7 mth ol - wont sleep in her cot...

[Winter]

will only sleep in our big bed.

DD normally goes to sleep in her cot, and then when we go to bed, when she wakes up, DD comes in with us. I should mention that DD's cot is in our room.

Tonight, she went to bed at 6.45pm. woke up at 7.30pm (which is not unusual, does this often but goes back to sleep in cot) and we keep trying but we can't move her to her cot without tears. She falls asleep instantly in our bed.

We don't know what to do? I realise that 7 months is seperation anxiety and she probably thinks that our bed is her bed anyway, but I don't feel safe leaving her alone in our bed.

Suggestions anyone? We're not sure how to handle it, whether to let it go for the moment, or take our bed out of the equation and get her sleeping in her cot??

[MiniMax]

MY DS hated his cot with a passion. I co-slept with him in the spare bed for a while.....till he was old enough, then I took the cot bars off (ikea cot) and he was in a toddler bed. He started sleeping once the bars were gone! Maybe it means he doesn't want to be incarcerated!

At times it would be too early for me to be in bed with him, but he wouldn't re-settle in his cot, so I'd put him in the spare bed, surrounded by pillows, then I'd go to sleep in there with him later once I was ready for bed.

This info probably isn't really advice as such, but I could relate, so thought I'd add my two bobs worth! Just do what you feel is right for you. If you feel your DD gets more sleep in a bed, then maybe get a couple of bed rail thingy's for the side of your bed and put them up while she's in there alone. If you know she's going to sleep like a log and not try and climb out.

Good luck

[Winter]

Thanks MiniMax (and congrats on your pregnancy! V.exciting!)

How old was old enough? I just get worried about her being in bed alone...

[MiniMax]

I remember (and it is hard!!!) I wanted to stop co-sleeping coz I was always away from DH, but wanted Max to stop breastfeeding first. He stopped BFing at 15 months, so it was not long after that. I guess I waited till after he could really understand better that he 'had to stay in his bed and not climb out'. I would leave him alone in the double bed with pillows around him while he was a fair bit younger, but it was never for very long, as I was still pretty nervous about it.

Oh, and thanks for the congrats

[Winter]

I miss DH too! I love sleeping with DD, really I do, but there are some moments when she's digging her toes into me or grabbing my face that I really wish she was in her own room, in her own bed! Poor DH reckons he only gets a couple of centimetres to spare on his side, poor man! DD sleeps like a starfish.

I would like DD to stop breastfeeding first too, I guess before I kick her out of bed, but then again, I wonder if she only wants to be fed at night because I'm there, rather than because she's hungry? I just don't know what to do. I'm not really ready to have her in her own room.....am I??

[Winter]

Can anyone help as I am really over my girl in my bed, but I can't bear her crying in her cot. I would like her to sleep in her own cot for at least part of the night. At the moment, it seems she is all our bed and will only have catnaps in her cot during the day.

I'm sick of being "nibbled" on all night.

And she's teething & really clingy, which makes it a bad time to try and start but I would really like some strategies for getting her out of my bed.

At the very least, can you pretty please share your story of when you moved your LO into their own rooms / beds to give me hope....

[~Kim~]

Hey hun, wish I could help, but just wanted to offer my sympathy and empathy. DS has never ever slept in his cot. I hate it and he doesn't settle until late at night - in my bed too.
:hug mate. Just bumping it up for you.

[olive]

suse recommended a guy in the us dr jay gorda, google his name, he has info on co-sleeping and feeding etc.. well worth reading!
have you thought of giving DD a comforter?? DD loves her blankie, i gave it to her after i noticed her rubbing her face into my top when we co-slept (not very often)

[Winter]

We've had a breakthrough, DD slept in her cot all night!

DH & I have decided to give up co-sleeping, its just too much for me. I think DH would be happy to continue, but I need some space.

We're moving her into her own room today and following a no cry sleep routine, so not abandoning gentle parenting - I feel guilty but also positive that this is the right step for my family.

Thank you to everyone for their responses. I very much appreciated them.

[marcellus]

Yay!
My only suggestion is mattress on floor. That's what worked for us.
Hope this move goes well.

[Winter]

Thanks Marcey, I'm really excited about it. My own room back!