Need help transitioning away from cosleeping

NSAnderson0313

We are admittedly letting our daughter sleep on our chests most of the time.

Although I initially thought this was an okay (short term) idea, I'm worried about the long term consequences like she currently will not fall asleep without being held, she won't sleep in her bassinet and what's probably the most important is that what we're doing is dangerous.

I am doing the 5s - swaddle, side, shushing, swaying snd sucking to get her to sleep, but when I put her in her bassinet she immediately senses she's alone and starts to cry. She's only 6 weeks old and I am not ready for cry it out, but I need to know what others have done to make this work. Is it just a matter of consistency? Always making sure she is sleeping by herself or are there other tricks?

AziaNick

We try and make her sleep area comfortable she has a humidifier and a white noise machine near her crib. Also before we put her down, we make sure she is kind of sleepy. If she isn't then we put her down in the crib and she loves music, so we sing a couple songs to her and sometimes even read her a book. Then we turn off the lights and sing to her and slowly transition her to sleeping it takes a long time sometimes because she likes to sleep on our chests as well. BUT eventually she falls asleep and she is fine.

Savanna111911

Someone recently suggested to us
To lay a heating pad down on the crib mattress before putting her down. Remove it before you put her in but it will make the mattress cozy for her.

NSAnderson0313

@azianick & @Savanna111911 my LO has a freakin spa of a sleeping area lol and that still hasn't worked. Nice bassinet, dohm white noise machine, I sing, I turn the bassinet on vibrate, I heat it up before she gets in and she still wakes up. She's also like a Houdini in her swaddle, somehow she breaks free!

mamaklemond

My LO doesn't like to be swaddled but he does love to be snug and close when sleeping. During the day I will let him nap on me, but at night we use a rock and play for him to sleep in. It's elevated snd has snug sides so he feels like he's being held. We tried a flat crib next to our bed initially but there was too much free space, he would freak out.

kelly422

I haven't tried this but I'm considering it!

https://mommysmakingamess.blogspot.com/2012/01/soothing-baby-rice-packs.html

itsrandiyo

I would try, for the start of the transition, having her fall asleep on your chest and move her into the bassinet when she is dead asleep. Then it may get her more used to the bassinet when she wakes up in it for a while...Just an idea though,not a practiced theory. 

jenni31

I do the exact same. My mom is always telling me to put my LO in bassinet in the day instead of on me but I'm not ready yet to be apart from him. I know I need to get him used to it soon and it will be hard but not yet. Good advice from people though for when its time

wheresilenceismusic

We're in the same boat.  I've tried everything to get her to sleep in her bassinet or in her crib.  I can't seem to make the transition.  My LO will be 6 weeks on Monday.

My advice to you?  Learn how to cosleep safely:

https://cosleeping.nd.edu/safe-co-sleeping-guidelines/

& know that you can't spoil your baby until s/he is closer to 6 months old.  I am trying to transition my baby now -- mostly because I miss cuddling with DH -- but I think a more appropriate age to transition is when she's 3 months old, when she can remain calmly awake without me for longer periods of time.

Smark1129

Our baby boy is the same way. He would only fall asleep when held and transitioning him (even to dad) would set him off. We got better at it though - we have a transitioning type of routine now. LO falls asleep being held on our chest, then we roll him to a traditional cradle hold in our arms, then lower him into the bassinet that has been warmed with a birdseed bag. It used to take about 10 minutes in each position, but now it's about 15 minutes total. It helps that we have a pretty stable bedtime routine, and now we are working on letting him be slightly awake when he gets to the bassinet so learns to put himself to sleep (he is 8 weeks now).

Now, daytime naps are a different story.....he only recently accepted falling asleep in his swing rather than our arms. But 1 step at a time...