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Transitioning from co-sleeping to crib

mlipscomb521mlipscomb521 member
in Attachment Parenting
I'm hoping to hear other experiences from other moms who transitioned their co-sleeping/nurse on demand babies from co-sleeping to sleeping in the crib. My son is nearly 10-months-old and we are preparing for this change in the coming weeks.

Currently my husband sleeps in a different bedroom from us, and our routine is to nurse to sleep in the rocking chair, and then I carry my son into the spare bedroom, and sleep with him. He breastfeedings throughout the night - sometimes quite frequently. 

I've read Elizabeth Pantley's No-Cry Solution. I found it helpful and have even begun unlatching him when he falls asleep. He used to root until my nipple was returned to his mouth, but now more times than not, he rolls over and continues to stay asleep. 

I have to admit it's harder to do in the middle of the night, because I am barely awake. I assume I will need to night wean before we transition to the crib, but I am unsure how to night wean without keeping myself uncomfortable (like sleeping on his floor), so I can be more alert to unlatch him. 

I would like to avoid CIO. 

I'd like to hear how you all made this transition and what worked for you. Thanks!
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Re: Transitioning from co-sleeping to crib

  • NurseRiegerNurseRieger member
    I'm in a different boat because we stopped nursing by 5 months. My LO just weaned himself from night feedings a little after 6 months. Are you opposed to using a pacifier at night? Maybe he would take that in place of night nursing until he outgrows the need to comfort suck. The thing I do is put baby down in the crib when he goes to sleep at 8pm and he wakes around 10 and I just take him to my bed. Lately it's been more like 11 and I'm hoping he just stretches out crib sleep on his own. I also put him in the crib for daytime naps. I think starting with that just keeps the crib familiar.  He also has a lovey that he cuddles and I use it in the crib and with me so he associated it with sleep. 
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  • mlipscomb521mlipscomb521 member
    I'm not opposed to a pacifier, he just doesn't take one. Hope the crib sleeping goes well for you.
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  • alxndraprsnalxndraprsn member
    My daughter has been sleeping in our bed since day one, and she's approaching 3 months. We are also trying to transition her to her crib now. We've started to put her in her crib for one nap a day, to get adjusted, and now I lay her down in her crib to sleep at night. She will cry for a little while, and it's hard, but she eventually falls asleep. With each passing night she cries a little less and it takes her less time to fall asleep. I didn't want her to be dependent on nursing every night right before bedtime, so our routine is to nurse, take a bath, read a book, then crib. Every night she sleeps a little longer in her crib, I still have to wake up once to nurse her. I found that she nurses more when she is right next to me and can actually withstand longer periods of time at night without eating now that she's in her crib. Hope this helps! It's working for us
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  • MamaWren919MamaWren919 member
    We just transitioned our 8 month old, still nursing son to his crib. You definitely want to develop a bedtime routine. Ours is bath, jammies, story, nurse, sleep. I am nursing him to sleep in our rocking chair and then moving him to the crib. A lot of baby sleep advice says don't nurse to sleep, put them down drowsy, but that has never worked for us. Sometimes I put him down, he cries, and I pick him back up and start again. (We don't cio.) Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 (or 4) chances, but he'll sleep eventually. Don't give up! There have been many times I'm tempted to just both me to the bed, but I know if I start that we're creating bad habits. Good luck!
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  • kdoak2015kdoak2015 member
    MamaWren919 said:
    We just transitioned our 8 month old, still nursing son to his crib. You definitely want to develop a bedtime routine. Ours is bath, jammies, story, nurse, sleep. I am nursing him to sleep in our rocking chair and then moving him to the crib. A lot of baby sleep advice says don't nurse to sleep, put them down drowsy, but that has never worked for us. Sometimes I put him down, he cries, and I pick him back up and start again. (We don't cio.) Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 (or 4) chances, but he'll sleep eventually. Don't give up! There have been many times I'm tempted to just both me to the bed, but I know if I start that we're creating bad habits. Good luck!
    I wouldn't say co sleeping is a bad habit rather a personal choice. 
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  • NurseRiegerNurseRieger member
    kdoak2015 said:
    MamaWren919 said:
    We just transitioned our 8 month old, still nursing son to his crib. You definitely want to develop a bedtime routine. Ours is bath, jammies, story, nurse, sleep. I am nursing him to sleep in our rocking chair and then moving him to the crib. A lot of baby sleep advice says don't nurse to sleep, put them down drowsy, but that has never worked for us. Sometimes I put him down, he cries, and I pick him back up and start again. (We don't cio.) Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 (or 4) chances, but he'll sleep eventually. Don't give up! There have been many times I'm tempted to just both me to the bed, but I know if I start that we're creating bad habits. Good luck!
    I wouldn't say co sleeping is a bad habit rather a personal choice. 
    I think people consider it a bad habit if they're doing it but it's not really their choice. I'm still bedsharing and I think I will until he's old enough to talk to and understand that it's time for a big boy bed. I don't consider it a bad habit rather it's just what I've found help him sleep better.
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