How do I go about cc with my toddler

[prufrock]

I need some advice on how to actually carry out my future plans for dd?s bedtime.

She is 22 months, and until last May was a perfect GF baby as far as going to sleep by herself was concerned. We then went on holiday and got into the bad habit of lying on the bed with her until she fell asleep, which has gradually got worse and worse. We now have a bedtime routine of bath at 7.30, milk and books in Mummy and Daddy?s bed at 8, then lie in bed with Mummy until she falls asleep, which is usually around 9.15, but sometimes as late as 10). She is then transferred into her cot. She does sleep through most nights until 7.30, but will sometimes wake up in the early hours and not settle until she is in bed with us with another bottle of milk, after which she zonks until we wake her. (We probably could settle her in her cot in the night but have just become very lazy). She has a hours nap at nursery (but would very happily have longer) and is often tired in the mornings (on weekend mornings she will happily go back to sleep after her morning milk until 9am ? bliss)

Now I know that if I want her to go to sleep by herself, and stay asleep, I have to do controlled crying. And whilst I?m not looking forward to it, I am prepared. But we are moving to a new house in a month, and I intend to move her to a bed very soon after we move (as soon as it arrives), and then a month after that her little brother is due. Is it going to be easier (for her and me) to do it in stages (going to sleep by herself now, move house, then move into bed) or should I continue to take the easy option (I quite like my enforced rest in the evening) and then get tough all at once when she is in her new bed in her new bedroom?

[dinosaur]

FWIW, I'd do the controlled crying now, while she's still in the cot and can't get out! Hopefully the habit will then be engrained by the time you move and she gets her new bed.

I think it might be a bit much to try and do it all in one fell swoop when she's in her new bed in her new bedroom.

With a bit of luck it may only take two or three nights.

[Tinker]

I'd wait until she is in the new bed in the new house. My problems started once she went into her own bed (sorry, prob don't want to hear that) she was fine beforehand.

I'd also just tackle bedtime first rather than coming into your bed at night as well - I tried to do both, too stressful, no sleep for either of us. Gave in on her coming into bed in the night and she just grew out of that when I relaxed about it.

But I don't think I did cc properly, used to leave work dreading the evening knowing what a battle I had ahead. Went to a sleep clinic in the end which I would recommend.

But it was worth 2 months of so of probelm bedtimes to conquer it and have no problems at bedtime now (and didn't before the bed really)

[Bozza]

Agree with dinasour. Get the idea of sleeping on own established first. A month should be enough time to get well-established. If you leave it unitl you move there's the problems dinasour mentions plus its getting a bit near the birth.