Co-sleeping can be a great experience for both baby and parents and it can buy you a few hours of much needed sleep. The question is how do you transition your baby out of your bed without losing sleep once you feel you are both ready? There’s no one way to do it and the transition time will vary from child to child. Here are some suggestions on things to try, what worked for me and what worked for fellow mamas.
Start with Naps
I started by having my daughter nap in her room, first in her swing, and eventually in her crib. After a few weeks she started falling asleep in there at night. It started very slowly, nursing her and rocking her to sleep and then eventually setting her (very carefully!!) into her crib with something I wore that day next to her so she could smell me. When she woke up in the middle of the night I would bring her back to our bed but eventually her stretches of sleep became longer and longer before waking up and before I knew it she was sleeping through the night in her own room.
Move Inch by Inch
A slow transition, which is popular among so-sleeping parents, is moving baby out of the bed and into their crib or toddler bed and keeping it right next to your own bed. Very slowly, move the bed over a little bit, eventually moving it the opposite side of the room from your bed and eventually into a different room, maybe with a sibling first so they’re not all alone, and then into their own room.
Get Cozy on the Floor
Lots of mamas make the transition into baby’s room along with them. First moving them into their own crib/pack and play in the parents’ room until they get used to it. Once they’re comfortable falling asleep in their own space move it into their room and stay with them until they fall asleep or spend the first few nights with them.
Before you start, set the expectation that it might take a little time and you may have to change your strategy. All babies respond differently, so listen to your baby’s cues, take your time and hang in there.
Jacqueline Banks is a certified Holistic Health Counselor focused on nutrition and green living strategies. She works with women in all stages of motherhood, from mothers struggling with conception, through pregnancy, lactation and beyond to ensure the best health and nutrition for both mother and baby.
Tags: cosleeping, crib, moving to baby's room, nap time, room sharing
