I have a 3yo dd who is a very light sleeper. When she turned 2 we knew we'd be TTC and started the transition to her own bed with the thought that we didn't want her to resent a sibling for keeping her up all night and/or forcing her to be in a different bed/room. Initially we set up a twin bed next to ours and either DH or I would help her fall asleep there. She loved having her own space and knew we were close by. She'd often climb into bed with us and we always were fine with it. I became pregnant about 6 months later and her thrashing started becoming an issue - bumping my tender breasts and slamming her feet into my belly. From that point, DH started to sleep with her in the twin bed next to ours, separated by about 3 feet, when she woke up in the night. It didn't take long until she was mostly sleeping through the night - maybe waking only once.
A few months later, we set up a bigger bed in her own room (right next to ours) and she started to fall asleep with DH every night in her own bed. When she would wake, he'd go in there and snuggle up and fall asleep and usually spend the night with her.
With a new baby due in the next 4-8 weeks, DH has started to try sleeping in bed with me - in anticipation of helping with night time parenting when the baby is born. However, DD wakes now 3-4 times a night. When DH gets her back to sleep, she wakes again within an hour or two.
We feel strongly about creating positive sleep associations but also know the reality we are about to face and want a solution that works for EVERYONE. Maybe I'm too idealistic but I think there has got to be a way to get everyone what they need.
We are NOT into CIO or any other harsh sleep "training" methods. Any suggestions are welcome!
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