Any former bed sharing moms have tips to transition babies into crib?

[fashionlover]

We are 9 months in exclusively breastfeeding a bed sharing. MY pediatrician is a bit of a hippie like myself and doesn't have much advice as to how to get baby out of our bed. Just wondering if any of you have had experiences with getting baby in their crib? Or at least a sleeping situation next to the bed. I am not an advocate for the cry it out method as I believe it is way to harsh on baby. My baby is also a pretty hungry little thing so mulitiple feedings a night are not out of the ordinary for us....HELP.

 

[fatandlumpy]

Hi. I am currently doing this. Actually - last night was the first night he'd spent in his nursery. We managed 3hrs in the crib before he fed and refused to be put back in it. I was sleeping on a futon in his room and he spent the remainder of the night (until 6.30am) next to me. He actually woke less last night than previous nights as (I think) he didn't have his Dad farting and snoring to keep him awake. I think I'll be sleeping on the futon until we've perfected the art of 'getting back to sleep in the crib without an emotional meltdown'. Argh! - will be stalking this thread...

 

[missk1989]

I tried loads of gentle methods when trying to get him in his cot but nothing worked and he ended up crying anyway! In the end we did CC and it worked really well. I would definitley do it whilst they are around your lo's age. The older they get the harder it is.

 

[fashionlover]

I tried loads of gentle methods when trying to get him in his cot but nothing worked and he ended up crying anyway! In the end we did CC and it worked really well. I would definitley do it whilst they are around your lo's age. The older they get the harder it is.

What is CC?!

 

[staralfur]

We did it gradually. Around 10 months she was trying to flop all around our bed while she was sleeping and was waking every hour because she was frustrated that she didn't have room to move around. I knew that she was ready for her own space. All attempts to put her in her crib before that were a complete failure because she just wasn't ready.

Anyway, I started out by putting her to sleep in her crib. This sometimes took two hours but I did a sort of modified version of pick up/put down where I would have her in her crib and rub her tummy if she was whining/slightly crying. If it turned into a 'real' cry then I would pick her up and nurse her until she calmed down, and then put her back in her crib. And repeat.

Once she did her first stretch of sleep (usually about 3-4 hours) I would bring her into our bed and she'd sleep with us for the rest of the night.

We did that for a couple of weeks and then I started resettling her in her crib after the first waking as well. Again, doing the same thing I did when putting her down initially. After her second waking I brought her into bed. Then gradually started putting her back in her crib after that waking, too.

I can't remember exactly how long it took before she was spending all night in her crib, I think a little over a month. The night wakings really suck when they're in another room and resettling isn't as easy, but if you feel that it's the right time then you'll figure out how to make it work. Good luck!

 

[Veronicaco]

I have been gently doing this for quite a long time, dd starts off the night in her cot and joins us at her first waking. She gradually sleeps more and more (with the exception of teething or wonder weeks) and more recently I can put her down in her cot and she settles her self. Some nights are easier, some are harder but I can't do CIO either and as I'm expecting another in 7 ish months I am gently moving things so she's in a good pattern by then.

 

[indigo_fairy]

I tried loads of gentle methods when trying to get him in his cot but nothing worked and he ended up crying anyway! In the end we did CC and it worked really well. I would definitley do it whilst they are around your lo's age. The older they get the harder it is.

What is CC?!

It's 'controlled crying', like putting baby to bed, leaving, going back after a certain time, 5 mins, 10 mins, 15 mins etc.. while baby is crying, to ssshh them and 'reassure' them you've not disappeared off the face of the earth, but no picking up or eye contact I've heard from others who have done it.

With my daughter I wasn't in a hurry to get her in her own bed, being pretty relaxed about the whole co-sleeping thing, I gradually got her into her own bed from the age of 1 1/2yrs - 2 1/2yrs. It's a personal choice, but I wanted to do it gradually so the transition was easier on her. My son still co-sleeps and we are currently doing the same thing with him, some nights he's in his bed, some nights ours. We brought a super king size bed specially so it's got loads of room. By the time our next baby is here he'll be in his room every night.