Need to get my baby out of MY bed!

Lalaladybird

Can anyone offer me any advice about how to get my baby (aged one year next week!) into her cot to sleep?

I know it was a stupid thing to start but she wouldn't sleep and I was exhausted and she would fall asleep in my bed between my husband and me so quickly and sleep so well but....I have become her comforter. She holds onto me through the night and leans against me and I have had to go to bed at 8pm every night for a year. I am really desperate to get her into her cot but she will feel so rejected I am not sure how best to go about it.

Any advice please?

delain

Try keeping a blanket in the bed with you then putting it with her in her cot?

It might not get her to sleep but the familiar smell might help her at night.

sweetilemon

Can you maybe start reading her a story book in her room at night to settle her? You could even bring the cot into your room for a week or so while she gets used to it and your still around then move it back to her room.
I don't have children, just done my fair share of childcare.

Nicki

Does she nap in her cot during the day? If not, I'd start there.

If she does, then I'd pick a time when I knew I could cope with a week of disturbed sleep and just go for it. Nice bedtime routine, pop in to see her after 5 mins if she is crying and reassure her then leave her again, repeat until she settles. I don't think there is going to be a way to do it without a degree of initial upset to be honest but if you can handle it in such a way that it is just a battle of wills rather than a real abandonment that's probably the best you can do.

CH27

You're going to have to pick a day & go for it. Stick to your guns & never back down or it will be harder next time you try.

fluffnutter

I don't think there are any easy ways to do this. On the plus side, it probably won't take that long to establish better habits, but it will be unpleasant while you're doing it. Pick a week when you're not working (if that's possible), or at least start on a Friday (assuming you/your OH don't work weekends) and put her in her cot to sleep. Keep going in to reassure her, but make it very clear that she must remain in her cot. Don't pick her up, just gently tell her it's time for sleep, lie her down and leave the room. Keep doing this until she falls asleep. Repeat if she wakes in the night. A week later, she'll be sleeping happily in her own bed provided you don't give in. But she'll scream blue murder for a few nights. Good luck. You need nerves of steel to be a parent.

carolan78

Neither of mine would go in a cot. They both co slept with us DD until she was 15 months, she then went into a toddler bed and DS until 7 months and he also went into a toddler bed.

We had a few teething problems with DD because I think we made the transition a little too late but moving DS was like a dream. If your cot is a cot bed, change it into the bed and give it a try

carolan78

PS the teething problems were very minor we didn't have her screaming blue murder.

Lexie

Google sleep training and find one that your comfortable with. There are at least 4 or 5 different ways.

Gradual withdrawal to me sounds like your best bet if you don't want her to go cold turkey.

Like others have said, you have to stick with it one you've decided, it may be distressing to both of you, First couple of nights you may not get any sleep but don't give in. Be strong and make sure both you and your husband/partner are both singing of the same hymn sheet.

LannieDuck

Lalaladybird wrote: »

She holds onto me through the night and leans against me

I completely understand why you need to move her into her own cot now,
and I hope the advice given by others will help.

I just wanted to add that, although the transition might be difficult, you'll have lovely memories of her first year look back on later. The sentence you quoted above made me go 'awwww'

kangamama

I like the book "The No Cry Sleep Solution" you should be able to get a copy form the library.

Also,it's worth having a look at this website. It's full of research into sleep methods and both their success and long term benefits:

http://www.isisonline.org.uk/