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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Moving baby from a hammock to a cot...

10 replies

newkiwi · 30/11/2009 09:45

DD has been in a hammock since birth and it's been fab. But she is now 6 months and trying to turn over. So we have a shiny new cot but she looks really scared in it and won't go to sleep.

Any advice anyone?

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BertieBotts · 30/11/2009 10:32

Just a few suggestions, you could try using the cot for naps, getting her to sleep in the hammock and then transferring her into the cot, using a cot bumper (though perhaps a last resort as they are thought to possibly be related to SIDS - you will have to assess the risk/benefit) or putting something (sheepskin?) in the hammock and then placing that into the cot so it is familiar.

Original poster

newkiwi · 01/12/2009 09:30

We've managed two naps in the cot so far which is progress!!

Now she seems to think it is somewhere to play. Reckon this may take some time.

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PhoebeLaura · 01/12/2009 22:32

I kept putting it off with my DS as he was so comfy in his Amby, then one day he learnt how to roll over in it (at 6 months) and so we were forced to move him into a cot abruptly rather than gradually introducing him to it as we had intended. Unfortunately it took DS only a couple of days in the cot until he learnt how to stand up in it and he refused to go to sleep.

It was a nightmare, compounded by the fact that we were going on holiday that week and so he was plonked in a travel cot in a hot attic in France without ever having got used to sleeping in a cot. It wasn't a good holiday!

Anyway, after about 4 weeks of very broken sleep I decided enough was enough and so I resorted to controlled crying. I did it as gently as possible; 2 minutes then back in, put him down again on his back with no talking, then 5 minutes then every 10 minutes until he fell asleep. I did this for naps and night sleep. It only took 2 days for him to settle and I wished I had done CC sooner.

I think BertieBotts suggestion is the ideal though if you can get it to work for you. One other thing I did was to roll some towels up tightly and place them in the cot on 3 sides which seemed to make him feel more contained and secure. I took them away after a few weeks. I know its not advised to have things in the cot so I echo the need to consider this carefully.

Good luck I'm sure DD will get used to it soon.

Original poster

newkiwi · 02/12/2009 07:17

She really doesn't seem scared any more which is a step forward. But definitely sees it as play time. I think I may try a sleep safe thing that would keep her on her back in the middle, the do some gentle CC if that doesn't work.

Don't hate me, but blankets or sheepskins would be too hot. It's 25C here . I am using her sleeping bag though.

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Tee2072 · 02/12/2009 07:35

I'm getting ready to move DS from his Amby to his cot. What I've done is started to have him nap in his cot. For the first week or so I rolled up a really large blanket and created a sort of inner cot and put him within it so he didn't feel quite so unsurrounded (if that's a word!). Now he goes down in his cot with nothing around him and sleeps quite well.

Tee2072 · 02/12/2009 07:39

I mean that he naps quite well in it. I haven't moved him completely yet. Mummy isn't ready for him to be in another room!!

MomOrMum · 06/12/2009 20:57

My DS was an Amby addict and also a terrible sleeper generally. Our first attempt at the cot did not go well and we dragged the Amby back out after 3 terrible nights.

What we eventually did was a gradual move to the cot. First we replaced the Amby spring with a sort of heavy duty S-hook thing so that the hammock didn't bounce anymore. Did that for a week or so.

Then we actually dangled the Amby inside the cot so that it was resting on the mattress. So he was still in the Amby but mostly lying flat on the cot mattress.

Not sure if that makes any sense but it worked for us!

Kiwiinkits · 13/07/2010 03:59

I just wondered if anyone else had any experiences of moving from a hammock to a cot? I'm due in October and I'd like to use a hammock for daytime naps, but I am concerned that it will make the baby not like his/her cot at night?

MummyWithA1Family · 13/07/2010 05:04

I transferred DS at 9 months (once he could fully roll over in hammock) into a cot. I resorted to a travel cot for a while as he kept snuggling to the sides and getting his legs and arms stuck between the rails and also banging his head. I echo the use of CC. It was a hellish 2 nights but he soon got used to it and is fine now. Loved the hammock though - great for restless/colicy/refluxy babies.
It'll be hard and you'll feel like a rubbish mummy if you use CC but def worth it!
Good luck x

nubbins · 13/07/2010 11:31

I had to move my dd out of her amby nest when she was moving about in it. We had no problems and didn't get time for a slow transfer because I was scared she'd fall out of her hammock. We stroked her back until she dropped off. I'm using it again with my ds, so I must hae faith in it! I honestly don't know how people cope without one.

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