Need to end co sleeping

[lovemylab]

Originally I started co sleeping because my daughter was a horrible sleeper. I was getting up to nurse almost every hour and walking into walls and I wasn't getting any sleep. I was working then and it was nice to feel close to the baby since I had been away all day.

Fast forward to now, she is almost two. A little better with sleeping. We just finished weaning a few weeks ago. She is a cuddle monster. She has to be contacting you somehow while sleeping. This is where the problem has come in. I am not getting any sleep. I can move her a dozen times at night and she still migrates to rest her head on my neck or jam her feet in my back. I am 20 weeks pregnant and really all I want is a good night of sleep!!

I think it might be time to say good by to co sleeping. I was thinking this weekend to take the bed apart and just put her mattress on the floor and lay with her while she falls asleep and then sneak away. Not sure how many times she will wake looking for me... So it could turn into the same delemia as before.....

Anyway have any suggestions to make this a smooth transition?

[element2012]

I'm not there yet, but my instincts tell me maybe daddy can be her snuggle buddy?

[lovemylab]

Unfortunitly she only wants mom...

[skycheattraffic]

My DD is22 months old, and I'm 15 weeks pregnant so I am right there with you. We do still nurse though so that's an extra wrinkle for us but I have to say that our transition went fairly well. We got her a very low bed at ikea and there is no box spring so it's very similar to a mattress on the floor. When I'm with her, she's very snugly too but she does fine on her own. She still does wake at night but at worst it's three times in 11 hours or so - very manageable for me and a big improvement. When things are really great, she's down to one waking at night - absolute bliss! Her bed is a double so if I need to cosleep with her and baby on rough nights, we will fit. There are still some nights when she's teething or sick and I can't leave but they are the exception, not the rule.

My tips are to make sure her routine is intact so the bed is the only change. I also found it useful to spend time in her room on the new bed during daylight hours so she could investigate it before bedtime. Other than that I just made sure to respond to her promptly so she still felt safe and connected. It went pretty smoothly though the first few nights the novelty did mean she played on it longer. Good luck! I think she will do well, it just might take a little bit.

[luckymamaoftwo]

I don't have any suggestions, as we're in the same boat with both of our kids! When I had my second child, daddy had to take my place as our first child's cuddle buddy, BUT she is still so attached to him (or me if he's away) for sleeping that we feel pretty stuck....in our kids' beds. :( I'll be checking for replies and hope that somebody has some great advice for you (and me!). 

Good luck...

[lovemylab]

So far so good. We took the bed off the frame she can get in and out easily. I have been laying with her till she falls asleep and then leave. She calls for me once or twice a night. She goes to sleep once I snuggle in with her, then I leave again. It's only been three nights hopefully it continues being smooth. Oh and she has to have her two baby dolls with her.

[skycheattraffic]

That's great! Maybe she will sleep through completely by the time baby comes

[lovemylab]

Yeah the way the last few nights have been going, it's really makes me feel I can manage the two kiddos.