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Original poster

Co-sleeping baby to start nursery

7 replies

Ririi · 27/08/2022 22:46

I co-sleep with my 9m old baby and we have naps together during the day, i breastfeed him to sleep. It's been great, he naps twice a day for 1-3hours easily and wakes up with a smile.

I am anxious he is starting nursery in three months and he doesnt sleep alone. He sometimes sleeps in the pram or the carrier, but never alone in the bed. I don't want to do the traditional sleep training as this sound too brutal.

How do I gently help him to transition to sleeping alone at the nursery?

OP posts:
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Tabitha888 · 27/08/2022 22:49

Following for inspiration. We co sleep and it's been hard. I've managed to get a few naps in the pram now and not one me. I put her down in the next to me tonight and she screamed blue murder!! She'll be 4 months next week. I didn't mean to Co sleep. It was her being sick and then eventually it became our norm x

shakeitoffshakeacocktail · 27/08/2022 23:11

Mine napped on me as a baby, when she got past a year it was walking circles while bouncing her on my hip or shoulder round the living room. She had her own strong will but then and would fight then nap, YES SHE WAS TIRED! She never really grew out of it until she grew out of naps, at bedtime it was cuddles and milk not so bad until her toddler/ school years when it was awful with the strong will again (no naps then either) she's been crap at sleep ever since 🙄 she's 9!

BUT, OH at nursery! Once she'd settled in she would LIE on the sleep mat on the the floor with the other children and nap. I said 'what she just lay down and shut her eyes?!?' Without talking, screaming, moving making excuses????

Oh yes at nursery she would just lie down and have a nap!!!!!!!

She only went one day a week but it makes sense as she's a manipulative child with me but an angel at school! She always has been. Still love her to pieces but she knows how to wind me up!!!

FactyFrances · 27/08/2022 23:18

The nursery environment is completely different from home so new habits will form. My youngest (EBF, often co-sleeps) has just started nursery and seems fine with it. It's amazing how the staff get a dozen under-twos to sleep in one room but somehow they manage it. Enjoy your remaining time at home with your baby; you can't really "train" them for a developmental stage they haven't reached yet

Mariokartedoff · 27/08/2022 23:24

Focus on them not relying on being BF to sleep.

My old childminder used to always complain about the BF babies refusing to do anything without boob. And the mum's who would just magically expect her to be able to get the child to eat and sleep without BF.

Original poster
Ririi · 27/08/2022 23:37

Thank you! This is very helpful, I needed to be reminded that development stages can't be thought. This is why I refused to do regimes and sleep training. I am very much for responsive parenting.

At the beginning he used to sleep on me, as he got a bit older (and heavier) he got comfortable sleeping next to me mostly with a boob in his mouth. Now he feeds and sometimes even turns his back on me, so gradually he is getting more independent.

I am just very nervous it will be a huge sudden change at nursery. We have been inseparable and he will be there for 3 full days a week.

OP posts:
Cm078 · 27/08/2022 23:47

Not gonna lie to you. The first few months of nursery were rough for us. My DS was 9 months old, we didn't co sleep or breast feed but my goodness sleep was an issue there. They told me they want to keep his routine as much as possible but they said they tried to get him to sleep in the morning but he wouldn't (slept like an angel at home) he just had an hour after lunch (they prefer 1 nap a day) as they like to spend the mornings outside with them. He was constantly over tired for the first few months but once he went to 1 nap a day at home too it all got much easier. 2.5 now and still naps there on a little mat on the floor.
They do ajust but it may be hard for the first few weeks/months. It does get easier though! They learn to just copy others. Hope it all goes ok for you both.

jannier · 30/08/2022 13:44

Ririi · 27/08/2022 22:46

I co-sleep with my 9m old baby and we have naps together during the day, i breastfeed him to sleep. It's been great, he naps twice a day for 1-3hours easily and wakes up with a smile.

I am anxious he is starting nursery in three months and he doesnt sleep alone. He sometimes sleeps in the pram or the carrier, but never alone in the bed. I don't want to do the traditional sleep training as this sound too brutal.

How do I gently help him to transition to sleeping alone at the nursery?

I've been a childminder for 20 plus years I wouldnt do controlled crying but use gradual withdrawal sitting next to baby hand gently resting on baby, no cuddling no words after the first physical lay back down when I say sleep time. Then everytime they get up lay back down. It takes about a week continually doing it before you can remove your hand then another week or so of gradually moving away before your the other side of the room. You have to sit for over an hour with some children so it's time consuming and settings often can't do this so better to get baby to sleep without you before they start.

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