Transitioning to crib

snookums2013 · January 2014

When did you transition your baby to his/her own room/ crib? What did they sleep in before that? How did you make the transition? Did you miss having the baby with you? I'm procrastinating on moving my daughter who is almost 5 months. She sleeps in the napper/ bassinet on top of the pack n play and is definitely outgrowing it, but I'm worried that she won't be able to sleep on the flat surface of the thin pack n play mattress. She's also been sick so I'm keeping her on the incline until she's better. I like having her next to me for the convenience of nursing and being able to see/ hear that she's fine. Do you hear everything on the monitor and can you tell that your baby is ok without going into the nursery? Did you sleep better or worse after making the move? I have a feeling I'll wake up and worry over every little noise and want to go into the room to be sure she's ok. Thanks!

taraleanne · January 2014

She'll be fine - it'll be harder on you!! If I were you, I'd do it soon. I have read that baby can get awfully accustomed around her age and the longer you delay the transition, the harder it will be... plus she might want to start rolling around in her sleep soon too.

I moved him around 2 months actually. He was getting too long for his p&p napper so I put him in a co-sleeper bassinet inside of the crib because I wasn't ready for him to be in that big bed all by himself. I kid you not, we both slept better. I slept better because I did not jump at every little peep. He slept longer stretches through the night because I didn't respond to every little peep! His room is very close to mine though so we really weren't that far away. The first few nights were difficult, I was really worried, I barely slept and I checked on him 1000X. Though this can be easily remedied with a good monitor - why don't you invest in a video monitor!? You can get good monitors now a days. I prefer the one that picks up only the important noises but you can get ones that are so sensitive that you can hear every.little.sound. I have used both and prefer the less sensitive version but I also have a video monitor. I like the video monitor because I can check on him without going in there. I invested in this because I would go check on him but if he was in a lighter sleep he would hear me, see me and then cry for me!

I basically just did the transition cold turkey. No problems. But your baby is older- you may need a different plan. Like starting with the p&p in her own room. Or just do it and have a few rough nights but she WILL get used to it. When he was 4 months old I removed the co-sleeper bassinet and started putting him right down in the crib. Again, no problems. Now he STTN because he has all this room to move about- he rolls and shimmies in his sleep. Your baby might start doing that soon too- lots of babies sleep on their tummies after they can roll and then they will sleep longer too because they are oh so comfy. (though lots of babies still wake to nurse)

I suppose my suggestion is to just go give it a try and see what happens. You might have no problems at all or you might need to do a slower transition but you never know until you try. Again, she will be just fine - but it will take YOU a few days

Good luck!

MissyCee · January 2014

We put LO in her crib just before she was 2 months. (Prior to that she slept in her bassinet in the room with DH and I.) The transition was definitely only hard on me, she slept almost 6 hours straight the first night and has been sleeping beautifully every night since. I have a video monitor which gives me great peace of mind because if she's making noise I can see if she's awake or just squirming a little in her sleep. I'd definitely suggest doing it sooner rather than later so that it's easier for both you and LO to make the transition. And grab a video monitor if you can too, then you can check on her without having to go in her room and potentially disturb her sleep.

PB102012 · January 2014

LO has been in her room in her crib since week one. She hated her pack n play. She is 4 months and she does great to this day. Do you have a video monitor? That helps me a ton since I can hear her if she needs me, but also see her if I need to. I agree with PP's, it's harder on you for sure, but it does get easier.

Eta- sorry, I realize now my post is a bit repetitive.

keyshahart · January 2014

My baby was been in her crib since a week old. She transitioned well to the crib with no issues.she actually slept way better and longer in her crib too. She started sleeping through the night by 3 months. I sleep so much better with her in her room. Not having to hear every little noise she makes(shes a noisy sleeper). I have the angel care breathing monitor on her crib and it helped me sleep better knowing it was monitoring her.

wolcottmom · January 2014

Our LO was transitioned from her bassinet to her crib at 3 months. Luckily, it was not too difficult for us - she actually got more sleep there then in the bassinet next to our bed. I was very nervous and sort of sad that she would be out of our room, but almost 2 months later, I am thrilled we transitioned her when we did. I also put her down for naps in her crib so she is very clear on her "sleep space."

Good luck!

keyshahart · January 2014

Alicia0817 said:
FYI,
I'm tired of the 'it will be harder in you' comments. My baby wants nothing to do with her crib. I'd love if we could transition. I just don't think new moms like me need this false hope that you just lay them down in the crib and that's it! I know it's not intended but I then I feel like I must be doing something wrong because my baby doesn't want to sleep in her crib.

You don't have to move LO if you don't want to.

People aren't trying to give false hope. We are simply sharing our experience as moms. That's what this is about right?

Carnation77 · January 2014

I'm kind of in the same boat as you - trying to make the transition and LO is 4 1/2 months. LO came home from the hospital sleeping fine in his crib but after a month of reflux getting worse and him constantly throwing up - and me changing his sheets - we moved him to a Rock n Play for the incline. Now that the reflux is improving we're trying to go the other direction. When I first tried putting him to sleep in his crib at night (hoping he would just magically like it) he screamed bloody murder every time I put him down. So I started having him play in the crib and pack n play more over the last month to get used to being in them on his back. More recently I've been putting him in the crib for a nap once a day and just staying in the room for when he wakes up every 10-20 minutes - then I pat his belly or pick him (depending on how awake he is) to get him back down. I'm hoping that by getting him used to the crib slowly it will help the night time transition but who knows? We've tried it at night and it's been a dismal failure so I'm doing the nap thing for a few weeks before we go cold turkey at night in a couple weeks. I plan to take a four-day weekend and just stay up all night comforting him and putting him back down when he wakes up. Eventually he'll just have to get used to sleeping there.

Mom38673 · January 2014

Carnation77 said:

I'm kind of in the same boat as you - trying to make the transition and LO is 4 1/2 months. LO came home from the hospital sleeping fine in his crib but after a month of reflux getting worse and him constantly throwing up - and me changing his sheets - we moved him to a Rock n Play for the incline. Now that the reflux is improving we're trying to go the other direction. When I first tried putting him to sleep in his crib at night (hoping he would just magically like it) he screamed bloody murder every time I put him down. So I started having him play in the crib and pack n play more over the last month to get used to being in them on his back. More recently I've been putting him in the crib for a nap once a day and just staying in the room for when he wakes up every 10-20 minutes - then I pat his belly or pick him (depending on how awake he is) to get him back down. I'm hoping that by getting him used to the crib slowly it will help the night time transition but who knows? We've tried it at night and it's been a dismal failure so I'm doing the nap thing for a few weeks before we go cold turkey at night in a couple weeks. I plan to take a four-day weekend and just stay up all night comforting him and putting him back down when he wakes up. Eventually he'll just have to get used to sleeping there.

This is my plan for LO too. We are in exactly the same boat.

roo1oo · January 2014

My LO has reflux as well and also currently sleeps in the rock n play. I havent been able to get him to nap in his crib for longer than 45 minutes since he was a month old - until i put the crib mattress on an incline and swaddled him again. Then he slept for like 2 hours in it. This weekend we're doing the big transition to crib.

Back to the OP, LO has been in his own room in the rock n play since he was 6 weeks old. As soon as he went in there, we both slept better. I have a video monitor too, and highly recommend it. Maybe you can start out with naps in the nursery just to make you feel better? That's how I convinced myself it would work.

chiboo9 · January 2014

LO was/is a loud sleeper. She used to sleep in a bassinet in our room. She'd make so much grunting sounds while she slept that DH and I would wake up at the slightest sound. And I'm sure we were waking her up as well when we shifted around during sleep. So we actually moved her in her own crib/room at only 5 weeks old. It was tough but we all slept so much better after that. When I woke in the MOTN, I just simply went in her room to check in on her. Her room's across the hall from ours so we didn't need a monitor. Her cries are fairly loud enough that we wouldn't sleep through them.

Bubblegumbanshee · January 2014

I haven't transitioned, my little guy is 21 months. Bed sharing rocks so hard, if you learn how to do it safely. We were cosleeping at first & started bed sharing when kiddo was 3 weeks old. He's becoming more interested in his crib, & sometimes spends the night there & always naps there. Don't let anyone tell you if you don't do it now it just gets harder. It's good for your baby to be close to you, & it just feels right.

niknikboone · January 2014

My son just turned 5 months and sleeps in an In Arms Reach co-sleeper - the kind that attaches to the side of our bed. DH and I have sort of unofficially decided that we will switch him to his nursery around 6 months. Unfortunately the hva unit in his room is not functional, but as soon as it is, we'll begin by putting him down in there for naps and then transition to him sleeping there at night. He was sleeping 6-8 hours, but has begun waking every 3-4 and nursing when I'm home Once I leave for work, DH says he sleeps soundly, so I think just my presence is causing him to want to get up when he stirs. This is what made us decide that we will start the transition as soon as the hvac unit in his room is working. I do want a video monitor, because I know it will be hard on me. We are very attached, to the point that he knows when I get home from work and will wake up even when he is upstairs napping and I stay downstairs, so I do worry that it will be hard for him too. But our bedtime routine has decreased from taking 3-4 hours for him to go to sleep, to usually less than 30 minutes. This is another sign to me that he may be ready to start the transition.

If we find that night-time feedings are still needed and the separate rooms makes them more difficult, or effects my milk supply, we will probably move him back. I don't see a problem with co-sleeping until a year if we need it. It's shown to promote breastfeeding, better sleep for the whole family (thought not ALWAYS the case), and bonding. It's also shown to decrease the incidence of SIDS by as much as 50% when done safely (such as the cosleeper we use). I personally love it - never thought I would but it works great for our family.

roycer · January 2014

Most babies do not transition to the crib well. We just got our son in the crib (4 1/2 months) because he would wake up in our bed every hour and our doctor had a great suggestion to get him in there and to sleep longer (because she felt we were waking each other up.) IT goes like this: (our doctor referred to this method as sleep training)

the hour before bed, you want to calm baby down with relaxing routine: bath, even playing on the floor in front of the crib to get him comfortable (read books, slow songs etc.)

Then you nurse to calm baby down. Once that is done, place your baby in the crib and walk out of the room. If this is the first time, they will probably cry because they don't understand yet that you are just in the other room, so you come back and check on them....two times at two minute intervals, two five minute intervals, two ten minute intervals, two 15 minute intervals (until baby falls asleep). But you don't talk, you just pat them to let them know that you are there and haven't abandoned them. The first night was hard and baby resisted, but once he went down we were shocked because he slept 6 hours and he never had done that before. Then the next night his fussing was cut in half, and then the third night cut in half again. We were really hesitant because I hate to have him cry at all, but now he doesn't cry and just shuts his eyes when we place him in the crib.

Tirk97 · January 2014

There is no right or wrong answer to these questions. Everyone has their own opinion and experience, some good and some not so good. My child is going on 2yrs next month and he's been in his crib in his own room since the day we brought him home. At first, he napped in the main room where I could see him during the day, but at night he was always put in his crib. We had full nights sleep after 2 mths. Did I worry?? Of course.... But I had a monitor right on my nightstand that would wake me with every sound he made. Once I felt comfortable enough, I lowered the volume until I didn't need it anymore. Every person has different comfort levels it is only up to them on how they choose to raise their babies/kids. So just take all the information/opinions/suggestions in.... But ultimately decide and do what is best for you and your family

Good Luck!!

sapearso · January 2014

How did you deal with movement? We are cosleeping (bedsharing) and now that he can crawl and climb I get so worried. We have already had problems and ended up putting pillows around him but now he is figuring those out. He still has no sense of edge though. We do not have a video monitor. I would like to transition to crib for peace of mind but mine is 9.5 mon, right dab in the middle of separation anxiety so we won't be trying for a few months.

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