Once he was weaned over night, he was in his own bed. He would not get out of his bed in the morning until I came and got him.

His brothers are another matter. My youngest would still be sleeping with us if we let him. It was hard. We did not use a cry it out method. We just put them to sleep in their beds. Sometimes they would (and still do) come in in the middle of the night.

Put all those other words of the work ladies out of your mind. You need to do what you feel is right for you, not them or society.

Take it slow and as long as your DD is nursing at night, don't sweat it. Once she is weaned overnight, then it is time to transition to a big girl bed (or crib- whatever you decide). For your own sanity, I would wait for her to be weaned overnight.

Good Luck

Hi there! I am against the cry it out method also. I just prefer another route if possible. My situation may be a little different because we didn't transition my daughter to her own bed until she was 2. I nursed her the first year so she of course she slept with us so I could sleep. Then like you, I loved cuddling with her at night. We probably waited longer than what we should have but I can tell you that consistency is key. I don't regret cosleeping and will do it with my future children, if I'm nursing. I encourage you and your husband to feel confident in your own parenting style. I received a lot of grief from others as well but it's my family and we'll do what works best for us. If you feel your daughter is ready for the transition then go for it. I kind of go off the signals my daughter has given me as I don't want to push something on her that she's not ready for. Plus my husband was ready for her to sleep in her own bed so we agreed it was time...she was growing into a big girl!

My daughter loves Dora so I had her bed sheets Dora and also reminded her how Dora was a big girl sleeping in her own bed. We also got some books that teach about bedtime. 1) It's time to sleep in your own bed 2) Teach me about bedtime. We read those to her every night and explain what the book was saying and related it to her sleeping in her bed. I also created a bedtime chart which she could put a sticker for every night she slept in her bed. It worked great when potty training her so I knew it would be successful for other behaviors. And of course we also praise her and say positive things when she displays good behavior. I will say that my husband and I stay in her room until she falls asleep...that is just her comfort level. I know in time, we can slowly transition her to fall asleep on her own but I want her first to get used to sleeping in her bed all night. My daughter is older than yours so she has been able to comprehend more about what we tell her concerning her own bed. There are many methods and ideas out there so find what works best for you and your family...you are her mommy and know what's best for her...better than anyone else. Good luck!!!

First of all, don't listen to what others say about what you do in your home. Those decisions are best for you and your husband. If co-sleeping makes you and the baby comfy then as long as your husband is on board, then don't worry.

Second, although you are comfy, I do believe that your baby won't wake up as much to nurse if she is not in your bed. My doctor told me when my daughter was 5 1/2 months that she needed to go to her own bed. At that time I was enjoying her in bed with me also and she nursed every couple hours. When I moved her to the Pak-N-Play in my room, she slept for about 5 hours straight. The doc said that the movement from me or my husband was probably waking her up and that's why she woke more. When she was sleeping by herself she was getting better sleep and so was I. I nursed a lot less in the middle of the night, but when I did she came back to bed with me. Then I would put her back in the Pak-N-Play.

Third, if you are still nursing then she will still wake to nurse but maybe not so often. If she is in your room then she will still feel close and so will you.

If she is crying, then it will only last a few days. They say everything takes about 3 days for them to learn, but it never took that long with my girl. By the second day she caught on. It's painful to listen to your little on cry, but it's temporary and well worth it.

I would suggest to start by putting her in a crib (maybe a portable one) close by your bed. Then move the crib away from your bed a little at a time. Once she is accustomed to sleeping in her own bed in your room, you can tackle the sleeping in her own crib in her own room.

When you do that you may want to lay her down and sit in a chair next to the crib until she falls asleep. Every night move the chair a little further away from the bed until the chair is in the hall. She may fuss a little, but do as the super nanny does, lay her down and don't say a word then go sit in your chair. (The first time she fusses you say ok night night, then after that you don't say anything just lay her down.) It's important no matter what you do to stay consistent. If you want her to sleep in her own bed, and you start the night with her in her crib it's important to keep her there and not give in to bringing her in your bed. The first few nights may be rough but believe me if you stick to your guns, it's will get easier and it works!

You can't get around it, there will be crying and fussing, that is just the way ti is. Don't worry she needs to learn how to comfort herself so a little crying is OK and it won't hurt her. Just keep laying her down and she will get the pint ("oh hey I have to sleep in my own bed.")

Good luck!