How did you stop co-sleeping? Older baby.

[PositiveVibeeees]

Hi,

Can anyone share the method(s) they used to go from co-sleeping with their toddler to their child sleeping in their own cot please?

My toddler is now 17 months old and I’d like to move her into own space for independent sleeping.

Thanks!

I did my kids at 2yo.

I think first of all it is important to have a routine. Wtv you want to include: bath, story, music, .....

Make the room lovely! With special bedsheets, teddies, artwork (i like to put a line and little colourful pegs to exhibit their paintings and drawings ). Very important to include a nightlight!!! And maybe some stars in the ceiling either glue on or projected.

They won't like the idea at first..... With DD1, DH slept with her the first night and the second he was also there for a bit. What I did after that is that I did the routine and then said good night and left. Don't stay inside the room!! You'll never leave!! But you can sit outside the room (leave a pillow) for a few nights until they relax and fall asleep

Good luck!!!

@grey12

I did my kids at 2yo.

I think first of all it is important to have a routine. Wtv you want to include: bath, story, music, .....

Make the room lovely! With special bedsheets, teddies, artwork (i like to put a line and little colourful pegs to exhibit their paintings and drawings ). Very important to include a nightlight!!! And maybe some stars in the ceiling either glue on or projected.

They won't like the idea at first..... With DD1, DH slept with her the first night and the second he was also there for a bit. What I did after that is that I did the routine and then said good night and left. Don't stay inside the room!! You'll never leave!! But you can sit outside the room (leave a pillow) for a few nights until they relax and fall asleep

Good luck!!!

Aw, I’m glad it worked for you! :)

How did you deal with the crying and screaming? I’ve tried this before with little one and she just breaks her heart whether I leave the room and pop back in every now and then or whether I stay right by her cot. She doesn’t stop crying until I pick her and then once she’s soothed and I go to place her back into the cot she’s already hysterical before her feet touches the mattress. I just feel awful with it! The longest I’ve lasted is 45 minutes because my heart just broke for her!

I feel so bad 😩🙈

It'll be difficult.... the first few nights you have to do it slowly maybe even get in their bed

After that, I found the best thing is not to completely "go away". I used to sit just outside the door occasionally saying "mummy is here" "good night" "go to sleep". I sat in that pillow for a few hours some days.... but all other methods just didn't work or seemed too harsh

We decided to go with a montessori floor bed. In our case: a big mattress on the floor. She can't fall out and gets some indepence. It is nice if your child is a 'climber', ours was.
At first we used a small blanket. Then we moved up to 'proper bedding'. We chose Ikea bedding for the safety zipper at the bottom.
Anyway, we kept the room minimal. The few toys we put in were distracting so went out. So basically: bed, (carpet), wardrobe and wall decorations. Now she is older a few toys are ok. We showed her the room when it was organised, played there and put her in it for an afternoon nap first.
We've tried a few things. Important thing was to get her drowsy or sleeping. But when I lay down with her untill she slept, she would miss me during the night and cry for me. Then we had a phase where one of us had to sit with her and let her fall asleep. Followed by a period when we could walk away. Now we have the singing phase, where I either leave when she is drowsy or already asleep.
In all honestly, I still often sleep next to her for part of the night. Especially when she is ill (daycare, so...). But she now also regularly sleeps through the night.
Good luck!

The mattress on the floor might be a good idea since your child is younger than mine was

Like the other poster I did the stay in the room until they fall asleep. I HATED it! It was horrible!!! I would sit there for an eternity and as soon as I would start to crawl away she would wake up just don't. Trust me. Sit outside the door!! You're still kind of with them but you can escape easily when they fall asleep