My DD is 10 months. She's slept in bed with me since birth (something I never thought I'd do). I tried once to let her cry it out in her crib and it was too heartbreaking, so I never tried again. My DH doesn't sleep in bed with us. (He's a floor sleeper because of major back issues.) She has been refusing to sleep in her co-sleeper and only wants to be in my arms. It's killing my back and making sleep very difficult for both of us. Is 10 months too late to make changes? I don't know what to do. I will miss her so much if she's not with me, but I need my sleep and so does she!
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Habits are hard to break, but like you said, things need to change. Make a plan and go forth to execute!
Where does she nap? Maybe you can focus on naps in the crib and then move it from there? How old was she when you tried to have her in the crib? When you say cry it out, did you go in for checks, or leave her there altogether? Is she waking to feed? Does she have a lovey?
So many questions! But there's lots to consider on how you can make the transition to her being in her own space. If she was younger, I might say just go cold turkey, but I think you'd both be better off with more of a gentle plan. What is your night time routine?
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@Happygal: She naps with me. I always lay down with her.
She doesn't have a lovey. Maybe I need to introduce one. I think she was around 4 months when I tried CIO at nap time. I've never tried it at night. We go to bed around 6:45, she falls asleep around 7:00 and I watch a movie or play around on my phone until about 9 or so. We bathe her before bed, put PJs on, then I sing to her and walk her around, then nurse her to sleep. She also nurses throughout the night.
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@Happygal: She sleeps about 11-13 hours every night.
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@CatchAFallingStar: You might want to work on naps first and then night sleep. I didn't exclusively co-sleep as long as you have, but there have been periods when we did (she was sick, we fell asleep nursing in bed, etc.). CIO is what worked for us when she was 9 months. For my girl, I couldn't stay in the room with her without her getting super upset. I had to do checks, and it got better much quicker than I thought it would.
Good luck!
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Could you rock/nurse her to sleep then transition her to the crib while she's asleep? I know this will probably create another problem for you down the road, but it would at least get her out of your bed.
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How about moving her to a floor bed? Lay down with her until she falls asleep then creep away? If you use white noise and she's a sound sleeper it might work. We had to Ferber.
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Have you seen http://www.preciouslittlesleep.com? Great blog/resource and she talks about this kind of transition a lot. The FB group is also AMAZING and lots of people have been through the same thing.
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We co-slept between 7 months and 10 or 11 months. We worked on naps in the crib first and then night sleep. He got attached to a stuffed animal and had music, turtle night light, etc. and he never cried much except when we first put him down. He was ready to sleep in his crib and have room to toss and turn!
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I know a family who coslept with their daughter and successfully transitioned her by putting her mattress at the floor of their bed. That might be a good way to start? Although I know when I tried that with my son, he just climbed back in bed with me haha.
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We also transitioned from cosleeping to a floor bed at 1 year. I would stay with her until she fell asleep and then sneak out. Initially, I would switch to her bed after first wakeup, but then DH started handling the first wakeup. Eventually, she would sleep until 5/6, and I would join her then. She started sttn most nights around 20 mo. Now if she wakes up, either DH or I will go in and sleep with her, but she sttn more times than not.
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Is sidecar-ing her crib to your bed an option? That might be a more gentle way of going about it.
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We stopped room-sharing at 10 months. LO would sleep in her co-sleeper for most of the night, but ended up in bed with us by morning.
The transition was definitely gradual. I'd say getting her into a pack n play next to the bed might be your best bet. Then she'll at least learn some self-soothing techniques, and know how to sleep on her own. After you've established a good routine, I'd try her crib.
Our transition took 8 months (I'm sure that sounds rough), but I mean from co-sleeping to her sleeping through the night in her own crib. Now that she's 22 months, she ends up in our room once every 2 weeks or so.
Good luck!!
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@Mrs. Pen: That's what DS would do if I tried floor bed. lol
She doesn't have a lovey. Maybe I need to introduce one. I think she was around 4 months when I tried CIO at nap time. I've never tried it at night. We go to bed around 6:45, she falls asleep around 7:00 and I watch a movie or play around on my phone until about 9 or so. Reply
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