transitioning to a crib from cosleeping

[Bebe's Mom]

I have a 13 month old who has coslept since she was born. I recently set up her crib and I have been putting her in it for naps, which works great. She really likes the crib, and when she wakes up from her nap she will sit in there and play for awhile before she wants to get out. Nighttime is a different story. I nurse her to sleep and put her in the crib, but she will only sleep in there for about an hour-two tops. Then she wakes up crying and I put her in the bed, even if she is in the bed by herself she will sleep fine. My DH says just keep putting her in the crib at night and eventually she will get it and stay asleep in there. I am wondering if there is anything I can do differently. I like co sleeping very much, but I do miss snuggling with my DH, and he misses me..She is not night weaned, so I realize she will be in the bed eventually every night, I would just like it if she would stay in there a bit longer. Is she waking up because she is having trouble transitioning to REM sleep, or is she hungry, or just wants to move to the bed??? BTW, the crib is in our room-not sidecar, but very close to the bed.

[Shanny2032]

Have you tried nursing her before sleep, but putting her in her crib awake? My guess is that when she wakes an hour or two after going to sleep (as we all do many times throughout the night) everything is different than when she fell asleep (you and the boob are gone) so she cries out for you. If she is able lay down and fall asleep on her own then when she wakes she looks around, everything is OK and the same as when she fell asleep and she can drift back off. You could also try a toddler bed or just crib mattress on he floor since she is used to sleeping in a bed and can get up to come to your bed when she wakes at night.

[Bebe's Mom]

I have tried putting her in the crib awake after nursing...she just screams until I take her out. There have been times when she wakes up that I can get her to go back to sleep by rubbing her back, but I have to catch her before she starts crying, otherwise I have to take her out and nurse her back to sleep. I agree that she is probably crying because she is scared. I am going to sleep with her blanket over the weekend and then put it back in the crib-maybe if she smells me she will be ok? I used to put her on the floor on a pallet for naps, she never slept very long, she hated being on the floor. After reading some of these posts I feel like such a whiner. It isn't a really big problem, like some parents are dealing with. I am just trying to avoid having issues in the future, such as still having her in the bed at 2,3,4, years of age. My husband would really like to have her in the crib....