Sleeping in Crib

I HIGHLY recommend the Angelcare! Have you tried many different places so that the static has a chance to disappear? I hope that you can find a place because that monitor (and the piece of mind it offers) is the ONLYL reason I have been able to sleep soundly (sort of, ha ha) while my kids are in their cribs. And boy does that alarm go off if necessary! I recommend it to anyone! hope that static can disappear.... good luck!

he is only 4 months old. Maybe you both need more snuggle time. There is nothing wrong with co-sleeping or having him sleep in a bed next to you.

I understand that you feel so lucky to have him after so much effort. You want to do everything right, and tend to go "by the book". There is no book that takes the place of instinct. Keep him next to you until you are comfortable. Mine was in my bed till he was three. Then he went on his own, knowing he can always climb in with us if he gets scared or cant sleep. There are monitors that are noise activated and quite until he cries. Dont worry, you WILL wake up when he cries.

K.:

I, too, was nervous about putting our daughter in her own crib, so she ended up sleeping in her bassinet in our room for somewhere between 4-5 months (I can't recall her exact age, but it was longer than I had planned). Really, it's like pulling a Band-Aid off - you just have to do it. Some things that helped me -

(1) Remove everything from the crib (e.g. that beautiful bumper, as well as any stuffed animals, blankets, pillows) to alleviate any worries concerning SIDS. You can replace the bumper with a breathable one if you haven't already done so (www.breathablebaby.com). A special note about blankets - when my daughter was in her bassinet, I used very light blankets (tucked snuggly under the pad), but I switched to a wearable sleepsack when she moved to the crib (www.halosleep.com). She's now 16 mos. and still using them - boy, did I sleep better once we started using those.

(2) Put a nightlight in the room (I've read several places that it's better for a baby/child not sleep in total darkness).

(3) Get another monitor (the one you have may just be having frequency issues - I find that different monitors work in different house) and, after you have adjusted to him being in another room (may take months), bring the volume down. I found it difficult to sleep when I heard every move our daughter made (of course, my husband had NO trouble sleeping whatsoever), but easier to bring the volume down as she got older.

(4) To help in the adjustment, I had my daughter sleep in her bassinet in another room first, then moved her to the crib (I don't know, I just felt that if she woke up at night, she would at least be familiar with the surroundings).

Lastly, I found a something called a Sound Soother at Sharper Image that I love. We have it on low when she sleeps and it’s been a gem (it helps get her to sleep and keep her asleep).

Hope this helps. My husband and I believe strongly that I child should sleep in their own room, but it was difficult for me to make the adjustment. Notice I said difficult for me - I think children handle it just fine. In fact, in my experience, it only becomes an issue if they've gotten too used to sleeping with parents for too long.

Best,
L.

Hi K.,

I am a first time mom of a 6 month old girl. I am breastfeeding and I thought I would keep my daughter in a co-sleeper at least until 3 or 4 months old. When my daughter was 6 weeks old she started squirming around a lot in the co-sleeper and I felt like she needed more room. I put her in her crib and she has been sleeping there ever since. Like you, I was so scared and I thought she would stop breathing; of course she didn't! I use the Summer video monitor. It is pricy at $189.99, but it has given me so much piece of mind! In addition, I use a very dim night light. She is such a good sleeper and I feel that she has grown more independent having her own space. The first few weeks might be hard, (I slept with the monitor on my pillow!), but now I am so glad I did it. Good luck, and always remember to do what feels right for you and your baby! :)

Hi K.,
If your're not ready, don't worry. He will adjust when it's time. I said I was going to put my now 8 month old daughter in her own room at 6 months, but I couldn't do it until almost 7 months. We use the Safety 1st video monitor which works really great. I keep the video monitor next to my bed at night and can see and hear her. The first few nights I went in and checked on her throughout the night, but she was always fine. Just stick to a bedtime routine, ours is a bottle, bath, book and then bed, and he will be fine. I also turn on a cd of baby lullabys everytime I lay her down and she knows as soon as she hears the music it's time for bed. She usually starts rubbing her face on my shoulder when she hears it. Try not to worry to much, but it is normal to have a little anxiety. Goodluck!

Hi K..

I know what you are going through since I too am going through the same thing. My son Wyatt is two months and I am having a hard time keeping him in his crib the whole night. I realized that if my son didn't sleep in his crib, that my husband was getting jealous and making rude remarks about our son being in our room until he was a teenager, so I finally listened and put him in there and he is doing really well. I also have major insecurities about some thing happening, but all I could do was to make sure that I did not put those onto my son at an early age, he shouldn't have to feel those because they are not his. Advice to you is listen to the things your husband may or may not be saying, because he too may feel jealous and he may be reaching out for your attention, but it is hard for him to get it because your son is in your room. As far as the insecurities they are always there I think and it is important that our sons do not get them from us at such an early age. I hope some of this helps.
L. and Wyatt

Can't really relate to some of this re fertility issues, but you seem to know what your fears are. Can you gradually do this, like start your baby in the crib and maybe move him when you go to bed, slowly decreasing that time. Or does he get up at night, you could do half in your bassinet half in the crib? Some people really like to have their kids with them, I think you need to decide in terms of sleep etc what your feelings are etc. I dont' know if this was helpful, but hopefully it helps you sort it out. Good luck

Summer's Video Monitor. It really helped me put our son in another room, when at the push of a button, I could see our son, turn up the volume and hear he was still breathing. No static. I think he was about 3 months when I put him in his own room. I honestly don't remember, but it was whenever he started to unswaddle, move more and it was obvious the bassinet just wasn't going to hold him any longer.

oh K.,
congratulations on your precious gift in jack! 4 months is still a tender age and there is nothing to feel guilty about sleeping him in a bassinet next to your bed. we had both of our boys in a co-sleeper next to our bed for 6 months before transitioning them to cribs. by 6 months the worry for SIDS is almost nil (assuming you're a non-smoking, non-drinking household and little jack has solid head control) so there is less worry too.

with our first, i was VERY worried about his transition from the cozy co-sleeper into the huge crib. i slept in his room the first couple nights so i could monitor him myself and comfort if he was antsy about it, etc.

what did i find? HE DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE HE WAS ANYWHERE DIFFERENT! he slept the same as ever, waking twice for feedings and going right back to sleep. i think if we'd waited much longer than 6 months his awareness would have been higher. looking back, i'd say it's more important to establish a simple sleep routine (including bath and a final feeding, and maybe even infant massage if you're up to it) and if little jack is soothed and expecting to go to sleep (due to consistent routine), he'll be more than happy to sleep in his comfy crib.

for baby monitor, we use a simple one from graco (around $40 at target). sometimes it's staticky, but if we spend enough time moving it around we'll usually find a sweet spot somewhere in the room where it won't make static anymore.

i too had fertility issues and am now a mommy to 2 year old twins. they slept in a crib in our room until they were about 5 months. i was scared too!!! i finally put them in their own room at 5 months. i would lay them down and then cling to the baby monitor. i still check on them every night before i go to bed! we are actually trying to get pregnant again! yeah!

Hi K.. I feel your pain. The first night my daughter slept in her own room, I cried. We tried for three years and endured 2 miscarriages before our little one was born. But around 4 months we realized that she we had started waking her up in the night (husband snoring)rather than her waking us up. It was time to move to her own crib. It was so hard! I checked on her 5 times the first night, and less the second. It has been 6 months and I still miss her sleeping next to me in the bassinet. But I also enjoy having my bedroom back, and she is sleeping so much sounder than before that I know it is better for her also. She is such a light sleeper and she is better rested now that she has her own bed. I guess I don't have any great advice, just that it gets better. Do what is right for you.

I had trouble too but the monitor was a blessing (especially because their room was all the way across the house). I didn't sleep well with the static noise either (try a different channel to get the best results) so I would put the monitor in my bathroom and leave the door open. That way I could not hear the static of the monitor, but it was still close enough to hear anything if they cried (especially since any noise would echo off the tiles/walls of the bathroom). Both of my children went to their cribs by 5-6 months, depending on how big they are and whether or not the bassinet had anymore room! Don't feel bad, my kids are 4 and 6 and I still worry about everything! Good luck!

Hi K.!

Your baby is still very young. My 3rd child slept in the room with us until she was a year, and the transition to her own crib went GREAT! Like your baby, she slept in her crib for naps.

I went through the same dilema with my first baby, also a boy. Everyone told me he should be in the crib otherwise I would be "stuck" dealing with him wanting to sleep with me forever. If I had to do it over, I would have gone with my gut and let him sleep in my room. The truth is, it's not forever. They are young for a very short time in the grand scheme of things, and they want to be independent from their parents sooner than we may want! Allow yourself to revel in the joy of your beautiful baby, regardless of what others might think or say. You will be giving him a strong, loving foundation from which to flourish and thrive.

Best wishes and sweet dreams!
H.

it is perfectly find to have your baby in your room with you. 4 months old is still very young and if it helps you sleep at night knowing he's there next to you, then go right ahead. All 4 of my children slept in my bed till they were 2yrs. old. Then slept in their own beds next to my bed for another 6mos. They had no trouble when it was time to go their own rooms.

Hi,Kim. You could start out by moving his crib into your room, next to your bed, then gradually move it farther away.... I also have some high-tech accessories that made the transition easier. I have the Halo air-flow mattress, so I knew that even if she flipped on her tummy, that she would not be re-breathing carbon dioxide since the mattress is blowing fresh air up all the time. The real lifesaver, though, was my handheld, portable video baby monitor. I have the Summer infant day and night handheld video baby monitor, and I love it. There's nothing like being able to see your baby on video to set your mind at ease. I transitioned my little one to her crib at about 4-5 months. I started out just putting her down in the crib when putting her to bed initially, but bringing her back to the co-sleeper after her first night feeding. Good luck!

Hi K.,

First of all, you should always do what you feel best for you and your baby...no matter what anyone tells you.

With my first son, we had to move him into a crib in his own room early (about 1.5 months) because my husband has to wake up early to go to work and is a VERY light sleeper. He wasn't getting any sleep with the baby in our room and it caused a lot of trouble for us. I kept the baby monitor right next to my head, so I could hear any noise from my son (which still caused my husband to wake up, just not so much). It still was so hard for me with all the 'new mom worries'. I woke up all the time and went into his room to check on him. Just make sure he is warm (try using a sleep sac instead of a blanket if you worry about him getting tangled) so he will get a good nights sleep.

All I can tell you for sure is that it will get easier over time. My son is now 2 and is sleeping in his own room on a twin bed. He loves the independence of getting in and out of his own bed when he's ready. Also, when it was time to move our second son into the crib, it was no problem at all!

Good luck.

i have a 6 months old and it was hard for me to put my baby girl in her crib too. but i did it when she was 3 months old because my doc told me that if i waited any longer she is going to start to understand things and it will be hard to get her out of our room. so i hooked up the video baby monitor and faced the camera right on her so i could watch and hear her all night. the video monitor is great and it helped because anytime i woke up i just looked at the monitor and saw that she was just fine. i also turned it up just loud enough to hear her breath because i was really worried about SIDS. at the end i was the one who couldn't sleep the first night, my baby girl slept like an angel all night long!! :)
so if i were you i would invest in a video baby monitor... it is the best thing to ease the transition for PARENTS... :)

Hi K.! I'm a stay at home mom with a 4 and 5 yr old. I had a hard time putting my kids in cribs too, and found myself up and checking on them a lot during the night. So that I could feel better and get some sleep, my husband and I decided to let them sleep with us until the were old enough for big beds. It was a wonderful experience and my children adjusted very well when we switched them to their own beds. I think keeping your baby the bassinet in your room in a great way to be close to him and help you to feel comfortable. Good Luck!!!
And can I just say I haven't had a good nights sleep in 6 years. :) I hope it works out for you!

Be assured, there are no rules about when baby should go into his own crib. I have known Mom's who have their babies with them until age 5 or more. They grow so fast. Soon enough he won't "want" you anymore. Cherish this time with him!!!! One thing, though. Basinets are usually only meant for babies up to 15 pounds or 3-4 months(when thay start rolling over, etc). So maybe you might consider a port-a-crib in your room if you're not comfortable with co-sleeping. There are also co-sleeping cots that attach to your bed. Whatever you decide, make it your decision. Don't let anyone feel bad about having your baby with you. Good luck.

K., Regardless of your history or your insecurities, NO one can tell you when it is time for you to have your baby sleep in another room. I have friends who slept with their children "in bed" with them until they were over two years old and they are very independant healthy adjusted kids. You are your baby's parent and you will know when you have peace and it is time to allow your child to sleep in another room. My first I felt fine in her nursery across the hall at two months old. My second slept with me until she was almost a year. It was just a sense and they were different babies. My first would wake up and cry loud when she needed me and was very comfortable and peaceful in her bed. My second was a cuddle bug, seemed more needy of close contact at night and would only wimper when she woke, so I kept her between my husband and I until she was nearly 12 months. Yes, it does put a crimp in your marriage but night time is not the only time for intimacy! ~smile~ D.W.
BTW ~ These girls are awesome young women, one married one engaged, now 20 nd 22 both happy women! I love them both!

K.,

I don't have any advice for you except for you should do what feels comfortable to you. After enduring many fertility issues/procedures, I conceived and was able to stay pregnant. My two-year-old "miracle" daughter still sleeps in my bed with me. I have been asking her lately about how she feels about having her own bed, showing her pictures of big girls with their beds, etc. to begin a transition because now she is at an age where she kicks and is all over the bed at night. I have never apologized to any pediatrician about having her sleep with me -- sometimes, nightime/storytime is the only quality time I get to spend with her because I teach during the day. And, after all, there will come a time when she will want to hide in her room with the door closed. So enjoy your child! Parenting doesn't stop at night -- they need you then, too. Good luck and trust your instincts; they won't mislead you.

Dear K.,

When we first put my daughter who is now 6 in her own crib in her own room to sleep it was very overwelming for me. We had also had a scare because she learned to flip herself over the second night we had her in it. I didn't here her cry at first but then thankfully the Mom's gut feeling kicked in. But after this little fright we ended up moving her and her crib into our room right next to us for a few months until we felt more comfortable with her being able to roll completely around.
We used the Evenflow monitors and they worked really well without picking up outside interference and gave the option of volume control and remote capabilities.
I would tell you to go with your gut.
If you go with the option we went with by putting the crib next to your bed, try each week to move it a little further away from you until your able to put him in his room without worry.
Good luck!

You could keep the crib in your bedroom, or closer to where you sleep. We keep our 18-month old's crib in our bedroom and take him in the bed with us when he wakes up and won't go back to sleep (or cries for more than 15 minutes or so). If you don't want to do that or can't, you could sleep in his room for the first few nights to reassure yourself that he's fine.

Hi K.,

I'm a gizmo nut. So of course I rigged up Infrared ( aka Night Vision ) cameras in both of our boys rooms and connected them to our TV. That way instead of opening the door and 'disturbing' them, we can check on them any time just by hitting the "Video 2" or "Video 3" options. GREAT to watch and see if they are just adjusting during sleep or ready to get up from a nap. The camera's also have microphones in them so we can listen in.

All that for 80 bucks at Fry's Electronics. Here's a link to hardware like ours: http://shop1.outpost.com/product/3890507?site=sr:SEARCH:M...

I also rigged up a 'white noise' software program to play soft rain and crickets in their rooms while they sleep. Now when they hear the "night night music", they know it's bedtime and it helps them mellow out.

All in all, the boys had very little issue sleeping in their cribs, it was mostly about giving mommy and daddy the security that they'll be ok. The cams and mics gave both my wife and I a lot of 'confidence' in letting our little ones sleep in their cribs. Not to mention some much needed 'adult' time without the kids co-sleeping. My wife has many mom-friends that concentrate so h*** o* their kids they forget their marriage. She was determined not to fall in to that pattern and wanted to make sure they were ok sleeping in their own cribs.

Hope that helps out.

I had issues leaving my first born alone in her crib too. I have the angel care monitor also. I turned the volume way down so I could only hear her if she was awake and ready to eat, the motion sensor is so high pitched you can hear it from anywhere in the house without the monitor. I moved her out of my room around 6 months because she made too much noise during the night for me to sleep! I have heard there are monitors where you can see the baby sleeping, they might be pricey, but worth it if it makes you feel better.

Is there a way to rearrange your room (temporarily) so the crib can fit? perhaps if jack spends some time in his crib while in your room, you can both get used to it with less anxiety. then you can move him when you see he sleeps fine in his crib. my 3yr old's room shares a wall with our bedroom and i still have a monitor on! i have always be worried about her needing me in the night and me not hearing her fast enough...i am getting ready to move my 5 month old into a crib because she will soon be too tall for the bassinete. i intend to have her share a room with her sister. just this morning i was wondering about keeping her in our room longer but i would need a smaller dresser for a crib to fit.

Hi Kimberley,

I would wonder why you want to put your baby in the crib at night if it is bothering you so much. There is a very funny and insightful teacher in our community who helps new parents with the trials of parenthood. She always says not to worry about what you think you are "supposed to do." If something is working for you, don't change it. If having your baby in the room with you works for your family right now, then what's the rush? Eventually, you will feel more comfortable with moving him, but for now it is probably less stressful for you to leave him in your room.

I did not move my son to his own room until he was at least 6 months, and even then, I still brought him back into our room sometimes. He didn't sleep exclusivley in his own room until he was 13 months old. Now, he is 2 1/2 and he is an amazing sleeper. He sleeps from 8:00 until 7:30 and normally takes a 2 1/2 hour nap, sometimes 3 hours. He loves his own bed and will also sleep in a pack-n-play if we are out of town or when he is at his grandparents house.

Anyway, I say listen to your heart, mommy hearts always can be trusted to know the right thing to do!

My doctor reccommends that babies sleep in your room until at least 6 months. It is supposed to reduce the risk of SIDS.

I am on my third baby and it hasn't gotten any easier to put them to sleep in another room. Hudson is our first boy! He is 5 months old. I am a strong advocate for kids sleeping on thier own and being independent...but when they are little and need you it's so important for thier independence later that we be there for them now. If you are not comfortable with putting him in another room now then keep him close by. A lot of people don't have strong mothering insticts or choose to ignore them but these are your instincts. Go with what feels natural. That is what I have always done and people have often told me how comfortable my children are. They are secure and trusting. Nurture that precious gift from God, that is what we are called to do! I love his name, that was one of our choices for Hudson.

I have 5 children of my own and have raised many more as a foster mom. They all went to bed in the crib while I was awake. When I got up to nurse at night I always fell asleep and they stayed in my bed till morning. Everyone told me that was not good and I tried to stay awake but never could.
They are all happy healthy adults with kids of their own now, who also slept with mom after middle of the night nursing. Remember you are the mom. Trust your instincts. What's best for others may not be best for you.
Remember when it comes time for siblings adopted kids are just like your own just no labor and delivery. I have 2!
Good luck!

We moved my son from the basinette to the crib when he was 6 weeks old. We used a sleep positioner to make sure he wouldn't roll over accidentally, and swaddled him nicely so he felt secure. I, too, had some issue conceiving, and also had a high-risk pregnancy and complications during birth. I was terrified that if I even closed my eyes to sleep that something bad would happen to him. But we bought a simple $29 monitor (Fisher Price, I think), and slept with it right next to my ear. I could honestly hear him breathing on the monitor even better than I could when he was sleeping in the basinette right next to me. And we both slept a lot better. Best wishes to you!

Hi, K.-

My son is almost 15 months, was sleeping in his crib in his own room at about 5 weeks, and I still worry about him. If he cries out in the middle of the night, my first instinct is to go to him, although I have learned with experience that it only wakes him up and disturbs his sleep (at this age).

So despite moving him into his room early, it doesn't mean I don't wonder what's going on in there. I know some people really like video monitors. Some people use webcams, watch from a computer in their room or office. You decide when you're comfortable and how to be comfortable. If your babe is going down for naps in the crib, then transitioning to sleeping at night in the crib should be rather straightforward.

Both my children are fertility clinic successes. :-) My youngest is now 8 weeks. He slept in a pack'n'play in our room until he caught a cold last week (he caught the cold from my older child). To help ease the congestion we put him in his own bedroom which is much smaller than our master bedroom and put a humidifier on through the night. I didn't sleep well the first couple nights he was in his own room, but now its much better. I hadn't planned on transitioning him yet, but its worked out well. The reality is that I can still care for my child just fine while he's in his own room. We have a voice only monitor in his room and ours.

Some things to think about: Make sure you know the weight limit on the bassinet so you don't have an accident. Also, your son will begin to roll soon and that will be a concern in a bassinet.

hi K.. i have the exact same issues with putting my daughter in her crib. she, too, took her naps in her crib but at night was still in her bassinet. i was concerned that she would roll around in her crib and get tangled in her blankies. so, when she was too long for the bassinet, about 6 months, we did a trial run with the portacrib right next to our bed for a week and also we bought those sleep sacks for her. with those, i wasn't nervous that she would get caught in her blankies. so, after a week of her doing great while sleeping, we put her in her room. she's 8 1/2 months now and sleeping in her crib in her room, but we still do get up in the middle of the night to see if she's ok, but i don't think that that'll ever go away. hope this helped. good luck!

Each night move the bassinet a little further away from you and closer to the crib. You'll know where your little one is and will transition, as slowly or as quickly as you need, into his crib. Just a thought....

hello K.... Id have to say the thing that helped me with putting both our daughters in the crib, was I put the crib in our room. I had the crib in our room until my 1st daughter turned 1yr. After her 1st birthday, we put her crib in her room and things worked out pretty well. Now with our 5mo old, she is in our room in her crib and i plan on doing the same with her. So i hope this helped you, maybe you can try it and see if it works for you. Good Luck!! Oh and i put them in their crib when they started sleeping sideways in our bed, which was around three-four months.

Congrats on becoming a mom! I understand how you feel about your little one. When my five month old was born he would choke and cough while eating and also while sleeping. It was really bad, sometimes he would stop breathing! So I kept him next to me...I was worried he would choke in his sleep and I wouldn't be able to hear him. I just moved him to his crib but I still check on him constantly. Personally, I don't see a problem with the bassinet. Do what makes you feel comfortable. Have you tried a screen monitor? Then at night you could see him and hear him....and maybe turn the volume down low. Thats what works for me. Well, good luck. Hope it all works out. :)

I have no ideas to help you get your baby in his crib. But I can tell you you're not alone in feeling anxious about sleeping away from your baby. We still have both our kids sleeping in our room! I don't expect to have a teenager who wants to sleep with his mama and daddy so I'm just enjoying the cuddles for now! Sure, it gets a little annoying when he kicks and pushes us out of our own bed in the middle of the night. And the odds of getting accidentally peed on or thrown up on are significantly greater. But it will all end soon and when it does, we'll probably wish for one more night!
Hang in there. And if your romantic relationship is suffering, just remember your bedroom isn't the only place you can..."be romantic!"

My babe was almost 9 months old when I transferred her to the crib, although I recommend doing the switch either at about 6 months, or if not then waiting until 11-12 months because of the separation anxiety that comes around 8 months of age. That can make it difficult. We were lucky, and our transition was pretty easy. She had one night of crying with her daddy comforting her instead of me, because we were stopping night-nursing at the same time. Now, she mostly sleeps through the night.

What I do to feel safe is to pray. Seriously, and I'm not a terribly religious person. I have a little pewter cross with a praying girl on it that my mom hung above my bed when I was a little girl. Now I've hung that over my little girl's crib. Also, I put smaller cushions in her bumper covers so that I didn't feel like they were a suffocation hazard, and I would advise not using any blankets and not having any stuffed animals in the crib. Just double up on the sleepwear for warmth (cotton and then fleece over top). In my case, my baby's blanket was her transition item to the crib, so she still sleeps with it. It's a pretty loose weave and it's not synthetic material, so I feel OK with it. Ultimately, I trust that innate sense that mom's have. I trust that if there was something wrong with Zoe, that I would know it and wake up.

It's only the first of many times we have to let go and trust with regard to our children. I don't know what people do who don't have spiritual beliefs or a trust in something greater.

I was paranoid too! You can try one of the TV monitors so that you can see what's going on, but you've just got to let him do it. You'll have a few restless nights because of worry, but then it will be fine. I also used the Sony babycall monitor. It has a feature where it will only come on to a baby's noise, but not to the mobile or any music...kinda nice!

I struggled with sleep issues with my two older children when I thought putting them in the crib with the normal way to go. With time and experience, I learned that it is normal for mammals to sleep with their offspring. As long as mom isn't drugged with something, she and baby will sleep more safely and more soundly with one another. Of course, it's important that you're on a firm mattress and the bed is against the wall and baby can't roll off the bed or into the space between bed and wall. It's so easy. Why make more work for yourself than necessary? Sleeping with your baby is what mamas have done since the beginning of time... Why miss a precious opportunity that is gone before you've had enough... Later, all you'll have are the memories, and there's no need to make them filled with separation and unpleasantries. It's a time to fill with joy!

of course you're not the only one! I have two boys and with both my babies I had my own insecurities due to my babies being premature. My first son was six month when he was moved from his co-sleeper to his own bed. it washad at first but got easier over time. With him we'd do our nightly routine bath, story, song, rocking, then bed while sometimes he was asleep most time he was not. so i'd wait out the crying seesion and when he was all tuckered out I'd sneek in and check on him/watch him. now my second son was a different story. he was more premature then my first and had a few more problem so I baby him a little more. he is now 2 and he still wakes up nightly and crawl in bed next to his mommy, and to tell you the truth I don't mind much, it shows me that I'm still need and very much loved. as for you monitor issue, I'm not sure what the layout of your home is but if premitted do what I did before going to bed. I would would open both his door and mine so when he needed me I would hear them. I was like you didn't really care for the monitor static. and down the road don't be afriad to let your little one sleep with once in awhile, cuz they are only little once. One finally note, my hubbie also had a little seperate anxiety as well he would lie down on the floor till either our son would fall asleep or him as well. and in fact he still does it with our older son, but i think this comes from long work days and he normal falls alseep reading bedtime stories. good luck and I hope this helps

I started putting my little one in his crib when he was 4 months old, but only after I moved his crib into our bedroom, that makes the transition easier for all of us. You know your self and your baby, there is no right age he has to be in his crib, if you want him close, keep him close, he is your little guy
good luck

I have four children, they are 6yrs, 3yrs(almost 4), 2yrs, and 6mths. I think that the baby should sleep with you until about 8 or nine months and then can be eased into sleeping in the crib. Your baby is only a baby once and you will never get this opportunity to sleep with him so close on a regular basis again. Some mothers like to put their babies in a crib right away but I feel like my children are such a gift that I want to cherish every moment I have with them while they are still so small because it is gone in the blink of an eye. If it is because you and/or your husband are uncomfortable sleeping, try proping the baby on a pillow with blankets surrounding him very tight, especially around his back and his tummy so that he feels like your right next to him still and give yourselves a little room. If it's just not what you want and the baby needs to be in the crib then try that also in the crib, also when you stuff the blankets a little under each side of the pillow, it makes it to where the baby really cant go rolling around. I know cribs can be scary, but as long as the baby is checked on throughout the night he will be fine. Good luck!

K.,
My daughter was about 3 months old when I started putting her in her crib to sleep at night. She wasn't getting good sleep in our room due to my husband's snoring and talking. She slept through the night the first night in her own room. I recommend reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" for great sleep advice. I slept with our door open and I have a video baby monitor that I L.! I found that even though she was in the next room I could still hear her. It's that "mom hearing"! Don't move Jack into his own room until your ready. I also had a bed in the same room as her crib if I wanted to sleep in there. I remember sleeping on the floor outside her room a night or two because I was so afraid I wouldn't hear her. We also had a difficult time conceiving so I understand how you feel. Just don't let YOUR insecurities become your child's. Feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
L.

I moved my twins from a portacrib into a crib in their nursery at 3mos. strictly because they were outgrowing the portacrib. I woke up a lot during the night to check on them, even with a monitor, as my girls were sleeping through the night already. I was even more nervous when they started rolling over. It actually got easier with time & I eventually turned off the baby monitor as their REM sleep noises kept waking me up.

I just wanted to pipe in and say that you dont need to move you baby to a crib if you dont want too. Many cultures dont use cribs. Mine daughter is 14 months and we have always slept together.

mother of two kids, just to think , why does he have to be in the crib. at 4mth there is nothing wrong with the child being in a bassenet close to mom. after all, he did spend 9 mths in your tummy.do what feels good to you and your family, there really isn't a right or wrong.

From your post I am not clear about if you truly want to transition him to his own room but are worried about the transition itself, or if you want to actually keep him in the room with you but feel it may be inappropriate.
If you do want to transition him, then you've received some great advice and support in the other responses.
But if you want to keep him in your room, then by all means do so! Many people keep their children with them past the newborn stage, and research has shown that there are no bad effects on a child by allowing this. A bassinet is a bit small for a 4 month old, and will become dangerous as soon as your child starts to kneel and be able to pull himself up. One easy alternative is to put the crib right next to your bed. You can remove one long side of the crib (or lower the one side that moves as far as possible)and have it flush with your bed. Your baby is then right there with you, but not in your bed, if that is a concern to you.
Now, to come clean, both my kids slept with us either in our bed or in a crib with a long side taken off, for years. Our choice. And we loved (almost) every minute of it. I actually slept much more soundly (and got more sleep while breastfeeding), and my husband slept soundly as well.
Go with what your instincts and concerns are telling you! Pick and choose among all the responses you've received and take whatever works for you!