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Sleep

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Original poster

Transition from bed sharing to crib. Success stories wanted!

12 replies

Jemm04 · 18/10/2015 23:18

Hi everyone,
Am new to this so hopefully posted in the correct place. My 3 1/2 month has bed shared with me since birth. I sort of fell into it as she hated bring put down in her crib ( even though less than a foot from me) and sort of stopped trying.

However now she is getting older it is obvious that she needs to be going to bed far earlier than I want to.

I have tried warming the crib with a hot water bottle, using a transitional object(muslin cloth) etc but she screams whenever I place her in it. Have also attempted patting, shushing etc but she becomes inconsolable until I pick her up. I can calm her, but as soon as I put her down she recommences. I have also tried leaving the room but her crying only escalates. Am hoping someone may have had some success with transitioning and may be able to advise

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Sparrowlegs248 · 19/10/2015 05:10

DS was the same with his Moses basket, although I tended to pick him up as soon as he objected. Possibly not the right thing, I don't know - ftm!

I did just keep trying though and it did get better although he woke for feeding very frequently. I had two nights when he just kept waking himself up by bashing te sides with his arms and that's when he came into my bed, a few weeks ago. He's 12 weeks now and sleeps from our bedtime (9 - 11 depending) to 3 - 4am. Then feeds and back to sleep. Its great!
BUT the reason i took him out of the basket is that he was really too big for it (he's very long) and I have a lovely combed at the end of my bed. I am just waiting for DH to get round to raising the mattress then DS is supposed to go in there. (I may be waiting a while though.......)

I feel like I should put him in his own bed, but I'm not that keen. I fear multiple waking, and maybe creating a bed sharing habit if i keep him with me, making it harder in future.

However from what I have read on here, NOTHING is a given and the most perfect sleeper can go to pot for no apparent reason.

Only real bit of advice is do you wait until she is properly asleep before putting her down? I had to wait 15-20minutes.

Vernonon · 19/10/2015 06:03

The only thing that worked for us was giving her a dummy.

Original poster

Jemm04 · 19/10/2015 09:09

Hi nottalott,
I have been trying to put her down sleepy but not asleep so that she doesn't freak out when she wakes up. However, in the early days when we put her down asleep she would immediately reach out and as soon as she couldn't feel me would start to scream!

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Original poster

Jemm04 · 19/10/2015 09:13

And I have tried to give her a dummy previously but she just spat it straight out consistently. I may try an alternative brand. She is a very sucky baby; loves to have her bib, hand, my t shirt etc in her mouth even when not hungry. Did your baby take to dummy straight away?

OP posts:

PeppaPigStinks · 19/10/2015 09:24

How does your baby sleep when in with you? Does she sleep on you? Cuddled In your arms?

PeppaPigStinks · 19/10/2015 09:25

Both my children hated the crib. I think it was too small. Have you also tried putting a t shirt of yours in? My dads loved being swaddled- have you tried that?

Original poster

Jemm04 · 19/10/2015 10:02

Hi peppa,

You guessed it, I get her to sleep by walking around with her or she falls asleep in my arms after a feed at night. She starts sleeping on me and I attempt to move her to safe position before I go to sleep. Gave used my pyjama top in cor before with no effect!

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Original poster

Jemm04 · 19/10/2015 10:05

Also tried swaddling but she hated it. I think I left it too late. II do our her in a sleep sack. Thanks for your response

OP posts:

tinymeteor · 19/10/2015 10:11

Mine only took to dummies around that age as she was quite small so they were a big mouthful to start with!

I know some people who swear by the Sleepyhead for helping a baby to sleep in the cot.

mintbiscuit · 19/10/2015 10:19

I read somewhere that young babies do not remember where they fell asleep when they wake up. As they get older they do. I co slept with mine until around the 3 month mark. Started to transition them during the night by putting them in cot after first night feed. Once I was doing this successfully I then started to put them down in cot from start of bedtime. Then when I was having success there moved to all naps in cot.

Sparrowlegs248 · 19/10/2015 12:39

DS went take a dummy either.

When I put him down i bend so that he stays in contact with me until he is down, then gradually slide away. Sometimes keep a hand on him for a few minutes.

mint do you think it best to put DS in his cot in the night then? he usually has a feed when we go to bed 9/10 then sleeps til 3.30. When would you put him in? i was going to try with a nap first.

mintbiscuit · 19/10/2015 13:06

Nottalotta I chose to encourage independent sleeping at night first as the drive to sleep is far stronger at night. I figured it would the path of least resistance and dcs would settle quicker (and sometimes not even notice if they had fallen asleep feeding). With dc3 though I actually ended up getting her used to sleeping in cot for naps and night as her day naps had gone to shit had become a struggle as the sling was no longer working. Dc3 is a super alert baby and really needs dark, calmness and white noise to sleep. Because I had nothing to lose as day naps were in a pretty bad place I struggled through doing it in one go. Some people find night time sleep easier to work on first then progress to naps at later stage.

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