*Traycee/Suprchicy/Sleep Lady Shuffle experience*

Lucky_N_Love

I posted on the AP board hoping for some encouragement but I know that you ladies may be able to provide some too since you have had luck with the sleep lady shuffle or a modified version. And heck Meredith you probably have read every sleep book ever written

DD has been bed sharing with us since probably 2 months. We recently sidecarred her crib with the thought that she would start to get used to her bed. Although this was probably a big fat fail because she rarely stays in it. I am planning on unhooking the crib and moving against the wall and putting the toddler bar up so she is still in our room but in her own bed. I am hoping this will make things a little smoother then move her bed into her room in about a week or so.

I have skimmed through some books (NCSS, Sleep Lady, Jay Gordon) but never really made time to finish any of them. I am scared that neither of us our ready for this, but I also fear that she is going to start coming between DH and I as he has started to express frustration in the last couple of months or so. Hopefully someone out there has been here before and can offer some thoughts J

Be honest is there really a way to make this tear free?

 

Superchicy

Honestly, it will not be tear free.  Your DD will want to be with you and not in her crib without you, but I found it as a method of "parenting to sleep" rather than "let you cry in the dark till you give up" method.  It really was more like saying "hey I know you're not happy about this but I'll sit with you till you figure it out".  Looking back it feels a lot like what I do now on a daily basis with just basic discipline, telling her no for various things that she isn't happy about and may cry when something gets taken away, but it just has to happen. 

 The way we did it was just to put her down and not pick her up, but hug her, kiss her, console her from the side of the crib all the while encouraging her to lay down.  When she laid down I kept a hand on her and let her get up and down as many times as it took to fall asleep.  It honestly took a good hour or more the first night, but each night was a little better as she realized she wasn't alone falling asleep, which is I think the biggest fear.  It just takes those first nights for them to get that you're not going to up and leave them. 

When we knew she could fall asleep on her own, we did light ferber, but SLS has a method of backing out of the room, each night sitting further away from the crib as they fall asleep so that they transition to you not being there.  That might better fit you than just up and leaving with Ferber.  

It will be hard, watching them cry is so very hard, but it really feels like "parenting" rather than abandoning them alone in their room.  And in the end it is so worth it.  DD sleeps so much better now and has room to roll all over if she wants.