breaking co-sleeping habit

[jacm84]

So hopefully this wont make too many people upset, but I am trying to break my 14 mo old daughter of the co-sleeping habit. She has slept in her crib before, even soothing herself to sleep. When she got sick, my hubby and I began rocking her until she fell asleep and eventually moved her to our bed for the past 2 1/2 months. With baby # 2 on the way and a growing belly, I would like to move her back to her bed. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I might do this, without too much crying from me, oh and her. Thank you!

[coleybug]

What happens if you rock her and put her in her crib? I recently got my 11.5 mo to start out in his crib through sheer perserverance. It took a few weeks, but I would just rock and nurse and keep trying to put him down in his crib. There are still nights that he pops back up after the first try, but I can usually bounce him in my arms for a minute and the second attempt to put him down works.

[coleybug]

Sorry, I hit post before I said Congratualtions!

[ssh]

I've no suggestions on how to move her. We're still co-sleeping with my almost 4 year old. But if it doesn't work, putting another bed right next to the one you have can give everyone more room to sleep. We got a twin bed and put it next to our queen one (with both beds on the floor) when my DD turned two.

[mamatoablessing]

Maybe making a little bed next to yours on the floor? It's hard to move them once they get used to sleeping with you. DD is 5 and still in our bed. When DD #2 was born, DH slept with our oldest many nights in the guest room so that the new baby and I could have the bed to ourselves and eventually, we all four ended up in bed. Luckily DD #2 quit co sleeping on her own accord at about a year, so it's back to just the three of us. Good luck and congrats!

[jacm84]

Thank you!!! And thank you for the advice as well. It is quite difficult to switch, as we are figuring out. Hopefully we will get it worked out.

[coleybug]

Originally Posted by mamatoablessing

Maybe making a little bed next to yours on the floor? It's hard to move them once they get used to sleeping with you. DD is 5 and still in our bed. When DD #2 was born, DH slept with our oldest many nights in the guest room so that the new baby and I could have the bed to ourselves and eventually, we all four ended up in bed. Luckily DD #2 quit co sleeping on her own accord at about a year, so it's back to just the three of us. Good luck and congrats!

This sounds familiar! We just moved our almost 6 year old to a bunk bed (which he asked for) over the summer. So our arrangement now is me and DS2 in my bed, and DS1 in the top bunk with DH in the bottom bunk! Last night, DH laid down on our king bed while DS1 was brushing his teeth and DH said "So *this* is what my side of the bed feels like..."

[frugalmama]

DD {3yo} and I both have twin beds in the same room - I just calmly let her get all calmed down and deep asleep, and then put her back in her bed.

It has taken about a year of work, but now she sleeps entirely in her bed maybe 5 nights a week, and parts of the other two. Sometimes mama has to be a little firm on who sleeps in what bed, but it has worked for us.