Hello, I’m very new to this forum, but I needed advice. I know every child is different. But something is better than nothing.
I have a 14 month old, breastfed since birth, and we have coslept since approx 6 months old when he started getting more active in his Next To Me crib. I know this is not ideal. But it was the only way to get some ok sleep, and I have been exhausted since having him, and I have probably been selfish in wanting to sleep slightly better without him waking crying.
When I have attempted to get him into his own room/cot it takes ages for him to settle (contact only with milk) and then it’s a miracle if I can get him lowered into the crib without him startling awake.
We need to get him used to solo sleep, and also into his own room. My partner wants the bed back to just us. We also have a deadline- I’m expecting our second baby in November. So having two in our room would be far from ideal.
I have had the idea of putting a travel cot in our room, so he is used to the ‘solo’ sleep before the own room. But so far it means startle awake and I end up going to sleep with him as normal.
I am wondering if converting his cot into a toddler bed would be the best way- then I can feed to sleep, roll away and he would still be asleep. (Whenever we nap I usually leave him in bed with guard pillows around and he continues sleeping happily.) But my partner worries about him falling out. I was going to get a guard, just in case, we also have a camera baby monitor.
I don’t know what to do. What is the best way forward. I feel so much pressure to get him sleeping alone, especially as my partner wants the bed baby free. Especially with the deadline of baby 2.
His usual sleep is:
Nap around 12 (for around 2hrs, sometimes 3)
Sometimes a 15-30min nap when picking up partner at 5. (He sleeps in car.)
Bed at 10pm (yes I know it’s late, but even when he was a newborn it was the only time he would truly settle and sleep). He wakes around 1/2, then 4, 6, then up around 8am. Mostly feed to sleep.
We don’t really follow a routine to bedtime. I did try and start one in his room, but he would perk up and want to explore/play in there and would lose any sleepiness.
I just need advice on what is the best course of action.