# Transitioning 10-month-old from co-sleeping to crib



## tricia113 (Apr 17, 2008)

I have a 10-month-old DD that we'd like to transition to a crib after always co-sleeping. I would continue co-sleeping, but find that she and I are not sleeping as well as we used to, and I think it's time for a change. I am not into the "cry-it-out" method, and she has a difficult time soothing herself even at 10 months. She has always been breastfed, and that seems to be the one thing that soothes her. She has never taken a pacifier, and I can't rocke her to sleep, then lay her down without her waking up. I never have been able to do that consistently, though I have been able to lay her down (without nursing) without her waking about once or twice a month. Any suggestions on how to get her sleeping in her crib?? Maybe someone has had a similar experience and has some advice they can offer me? Thanks in advance!

Tricia in Athens, GA


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## lnitti (Jun 14, 2004)

have you considered transitioning her to her own bed instead of crib? Baby proof the room of course, with the bed low to the floor.

You could still lay with her and nurse her and such, but you would have the option to leave and sleep separately if you like.


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## notjustmamie (Mar 7, 2007)

We moved DD from our bed to a pallet on the floor next to the bed for about a month, then into her crib next to the bed for several more months, then we moved her crib into her own room. Our bedtime routine remained pretty consistent throughout the whole time and she didn't have much problem moving from one stage of separateness to the next.

Of course, currently she's back on our floor because she claims her room has bad dreams in it, but that's a whole different issue.


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## onyxravnos (Dec 30, 2006)

is it having her in the room that's the issue or in the bed? one of those co sleeper things might help. she's still right there and easily nursable (is that a word?) but not IN the bed.


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## blizzard_babe (Feb 14, 2007)

Do you have a significant other? I find that DS will often only take the breast from me, but will allow himself to be comforted (if he's not hungry) by DH.


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## PatchChild (Sep 1, 2006)

My DH was fantastic for helping with that transition. I did have to make sure that my DS has plenty of nursing before going to bed on the transition night.

Maybe my DS is odd, but we had to do his transition all at once. He went from co-sleeping and nursing frequently to in his crib for the whole night. He's not good with transitions and more small transitions are worse than one big transition. We never had him cry it out. Either DH or I went straight to him when he woke at all and rubbed his back or patted him until he fell back asleep. It took a while but his wake-ups became less frequent and shorter.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Perhaps you could post what your issues are with cosleeping. IME a baby of that age usually really needs to be next to mom at night.

-Angela


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## tricia113 (Apr 17, 2008)

We had planned on putting her in her crib right next to our bed, but first need to find a way to get her to stay asleep once we put her down. DD, DH, and I all wake up multiple times during the night for various reasons. DD tends to move around a lot at night, and DH and I both get hit in the face when we are all asleep. When DH gets up for work every morning, the movement wakes us up because it is a regular mattress. There are just a lot of things going on that keep any of us from getting a good night's rest! I was interested in a co-sleeping bed for her, but she is so mobile that I am afraid she'd fall out of it. She tends to sit up and sometimes stand in her sleep, so I don't think something like that is an option.

I may try putting her on a separate mattress on the floor of her own room and heavily baby-proof it, though I really would like to still have her in our room. Maybe we'll just put a separate mattress in our room.

And no, DH has never been able to get her back to sleep, nor has he EVER been able to lay her down without waking her up.

We do have a bedtime routine, and she sometimes falls asleep when we read to her -- it is the STAYING asleep that is the difficult part!









Thanks for your suggestions! I think they will be helpful.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Perhaps try sidecaring her crib?

good luck!

-Angela


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## Danielle13 (Oct 31, 2007)

start with naps! then move to night. Then add in one wake up where you put her back to sleep in her bed, then two then three ect.


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## TinyMama (Sep 4, 2007)

I agree w/Danielle13. At around 1, DD started to LOVE going in her crib during the day to play. I made sure she wanted to, there were exciting toys in there, and I stayed in the room. After a week or two, she nursed in the rocking chair and let me lay her down (asleep) in the crib. Eventually I could lay her down awake. When we started putting her down at night in the crib, it wasn't strange or new to her.

I feel your pain, btw...we all sleep better when we're co-sleeping less than full time. DD still spends part of each night with us, but the first chunk of sleep from 8-12am or so was worth it for us.


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## eireann (Sep 29, 2007)

we started with naps. she was in a co-sleeper next to me on one of those latex & wool co sleeper mattresses from dax stores. so i took that and put that in her crib so it smelled familiar. we did naps for a few days, then nights. it took a while, but it was worth it. DH was waking her with his snoring and she was really not rested at all and constantly overtired. i still nursed whenever she woke, but she slept more soundly. we also moved our air purifier that she was used to hearing into her room, so it sounded the same as well. she has this tiny little star thats her lovey, and i put it in my bra every night for an hour or so before bedtime. that has really helped too. good luck!


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