Have questions/need advice about transition to crib

LunaBug924

Our pedi told us at our 2 month appointment that we should transition DD to sleeping in her crib at night ASAP. She's been sleeping in a RNP in her own room since 4 weeks. I started having her take 1-2 naps a day in her crib about 2 weeks ago. I was waiting to start the nighttime transition until after this week since I took her down the shore with family for a few nights, and taking the RNP was just easier than anything else. Now that we are back, my goal is to start the transition on Monday. She'll be 11 weeks. I just have a few "what if" concerns that I'd love some opinions on or experiences from anyone who's already gone through this. 

First, here's the routine that we've established and has been working consistently for 2-3 weeks now:  We do a bath between 6-7, activity, then a cat nap. She'll wake herself, nurse, light activity (usually just walking around the house), wait for sleepy signals, swaddle, rock to sleep ( I haven't been able to put her down drowsy at night), put down in RNP with vibration and white noise. She wakes about 45 min later, diaper change, nurse back to sleep, put down for the night. This last feeding is usually sometime between 10:45-11:30. Then she STTN anywhere from 6 1/2-8 hours.

I anticipate a few rough nights in the beginning to adjust to the change, but I'm hoping to make it as smooth as possible. I'm thinking of ordering on of those vibrating pads for the crib so that it's one less major change in the beginning. Thoughts on this? 

I'm mainly concerned with soothing techniques if/when she wakes during the night. I figure if she's eating every 2 hours during the day, along with the cluster feeding at night that hunger will not be the issue. However, since she is EBF and does not always take a paci, I'm afraid that I'll wind up comfort nursing her back to sleep with each waking. Of course I will try other soothing techniques first, and I will continue to offer the paci before the boob. But if it comes to that, will she become dependent on overnight feedings even though she's gone without them since about 5 weeks old?  

FTR, before this nighttime routine was established and successful, we tried having DH go in after the first waking, give a bottle, and then soothe to sleep. It didn't go well and usually ended with DD screaming for an hour and a very frustrated husband. Now that I just go in and nurse her to sleep, she goes back down within 30 minutes with no fussing. So I don't know that trying to send DH in to soothe during the transition is going to help my dilemma.

So to paraphrase my questions: 1) Do you think the vibrating pad will help? 2) Is comfort nursing ok if needed, or should I try to avoid that at all costs? 3) What are other mom's experiences with this transition? Was your partner able to help even if they were previously unsuccessful? How long until your LO got back on track? Or did the routine change? 

TIA! Wish me luck and pass the wine! 

usernewname

Maybe start by putting the rnp in her room to start to get used to the room? She may just move without much of a fight. Ds moved no problem. I expected a transition but it was more my transition not his.

There may be a set back somewhere. Whether it's comfort nursing or no sleep. Just go with it as it will calm down. It's a change and no one likes change.

Good luck!

LunaBug924

Thanks @florassecret‌. She's been in her own room since she was 4 weeks old, so that's not even the part I'm worried about. I'm worried that she won't STTN like she is now since she won't be cushioned in the crib like she is in the RNP. Her startle reflex is still very strong, and even with swaddling I'm anticipating a lot of waking until she gets used to it.

I just really don't want our nights turning into me comfort nursing her back to sleep every time she wakes and creating a bad habit. We've been so spoiled with her STTN. I definitely don't like change, so I probably have myself worked up more than I need to.

Ellastrandlewis

I can't speak to the comfort nursing piece but it sounds like you're setting yourself up for success. We did a similar gradual transition and about 3 weeks ago made the full change (LO is 8 weeks old). She had been sleeping 5-6 hrs in the RNP and night 1 in the crib she did two 3.5 hr blocks, then back to 5-6 hrs at night 2. We haven't had any major setbacks. I would say the first week/10 days it took her a bit longer to really fall into a deep sleep. Putting her down from our arms to the crib was the hardest part. If she'd wake when we did that, just picked her up and kept rocking. Maybe an extra 10/15 min total. Not bad at all.

Honestly, I was SO nervous about this transition and it was nbd. relax and stay calm. Baby senses how you feel.

Id wait to buy anything unless you experience any problems. Hth!

MissLadyTay

I would just try it and see how she does before you buy anything special or worry yourself. She might do way better than you think. We kept trying DS2 in the crib and one night instead of crying he looked around and fell asleep. He's been there ever since.

Also, not sure why you have to listen to your pedi on this? If the crib doesn't work for her right now, keep using the RNP and try the crib again in a few weeks.

LunaBug924

@MissLadyTay‌ I think his concern was that the longer we wait, the harder it will be. It probably is about that time anyway because her feet are just about hanging out. But I will absolutely use it if we have horrible nights with the crib.

Hopefully my LO does better than I anticipate and this will all be for nothing.

usernewname

I wouldn't go back and forth. Once you move her don't go back. It only makes the transition harder and will confuse her as to where she is supposed to sleep at night.

I agree with pp. Wait to buy things and try it out first. Comfort nursing is not creating a bad habit. Our babies are too young to worry about bad habits. If you have to be use her to sleep at 6 months then yes then its a habit to break. But As of right now it's what works.

And your baby will need reassurance if she isn't into the transition. Reassurance that your still there while she processes a change.

But I hope it all works out and the transition is smooth and everyone sleeps well

flojo973

@LunaBug924 - how did the transition go?  We are planning to transition LO from the RNP to the crib this weekend and I'm dreading it.  Any advice now that you've done it?

LunaBug924

@flojo973 it actually went so much better than I thought! She's been in there for a week now and we haven't had to go back to the RNP once! Honestly, the hardest part for me was trying to figure out how to put her down without her waking up. She usually falls asleep in our arms in a sitting position facing out. I found that it goes better if I put her butt down first (still in the sitting position) and then slowly lower her head down. If I try to put her down flat she wakes up. We still swaddle so that has helped. I think I'm more nervous about ditching that at some point, but we're not there yet.

On another note, we have suffered a set back in her sleep for the last 2 nights, she now wakes around 4am where before she was sleeping straight through till 7. I'm actually blaming that on a wonder week, she just turned 12 weeks and she's showing all the signs for the 3rd leap. Yippee! 

Lild09

We plan on transitioning after this leap is over...he's 11 weeks today but was 41 w 1 d when he was born. Man today was rough but we have been getting him to nap in his crib or bassinet in our play pen or our bed instead of the rocker (pnp). I'm
A bit anxious too bc like you LO mines slept long hours in there for weeks lol here's hoping we have a smooth transition too

lrmrtn

We tried the crib last night and it was an epic fail. He was sleeping from 11:30-6:45 in his swing. My mom stayed over last night and the swing is in the guest room so we put him in his crib at 11:30. He cried on and off until 12. Woke up at 12:45. I think he hit his head on the side of the crib. Moved him to his bouncy chair. He woke himself at 2 because he got an arm put of his swaddle sack. I fed him, put him down at 2:30, he started screaming at 3 because he got out of the swaddle again, reswaddled him, he finally fell asleep around 3:15 and slept until 6:30. He'll be back in the swing tonight. I'm getting a woombie so he can't break out of it and then we'll try the crib again.