Moving to Crib....

Updated on June 04, 2008
C.D. asks from Mission Viejo, CA
72 answers

Okay Mom's out there...need some help. I have a 4 month old little girl that sleeps like a dream! She is down by 8 and wakes up at 5 to nurse and then goes back to sleep until 7:30. My son never did that and woke up every three to four hours...so he slept with us so we could get some sleep until he was about 11 months and then we put him in his crib. She is getting bigger and I know that she will not be able to sleep in the bassinet any longer....is it too early to move her crib?? I am so torn to move her away from me and do not know what to do. Thanks in advance for all your help.

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So What Happened?

Thank all of your for your advice and suggestions....it really made me feel so much better about the whole thing. We moved her on Friday night and she has had no issues...me on the other hand a little tired, but getting the hang of having my own room back!! Thank you again!

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T.

answers from Las Vegas on

C.,

I put the crib in my room beside my bed until I was ready to move my son to us own room. It worked for us. My bedroom isn't that big but we made it work.

:-)T.

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T.M.

answers from Las Vegas on

well C., i think she is to young to be in a room by herself,no matter how good she sleeps.if she is sleeping thru the night, why move her. this way you can keep an eye on her in case any thing should happen. for safety reasons. i"am a granmother to a 3 year old. i adore my grandson i always need to know where he is at all time even when he sleeps. i hope that helps just somthing to think about.

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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

My daughter was in her crib in her first week. Every little noise she made would wake me up and I couldn't stand it. We had a baby monitor and her room was right across the hall. She did just fine!

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D.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.,
I put all my kids directly in a crib when they got home from the hospital. I didn't have a bassinet. You can buy some cute little padding that you put around the inside of the crib. Tie it with the little strips to the bars.This keeps their little arms and legs inside. Don't put a pillow or stuffed animals in with her because babies can sufforcate with them. You can adjust the mattress to different heights. She will do fine. And even if the crib is in another room you will still hear her because God gave you special mommy ears. Good luck, D.

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C.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

I don't think it is too soon. I put my son in his crib the day I brought him home from the hospital because of the problems we had with my first born. lol.

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J.W.

answers from San Diego on

Is the crib near your bed? If not use a baby monitor. You will sleep light enough to hear her I am sure. What lucky children to have such a nice mommy.

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P.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

My daughter was a great sleeper too (still is). I don't think there's a "correct" answer to this question, but my daughter didn't like being in her bassinet so we moved her to her crib at 6 weeks so we could all get some sleep. I had the baby monitor blasting and yes, got up every hour to check on her for the first few nights. She did great, and about a week later she started skipping that 2am feeding and sleeping through the night - we got lucky!. Good luck to you!!

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S.O.

answers from San Diego on

We moved both of our kids into their own crib in their own rooms once they started to roll over/wiggle alot in the bassinett. Both transitioned just fine. We did put in similar smelling blankies and sheets into the crib. I also put in a blanket and smelled like me for the first couple of nights. But since your little one is such a good sleeper now, I bet she won't have any problems adjusting. Both my kids slept through the night soundly from 4 months and 3 months respectively. And neither liked to be swaddled. I think it was harder for me to adjust to them not being right with me than it was for them :). But in the end we all got great sleep at night with them sleeping in their own rooms. And your daughter is young enough that she won't remember any of it.

Good luck!

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L.S.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C.,
I have a 6 month old and went through the same thing. She outgrew her bassinet around 4 months, so I went ahead and moved her to her crib. It was definitely a hard thing to do, I was and still am glued to my moniter. But I do think she got much better sleep because our tossing and turning wasn't waking her up. I went ahead and set up a playpen in our room so that I can bring her in there to sleep whenever I want. I would say that I bring her in our room to sleep about 3 times a week. I just like being close to her, it makes me feel better :) The playpen that I have has a piece that snaps to the top so that they are a bit higher up which is super convenient. Hope this helps!!!!

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S.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

i moved my daughter when she was a month.. it's usually harder on the parents than the child!

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P.R.

answers from Santa Barbara on

I think you will find out only after trying it out whether it is too early for your particular child. After having a child co-sleep with my husband and I for FAR too long, I'd say go for it, as long as it works for all involved. Keep in mind that the first few nights she might wake up, but you should be able to comfort her and get her back to sleep. If it doesn't work, what is your other option? Having her sleep in your bed? You have to decide if you want to do that again or not. My feeling is that if you have a good sleeper on your hands this time around, you should take advantage of it and not go down that road.

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J.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

C.,

That's completely up to you. I left mine in the bassinet until 6 months, but I constantly had to check on my 2nd one because I knew she was very active, Meaning she rolled over the day we brought her home and crawling at 4 months, so I knew that if I wasn't there the minute she woke up she would most likely stand up in it, or try to pull herself up on the sides and tip it over. I also loved having them right by me. As for my sister (and many others) she couldn't stand some of her kids being right next to her because she would wake to every noise. Some make sucking sounds, some scratch the sheets, and some constantly make grunting noises as they sleep.
I think you know your baby best, if you think she is safe in the bassinet for a few more weeks while you slowly wing yourself from her then do it. But if she sleeps in her own bed don't start the sleeping with mom thing, as this becomes a habit and is much harder to break. Good Luck !
I know this is hard because this means they are growing up.
J.

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S.C.

answers from Las Vegas on

When I had my son, he didn't sleep the best his first 3 months, and my daughter was a dream like yours. She actually didn't want to sleep anywhere buy her crib all by herself. That was hard for me at first. Anyway, you have a few things you can do: You can move her crib into your bedroom if you think it's too soon to move her to her own room, or you can start with naps in her crib and then switch to her bed, or you can do the co-sleep thing (sorry, I've never done that, though). Just remember, if you want to have your room to yourself, the older she gets, the harder it will be for you to get her into her own room. I know that some people do this and are fine with that. Both of my kids are very good sleepers in their own beds and have been since they were babies.

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L.W.

answers from San Luis Obispo on

Ugh...I am in the same situation. I have a 4 month little girl who either sleeps all the way thru the night or wakes up just one time and is still in her bassinett. I love having her so close to me but she is starting to outgrow her bassinet. I have been using the excuse that I need to buy a fan for her room to create some white noise before i move her in their...well my husband bought a fan for her room yesterday. I dont think they are too little, it think it is about time she sleeps in her crib. It will be sad to make the move but I'm sure they will sleep just as well. Its sad because its a sign they are growing up :( I say just set a night for the move and go for it. I will be after the weekend since we have some company coming that will have to sleep in her rm. I hope this might have helped. Good Luck.

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B.B.

answers from San Diego on

I just went through this 4 weeks ago and it was hard for me. I really missed having her near us in our room and worried about her being so far away (her room is on the other side of the house.)

My little one had no issues with the transition in falling asleep...but she did seem to have issues staying asleep. She slept exactly like your daughter since 8 weeks on. Then when I moved her to her crib, at first she would go down at 7 and sleeps until midnight. Then she was up every hour or so crying out. If I gave her a paci and her monkey (her sleep lovey) she usually would go right back to sleep.

I became exhausted after being up multiple times a night for 4 weeks! I hear that 4 month old go through sleep regression anyway from teething, and their brains absorbing so much information...so this is normal. But it wasn't easy. A few things helped us.

I put her pack and play in our room and nights where she had a hard time going back down, I would move her to our room in the pack and play. This is also an option instead of her crib if you want her close, but the bassinet is too small.

I started feeding her a midnight snack right before I went to bed at 11. It seems this would fill her up and she didn't even really wake up to take it. Since I have been doing this...she sleeps through the night and wakes up at 6:15.

Good luck. I know it is sad to have your little one grow up so fast...but I think having her in the crib will be better sleep for her and for you in the long run.

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J.D.

answers from Reno on

It is absolutely time to move to a crib. It's hard for the first few nights after a baby leaves your room (I cried myself to sleep when our last went into her own room), but she'll get used to her crib before you know it. Good luck! :)

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N.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

Now is actually a great time before she gets too big for the bassinett and starts waking herself up. I started putting my little girl in her crib for naptimes, and moved her in for night time sleep after maybe a week. Honestly, the transition was harder for me! I missed having her next to me! She was totally fine.

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L.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.,
My son went to the crib at a week old because he hated the bassinet. Maybe keep the bassinet around so you can transition her.

Good luck.

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C.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

I think she will be fine. My daughter is now 10 months and she's been in her crib since she was 1 month old. What you can always do is use the same blankets or sheets in the crib at first just so that the smells and textures are familiar. Her schedule might change at first while she's adjusting but if it does she should go back to normal. Also, what we did is for about a week we would put her in her crib to nap and to play so that she would get used to the room... then we put her in there for the night. She never had a problem after that. Hope this helps!!

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T.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Short answer, No, it is not too soon to move her to a crib. Longer answer, every baby is different even though they come from the same parents. My daughter (was my 1st baby) slept through the night immediately - always wanted her sleep. She slept in the crib from day 1 at home. I breastfed her also. My son's (2nd/3rd babies) were in a bassinet at first but were too big for it within a few weeks - ugh! So we moved to the crib quicky there too! It is more a parental issue than the baby's issue (not to make you feel badly). They need us for such a short time. My babies are not babies anymore - they are amidst teen angst - cherish your time! Good luck & God Bless!

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T.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.,

Don't fret! Depending on how large your bedroom is...just put the crib in your room until your little one is older and you are ready for her to move into her own room.

My son was one that woke every 2 hrs for the first two years. Long story.
But we had him in the bassinet until 7 mos, just like my daughter, and then he slept with us until approx 12 mos for the same reason you had...we needed sleep and having him right there was the easiest way to get it. We then moved the crib in front of our bed and he slept there until approx 18 mos. when we felt he was ready for his own room, we moved him. He came out as a 40 yr old little man...haha....so when we converted his bed to a regular full size sleigh bed (with a gate) he was fine. He didn't crawl out, didn't leave the bed until he called us, etc. I still had to hop over now and then till he was 2....when he then miraculously decided to finally sleep thru the night.

My daughter is very different. She HATES to sleep next to anyone! So she went from bassinet to crib in our room until approx. 10mons...when it was obvious that she was 'annoyed' by all the 'traffic' noises in our room. She would wake from the slightest of noises. So at my urging and my husbands disbelief....I suggested we put her in her own room right away. Up to that point we weren't getting much sleep because she would wake if one of us tossed off a blanket or tossed in our sleep. We moved her crib - and within 48 hrs...she was accustomed to her new room and has slept thru the night - 12 hrs - ever since. She is now 21 months. She LOVES her room! Little miss independent loves going to her bed, loves taking a book to 'read' ...and can be in there for hours talking and chatting with her animals. My son who is now 7.5 yrs old....will STILL ask if he can sleep in our bed cuz he hates being alone!!! He says he sleeps better when he hears my husband snoring! HA

My point is, ALL kids are different. Keep your daughter close because she is still so young. But go by the personality of your child and see as time goes by what works for her as well as you. And do what's comfortable (and safe) for both of you.

God Bless..

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T.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

If she sleeps that good, she will probably be ok. I have a good sleeper too but she never slept in the bassinet or our room. I had a C Sec so I slept in the guest room for 2 weeks which was across from her room so she has been in her crib from day one. Good luck. Does she nap in her crib? If not, you can try that first.

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C.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

We raised our granddaughter, and she slept wonderfully in her bassinett....I tried the crib at 4 months but she was restless so we put her back in the bassinette until she was almost 6 months...and she was a long baby but just loved that closeness...good luck all babies are different...
C.

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H.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

HI C.-

Hearing your story is like hearing my own! I am also the proud mom of a beautiful 2 year old boy and a little baby girl who is 5 months now. I agonized over the same situation with my daughter. What I did was move the bassinet to her own room for naps, so she would get used to her owm room, but still have the comfort of her bassinet. Then when she got used to her room, I put her in her crib for naps, and her bassinet for nighttime sleep. I did this for about a week, and she coped quite well, so I then put her down for nighttime sleep in her cricb, and took the bassinet out. Now she is having all of her sleep in her own room in her crib. It worked like a dream!! Good luck to you. I think if you just slowly transition her, she will be fine. Congrats on your baby girl!!

H.

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J.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

I think you will see that you will get so many different responses to this. But I can say for me as a first time mother, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be when we had to pack up the pack n play in our room and move our son (who is now 3 1/2 months) to his own crib. And we did it when he was only about a month and a 1/2. But what helped us was the first week he was home from the hospital we had him sleep in his crib which he did fine but for feeding purposes and overall comfort for the little guy we had him in the moses basket then the pack n play in our room. But I think the sooner the better. And I resisted the temptation to go in there every five seconds too...I think i went in every ten seconds...joking. But he really loves his space now and being in his crib. So, it's never too early, I think.

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V.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

Your daughter and my daughter have the exact same sleeping schedule...I thought I was the only lucky mother! My daughter who will be 5 months sleeps with me and my poor hubby sleeps in the guest room, lol. My husband and I truely miss sleeping together and I have tried to move her to the crib. First I tried the bassinet but I was shock to learn that she outgrew it fast. When I tried the crib she immediately would wake up within 30 mins, so after three days of trying I gave up. I admit I secretly still enjoy having her with me. I've concluded that I was not in a rush to seperate her from our sleeping habits untill I was ready to "let go". I know that while she enjoys being with me every second of the day she probably wont when she becomes a teen. Hope you get good feedbacks because when I am ready I will definately look up on your responses.

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V.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

If you do not want her to be too far away, you can put her crib in your room. Our boy slept with us so we could get some sleep and our daughter is a charm. She sleeps all night without any issues. She wnats to be in her crib and has been there since she was born. All works great and we sleep well. Good luck!

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K.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I don't think it is too soon. I have a set of 19 month old twin boys. They slept together in a bassinet in my room until they were 4 months old then we moved them into their own crib and own room. My boys have slept through the night since they were 7 weeks old, when we moved them that didn't change.
GOOD LUCK!!

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L.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

My 4 month old little boy is similar to yours.. a good sleeper and has been able to sleep through the night with some dreamfeeds (feeding while sleeping). I was able to move him to his crib without much trouble. The only trouble was.. I had to get up and walk to the crib for the dream feeds. Also, he seemed to feel more secure in the small bassinet, so I would put him in the crib from 8 pm till he woke up.. and maybe because I was lazy.. put him in the bassinet after a feeding. till morning. I would also do the same for naps.. naps in the crib or bassinet.. Then, only in the crib. (I should also add.. we have a great mobile that he loves to look at so the crib is a fun place for him)

Gradually, I would only use the crib. and Yes at 5 am I have to make my way to the crib and feed him, but he sleeps in the crib for most of the night. Its really more trouble for me.. but as you mentioned the bassinet was getting too small. My 4 month old is 17 lbs and 25 inches long.. so the crib works best for him now.
Good luck

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M.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi there,
I moved my daughter into her crib at 3 months. She did great. It was the start of her independence. Hopefully your daughters sleep habits will continue into her crib.
Good luck!

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C.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

Move her ASAP. You could have started her in the crib. The Bassinet is really just a convenience for you. Will she have her own room or will your toddler wake her in the night? I assume your 2 year old is done with the crib? Really it is a bigger issue of when to stop using the crib.

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S.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.-I have a daughter who is a great sleeer like your daughter and we had her sleeping in her crib at night by around 4 months. They look so small in that big crib but Emma continues to be a great sleeper for naps and at night. I think a part of that is she got used to her crib at an early age. My husband cried the night we finally did move her into her own room but it got easier and we're reaping the benefits of it now. Take care!

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D.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.,
I had my little girl first who slept very well....similar to yours. Then my little boy came along 15 months later and didn't sleep well at all until 8 months. Some nights I lost count with how many times I was up with him! Anyways, to answer your question, I put my little girl in her crib in her own room at 3 months. I hated to have her leave my bedside in her bassinet too however, she ended up sleeping even better in her own room, as did I. I don't know if you get up in the night with your little boy much any more, but if you do, because of bad dreams or having to go pee or whatever, moving your baby into her own room may benefit you in this case too. I still get up with both of mine....my little girl is turning 4 in one week and she gets up every once in awhile to go pee and likes me to help her....she also has nightmares periodically. THey've completely role reversed; he sleeps incredibly well and she's the one that requires all the night time attention!

Good luck! You always hate to see them grow up so fast!!

D.

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M.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

We moved my son to a crib when he was three months old. Honestly, I though most of them had weight guidance on them that really only recommended they be in a bassinette until about three months...

Good luck!
-M

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M.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

She is not too young. Just make sure there is nothing in the crib with her. I put my little girl in her crib at 4 1/2 months. She's doing great, she sleeps even better in her crib. I put her in her sleep sack, that she loves. I also have nature sounds that I leave on for her in her room and that seems to comfort her, when she wakes up, she just goes back to sleep. It'll be weird at first but you'll get used to it. Keep the monitor near you and you can sneak in and spy on her when you want. My husband and I have a video camera that has night vision on it so we use that night vision to spy on her whenever we want to check on her without turning on the light. It works great!! Good luck.

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M.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

Move the crib into your bedroom. Take one side off and push it up against the bed. It's called "sidecar". Then she is in her crib but you can easily keep an eye on her. She will feel safer too. Babies are MEANT to sleep with Mommy!

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I.T.

answers from Bakersfield on

Hi C.,

No, I do not believe your little one is too young to be in her crib, but I understand your anxiety. Since she does sleep for long periods, she would be safer in her own bed. What I would do if I were in your shoes is use a "PacknPlay" portable playpen so I can keep her nearer to me. Some come with a Bassinette attachment, and they're roomy so any baby regardlless of size will fit in it until he/she begins to pull him/herself up. I've now removed the bassinnette attachment but continue to use the playpen as her bed. Since she has to nurse every 3 to 4 hours, she ends up in bed with me, but she starts out in hers. Your baby would only be able to use the bassinnette attachment for another 3 or 4 months tops so you might want to go for a less expensive model w/o the attachment. This is an item that you definitely can use until your baby is about 3 whether it's in the home or out and about at the park or at family get togethers so it would definitely be worth your money.

PS

I recently read Dr. Sears' take on co-sleeping and it seems that your baby would probably get more restful sleep if she's nearer to you- even if not in your bed. You might find it interesting. http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T071000.asp

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B.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son is now almost 20 months old. He slept through the night at about three months. He would wake up at 5am, take a bottle, and go right back to sleep until 8am! I had a VERY hard time switching him into his own room in his own crib. My husband and I just felt MUCH more comfortable knowing he was right next to us. So we set up the pack n play for him to sleep in our room. He was comforted knowing he was with us and our problem was we couldn't let go until about three months ago! He had totally outgrown the pack n play. So we switched him into his room into his crib and the first night, he cried for about 45 minutes. I kept the TV on in his room to keep him company, and after the first night of crying, he goes straight to sleep, no problems! He stopped waking up at 5am and sleeps straight through from 8:15pm to 9:00am if i let him sleep that long. He is much more comfortable is my point. Knowing how comfortable he is, comforts my husband and I knowing it was the right time. The hardest thing we have had to do as parents so far...pitiful, right?

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H.A.

answers from Santa Barbara on

Probably lots of people would disagree with me, but different things work for different people. I moved my daughter to her crib when she was three weeks old. She seems to love it, her own bed. She's six months old now and has never had a problem being in her crib, in fact, she sleeps very, very well there. I think if they are good sleepers, you have the luxury of being able to move them to the crib earlier which makes it easier on everyone than doing it later. I started by putting her in her crib for her naps. I think it's good for all of us to have our own space, including the baby. I don't think it's too early for her, but it might be too early for you. You have to do what's right for the both of you, you will know when the time is right (for me it was at three weeks! I am happy that she is not in our room and that I can have a few minutes alone with my hubby.)

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S.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

I moved both my kids from the bassinet in my room to the crib in their own room when they were 2 months old. The bassinet only served to make nighttime feedings more convenient, but I was lucky that both my kids slept through the night at 6 weeks old. There were no issues with doing this. I just kept a monitor on in the room to make sure I didn't miss anything.

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E.N.

answers from San Diego on

I think you just have to do what you are comfortable with. She will be fine if you move her into a crib out of your room, but if you're not ready for that, see if the crib will fit in your room. With my first baby, he slept in a cradle next to us until he was four weeks, then we moved him to his crib in his room. When it came to the day we had decided to move him, I felt terribly anxious and wanted to change my mind. But my husband was insistent, so we did, and it worked out great. I even slept a lot better because I didn't wake with every little noise and grunt. With my second, I had him in his own room from the night he was born, and he was just fine, too. But you have to decide what you are comfortable with and do that, we're all so different.
Just a note about her nighttime feeding routine - you didn't ask, so just ignore this if you want to - but someone gave me this advice and it worked great with my two babies, so I always love to pass it on. If she is going to bed at 8, and I'm guessing you probably go to bed a little later, you could wake her and feed her before going to bed, then she may sleep all the way through to 7:30 and you could sleep all night without an interruption. She's sleeping a 9 hour stretch already so you may be able to make that happen at the same time you like to sleep. I was always nervous to change anything that was working well with my babies, so I would totally understand if you just want to stick to your current routine, but I thought I would throw it out there so you could consider it. Again, just ignore this if you don't want the suggestion!

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M.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.! My daughter is 9 months old now and has slept well at night since the beginning like yours. I had planned on keeping her in our room for a while, but ended up moving her to her crib in her own room I think when she was about 3 or 4 months old and it was great. I had been waking up for any little noise she made in her sleep and I was worried about making any noise and waking her up so the move to her crib meant we all slept better.

I don't know if this helps, but I felt like it was a good move for us. Good luck in your decision!
M.

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P.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

My little girl is 7 months now and I moved her to her crib at 2 weeks old. I did this for a couple of reasons, the biggest being that I wanted her to get used to sleeping in her crib sooner than later. The transition at that point was seamless, and I noticed that I ended up sleeping a little bit better too - I didn't wake up with every deep breath that she took! It was a great thing for me and her and I'm so glad I did it at that time.

See...4 months isn't too early! Hope this helps! By the way, you are so lucky that she sleeps from 8-5...!!!!

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A.Z.

answers from Los Angeles on

awesome that your baby sleeps so well. mine has the same sleep issues as your first one (though she was up every 1.5-2), and I will just say that she didn't start doing that until 4 months. I believe that if you move her to the crib, your chances of her remaining a good sleeper are better. (My nephew also slept great until about 10 months and then started waking every 2 hours - THEN they had to move him out of their room)... in other words, I know it's hard, but remember how hard it was with your boy! I say cash in on the good little sleeper and get her in that crib before anything changes! :-)

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H.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Mine slept in a mini co-sleeper next to me and when she could sit up (and potentially fall out) I put her in her crib but I moved the crib from her room into mine so she could continue to sleep next to me but on her own. Since she's doing so well why not keep doing what's working just change out the bassinet for a crib? For us we finally moved her crib into her room at 9 months, she seemed totally happy then, if she hadn't been I would have moved the crib back into our room but it worked out at that time. I liked having her in my room before she moved into hers and had no problems with it since she's still a baby and babies like to hear and feel their family.

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S.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.,

I put both of my girls in a crib at 3 months. I found it easier to do it earlier than later because they get used to it quick. My girls did awesome. Hope your little girl does too. Good luck!

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M.B.

answers from Reno on

I have a 12 year old whose bassinet and then crib was in our room until he was three. We moved him out of the bassinet at about 3 months old. I had no transition problems with him at any of the stages. Part of why I kept him in our room was necessity for space at first but I felt better having him near if he needed me. He was also bottle fed so that wasn't an issue. (wanted to bf but had issues- he's almost 13, very well adjusted, gets great grades/GT program and a great kid. Being in our room didn't hurt any of us.)
My daughter was in her bassinet until about 3 months also. When she got too big for it, I moved her into her crib but kept her in our room, this time because I'm ebf (she's 20 months now and still going well) and again because I felt better having her near. I know that until they're at least 6 months, some nighttime feedings may still be necessary-during teething, mild illness- and it's helpful to have them near.
Her crib is still in our room and because she's starting to climb out of things (not completely yet but soon) we recently put her crib in the corner with two walls flanking it and our bed on the other side so if she goes over, she'll land on me. It's also helpful to get an extra hour or so of sleep in the morning bf.
She has her own room and a toddler bed when we're ready to move her over but she's fine now in her crib. I guess this a mixture of AP and modern parenting. (not co-sleeping but still in our room)
So maybe you could put up the crib but keep her in the room for now?
Trust your mommy instincts. If you're not feeling right about it, then there's a reason for it.

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G.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

I think we started putting our daughter in the crib at about 5 months old. We had her in the basinette from about 3 months old and before that she slept with me. I think she would wake up about once during the night, want to be held and then I would put her back. She's 1 1/2 years old now, but it's already hard to remember.

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H.B.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C.! I understand your dilemma completely as I have just recently gone through the same transistion from bassinet to crib with my 3 month old baby girl. I was very relunctant to give up the bassinet alongside our bed (after all, that was all i knew since her birth!) but at 3 months old she was outgrowing it and I was so used to waking up every 2 hours to check on her that i was tired all the time. My husband and I went on a 3 day trip to Palm Springs and when we returned we decided then to put her in her big crib as she had spent the last 2 nights in a hotel crib without any hiccups and she loves it! She will sleep through the night from 8 - 6 am (on a good night) and I don't miss the bassinet at all! It will feel weird at first to 'let go' but it'll work out for the best you'll see.
Do you happen to live in North County??
H.

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T.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.:

I would move her to her crib in her own room. In our house the master bedroom is upstairs and the kids rooms are downstairs so I was really nervous about being that far apart. With my first, I kept her in our room, moved her crib upstairs - big mistake - she was in our room until she was three. I swore I wouldn't do that with my second!!!. He was in my room until he was about 4 months and then I moved him downstairs. I have a great monitor and I can hear every move he makes and he sleeps great in his own crib. He just turned three and we have had no problems with him being downstairs. Good Luck!

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

I had my son in a moses basket, until he outgrew it at 3 months old... then we put him in the crib, which was in our bedroom.

My son transitioned fine. I know there are all of the "what if's" and "will he be fine" kind of thoughts. But, eventually, you will need to put him in the crib....or co-sleep with him as you did you firstborn. So no matter what, it will be a change for him and you/Hubby.

Just do it and try. But keep in mind, there will be a transitioning for the baby....because it is a different "routine." Consistency and routine are key, in getting them used to another habit.

Co-sleeping seems to be the only "way" that a baby does not protest with. But, it is not always practical or eventually, they will sooner or later need to be moved to a toddler bed as well. So, it's just a change either way.

4 months old is not too young to be placed in a crib.
But keep in mind, if she is not used to it, she may need time to adjust. She has such a great sleep habit now...I know the ambivalence in changing that. But, well, she is grown out of the bassinet...so it can't be avoided in moving her to another sleep setting.

Just DO keep up her SAME sleep times, and sleep routine. Keep everything the same....except now, she will be in the crib.

Perhaps, if she has a hard time adjusting, (since the bassinet is closer quarters and more snuggly), place her in the crib on one end of the crib, versus in the center of the crib....so that it is more "enclosed." That is what my Pediatrician suggested when we had my daughter.

Good luck, and all the best,
~Susan

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T.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

if you don't want to move her out if the room, you could set up the crib next to your bed, with the side down so it is an extension of your bed. That may help transition her, and not move her so far away from you.

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L.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have three little ones, once my kids turned 3 months I put them into their cribs. The bassinet says 3 months or X pounds which ever comes first. I did not want my kids to get dependent on sleeping with my husband and I...so they were put in the crib along with a monitor in their room. My boys are 33 months and 23 months and I have put them in twin beds both were in twin beds at the age of 13 months...but I have the monitor in their room along with rails on their beds. But would I really consider putting her in her crib...nothing wrong with that. Good Luck.

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N.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

The sooner you put her in the crib the better. We had trouble with our first born sleeping with us. Then we had triplets and they all went into cribs from the start and life is so much easier when you start good habits early. N.

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T.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi Cristina
1st of all congratulations on having such a wonderful sleeper! My son is 9 months and still wakes up 2-3 times a night

As far as your question I don't think 4 months is too young. I actually co slept with my son until he was 6 months and put him in crib at this time. I probably should have done it earlier . My sister put her daughter in the crib at 3 months and she had no problems. So I don't think there is a right or wrong time - it is all up to parent's judgement

With my son what I did was start putting him in his crib for naps during the day so he could used to it. I also put him in his crib with some toys for 15-20 minutes a day a couple of days before I put him in crib so he could see that the crib was not a punishment. He seemed to adjust just fine - I just took baby steps in getting him used to the crib

Good luck!

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M.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

C.,
This should make you feel better. My 3 week old is already in his own crib and we're all sleeping much better. I also had both my other boys in their crib by ten weeks tops. It allowed me to set the "tone" for bed and nursing times. I was able to leave a night light on and play some soothing music and change diaper all withoug worrying if I was disturbing my husband. We were all more relaxed. Good luck.

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L.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.,

I am a mom of 2 little ones. A 3 and 1/2 year old and a 21 month old. In my experience, the first one slept in the bassinet until 4 months and we moved her and all was great. She actually slept better I think because there was less going on in her own room.
The second one went into the crib at about 2 months and I had the same experience. Both were decent sleepers, but were better off in their own room.
Hope this helps. I know it's a hard transition, but everyone will be fine.
Leigh :)

btw- I nursed both after the move.

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M.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

is there room where the bassinet is to put a pack-n-play or similar travel crib? that's what we're planning to do when our 3 month old gets too big for her bassinet. we have a 5 yr old daughter who's in her own room and a 2 yr old son who is in his room, still in a crib. neither of their bedrooms has enough space for another crib so we're going to put the new baby in a pack-n-play in our bedroom until we can figure out how to arrange the sleeping situation.

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K.D.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C.,

I wouldn't worry at all, you'll actually get MUCH better sleep once the baby is away from you. With both of my kids, I never used a bassinett (we live in a small townhouse) both kids went straight to a crib from day 1. This makes it nice because they get used to their crib and you don't have to transition them to it. Of course I still had the monitor blasting though. Anyways, move her now during nap times and then in a couple of days move her at night. Everything will be fine! (if you're worried about SIDS, just remember that the S stands for SILENT so even if she's right next to you, you won't hear anything happening). Good luck

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A.Q.

answers from Honolulu on

I don't think its too early at all. I had to move my little one to her crib at 3 months because she was getting cramped in the bassinett and she was fine. It was my husband and I who missed having her in the same room, she was just fine lol! I have an awesome monitor by Summer infant and it has a night vision camera so I can watch her sleep and when she makes noises I can tell if she is awake or just tossing arround. Good luck!

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D.M.

answers from Lawrence on

hello C., I have a 2 year old son and he started sleeping in a crib at around 3 months old. He did great and we had no problems. I was also a lucky one cause my son started sleeping through the night at 3 months old! My son didn't have any problems sleeping in a crib that early. Just do what you feel comfortable with. I hope this helps! Take care and God Bless!

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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi there,

My son was out of a bassinet at 2 months . . . I was nursing full time and the little booger never took a bottle, so I too was not excited about moving him to his room. So, we instead set up a pack and play at the foot of our bed. That worked wonderfully. When he started sleeping a bit longer, we moved him across the room, and then when he was six months old, we moved him to his room. It was a nice transition, although I must say that I was the one having anxiety, not him. Lol.

Good luck!!

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K.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Please do not be worried about moving her. In fact, my doctor recommended our son leave the bassinet by 8 weeks because it is better for them to be on a stable and secure surface...something about their center of gravity...
Also, it is better to move her before she really understands that you are there or it is just going to get harder and harder. Our son and us also slept SOO much better in separate rooms! Good Luck. Oh yeah, we also got the Q-See video monitor which is great and worth the investment. It really works and you can see everything!

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D.M.

answers from San Diego on

Yes, move her to a crib right away, the sooner the better. Mine was in a crib at about 1 month. It may disrupt her schedule at first, but I'm sure she'll go back to her schedule. She can't stay in the bassinet forever!

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L.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

It isn't too early if she is sleeping well on her own. I think when they are younger (4 months instead of 11 months) they adjust to changes faster. We put our daughter in the crib (per pediatrician's recommendation) at 3 months, but I was a reck and checking on her every hour. She did great, but I didn't so I started bringing her in bed with us when she woke up and we still do that at 15 months (but now she doesn't wake up until 6am, so we just get a little cuddle time). Good luck, she'll be fine!

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B.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

No it's not too early to move her. You both will be just fine. The wonders of baby monitors!! You will still be able to hear her breath when she sleeps, and if you have the right one you will be able to see her too. :O)
Take care
B.

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P.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

I understand your concerns however, she will do just fine in her crib. I had to put my little girl in her crib early as she out grew the bassinet very quickly. Now my little girl will be 15 years old next week and she is as tall as me and still growing. It will not be long and your daugther will have grown up too. Keep up the good work you are doing just great.

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P.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

C.,
It's hard to see a tiny precious baby in such a big crib, but it is not too early. Once our son was sleeping thru the night we put him in his crib - and that was at 6 weeks old!! It is so bizarre seeing such a big bed for such a tiny bundle, but he loved having the space.
I hope that helps.
P.

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S.S.

answers from Reno on

Hi C.,
My experience is that it's never too early to move from the bassinet to the crib. I moved my son at 4 days old. He was such a wiggly baby, that I couldn't get any sleep. He talks in his sleep and even then made noises in his sleep at 4 days old. I just got a good monitor to listen when he did get up. Talk to your doctor about the transition, but I found that the monitors put me at ease and I could get some sleep! My son will be 3 this weekend and no worse for the early change.
Good luck!

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M.J.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have a 3 month old daughter who sleeps 8-9 hours every night in a bedside bassinet. It kills me to move her to her crib, but I have been told that 3 months is a good time to do it. I guess as long as I have a monitor it will be fine, but emotionally it's pretty difficult. I will probably move her to her crib in July. :-( Good luck and don't worry...

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T.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

Congrats on your great sleeper!! It's definitely not too early to move her to a crib. To make the transition easier for her, try to use all the same things in her crib that you have in the bassinet (sheet, lovey, etc.) - that way it will feel pretty much the same to her. I'm sure you already know this, but be sure not to put any pillows, stuffed animals or bumpers in the crib because they are suffocation hazards.

Good luck!

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S.W.

answers from Los Angeles on

Christine,

Yeah for the sleeping through the night!! I have had the same great luck! Hopefully baby girl #3 coming in August will be the same :)

Both our girls stayed in their bassinets (mini crib really) for 4-6 weeks in our room and then off to their cribs/rooms they went. At 4 months old I would say she is definatly ready for the crib.

All the best!
S.

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