Help please. Fallen into cosleeping. How do I get 1yo back into her own cot?

[ballroomblitz]

Dd is nearly 14 months and has never been the greatest sleeper. In the past I have tried gradual retreat and controlled crying. Both a disaster. The only way I could ever get her to sleep was to sit beside her until she drifted off. Since dropping milk she needs to go out in the pram to nap during the day and hasn't actually napped the last few days so think she may be in the process of dropping them.

Through a lot of teething and sicknesses the past month we have somehow fallen to co-sleeping. She's a clingy baby at the best of times and I now have no idea how to get her into her cot again for as soon as we head to her bedroom at night (to pick up her grobag or something) she throws a fit.

Should I bring her cot into my room or a mattress into hers to get her used to it again? How on earth can I teach her to self-settle from there? I have no clue as ds was always a brilliant sleeper and self-settled from 6mo. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

sorry to hear that you are having a tough time. my younger dd was much clingier than her older brother and i found it a bit of a shock. i ended up sitting by her bed every night for about 30-60 minutes so that she would sleep. then i got fed up on holiday and went cold turkey at home. that worked for us thankfully but it can only be because she was ready. if she is really grumpy about her room i would probably bring her cot into my room and try to sit on the bed in the dark while she settles. or in her room with a hand on her for comfort. i used a classic fm music for sleeping cd for a while to try to create a prompt. a very regular routine also helped for us too - same things in the same order to make bed an inevitable unavoidable step! i am sure you are fed up but if you are also fed up co sleeping then do persist. although maybe submitting to cosleeping for a while might be ok. my sister woke every night until she was nearly 3. it stopped when she was moved temporarily into my room because of diy. another friend has put her ds into a double bed which has worked well. both kids seem to just have been lonely? lastly presumably you have a good night light to alleviate and fear of the dark? good luck!!

oh yes - we had some siccess with some of the no cry sleep solution book's suggestions

Yes tricot, it is a shock to the system as I had banked on her self-settling and sleeping through by now. Has a good routine from very young and a low nightlight but I know she's not scared of the dark as I frequently find her hiding in the cupboard under the stairs with the door closed :)

I think it's purely doesn't like to be alone as she follows me round the house all day. Far more advanced than ds at this age so knows her own mind a bit more too. I wouldn't mind co-sleeping for a bit longer only I'm a light sleeper too and she boots me, tries to lie with her head on my face all night long as beside me obviously isn't close enough and gives me about one inch to sleep on.

I definitely check out that book. Thank you.