My 10 month old daughter is currently sleeping on our family bed and I'd like to get her to sleep in her crib. It was mostly out of convenience that I brought her into my bed so that I could breastfeed but now that she's weaned, I'd like to have her sleep in her crib.
I transitioned my daughter from my bed at around 11 months and it "ultimately" went well, thanks to the "Sleep Lady Shuffle". I just recently wrote an article describing the sleep issues I had with my daughters and how they were resolved and I now have the best sleepers! If you'd like to read the article, here's a link:
http://hubpages.com/hub/sleep-training-good-night-sleep-t...
Best wishes!
Are you sure she doesn't want mommy milk anymore, permanently? Ten months is really really young to be weaned- at least not voluntarily by the baby. During such a scary flu season and with the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation to breastfeed fir 1yr ( and the WHO's recommendation for 2 yrs) just try to keep a very open policy for nursing if she should request again. It still offers soooo many benefits to her at such a young age- nutritionally, health wise and for emotional development. She may really look to you again closer to 12 mo at the next big growth spurt. LOTS of babies go through stages of not asking much, but if they are offered the breast 1st before meals, they will gladly accept and continue to get the antibodies and all the other benefits too :-)
As for sleeping with you, way to go! You have created a bond and a sense of security like no other. If you really want to change the arrangements, go SLOW. Babies don't know or understand why they all the sudden are bring shunned or having their comfort taken away ( how they see it). She has grown to trust and find comfort in her sleep time with you. Anything abrupt will run the yucky risk of stripping away that confidence, trust, security that is so precious! Maybe start with moving her into a crib in your room ( bedside maybe) after she falls asleep with you. Gradually move to more and more crib time as you feel she is comfy and accepting. Eventually you could probably transfer the crib if necessary.
Check out Dr Sears book called Attachment Parenting, it offers great advice on sleep arrangements. Most importantly, don't be pushed into changing because the USA 'norm' is to have young children sleep alone.... Most of the world sleeps in the same bed or same room as their little children.... And def try not to fall for cry-it-out training methods. Sure, it will work, but at what cost to your childs emotional and comfort levels- just because you don't see negative results today doesn't mean it doesn't negatively affect them. You have done soooo much through breastfeeding and cosleeping it would be a shame to tear it all away.....
Whatever you decide to do, stick to it. Being consistent is most important. Good luck, this is a hard transition! My two year old still cries when we put him in his crib, but he only cries for 30 seconds after we leave the room, and then he falls asleep. It took us a long time to get to this point, as he would cry and cry and I would feel bad and get him out. He quickly figured out that crying meant mommy would "save" him. Again, just stick with whatever you decide!
I had the same issue. I would rock her to sleep and then stick her in her crib. When she woke up crying, I would put her bed with me until she feel asleep and then took her back to her crib. You don't have to let her "cry it out" as everyone told me. It worked for me after about two weeks. Good luck!
It's going to take a while so she can adjust. Who doesn't want to sleep with Mommy forever? (OK, until she reaches puberty...)
You put her in the crib, tuck in, a little nite-nite cozy bunny or "binkie"/blanket and let's see how many days it takes for her to get into the new routine.
Meanwhile, you need to take care of yourself, get a good nights' sleep and pray your baby will be cool about the transition.
You, too. Many Blessings.
I am currently doing what you do, let my son sleep in family bed, it's convenient as you said and it's the closeness and security reason, but I've also done the same thing Lori R did and it works for me. My son just don't like the confinement because he wants to move around and thinks he's missing something, so I don't let him "cry" it out, cause I also breastfeed, not only that I get to sleep when he sleeps. It's tiring but worth it to me. I did it with my 4yr old son, and now he sleeps in his own room, sometimes sneak a sleep in my bed, but knows his room is where he goes and have no problem going back to it.
