Help with transfer to cot from bassinet

[EJE]

I am trying to transfer DS who is 4 months old into his cot from his bassinet with as little disruption as possible. He is a really good night sleeper, and is getting much better during the day, and I know that moving him from his cot to his bassinet will probably disrupt some of this- which is probably why I have avoided doing it until now!

His bassienet is next to his cot and always has been. I want him to be in Gro Bags in his cot, so that I dont have to worry about him getting the sheets stuck on his head. In his bassinet, because it is so small, we can wrap him really tightly, but won't be able to do this in his cot.

I have been trying to get him to sleep in the Gro bag during the day, and the problem is that he is used to being wrapped nice and tight and that with his arms out in the Gro Bag, he throws them all about, and to get him to go to sleep, I stand next to him holding his arms, and rocking him.

Then sometimes when he is asleep he will wave his arms about and knock his dummy out.

The Gro Bag information says not to use sheets and blankets with the gro bags, so I cant really put him in one and then wrap him in a sheet as well.

I was wondering if anyone that uses Gro Bags had any suggestions for me on how they put their babies in Gro Bags to start with, or how I can go about doing this.

[Willow]

Hey EJE, glad to hear you and Luke are doing well.

I've been thinking about this myself too and have experimented with not wrapping, wrapping with arms out etc but have decided he's just not ready and am going to wait at least another month.

I don't think there are any easy answers on this one, especially knocking his dummy out, that usually just continues until they get better control of their arms and gain the coordination to put their dummy in and out themselves and that usually doesn't happen till around 5-6 months, sometimes later.

A friend of mine started using her gro bag but still wrapping his arms with a wrap over the top. Not sure exactly how she did it but eventually he weaned off the wrap and was just in a gro bag.

Good luck, will be interested to know how you go!

[Beach Mama]

Could you maybe do one transition at a time? Start by moving him to the cot while he is still being wrapped and get him used to the cot for a few weeks, and once he has adjusted then start putting him in the grobags? Although there is a gap you can still wrap him and then put a sheet over the top tucked into the cot IYKWIM - I did this with Iz when she was in her grobag - with a sheet over her to keep her snug. He will eventually get used to having his arms out- most people find a gradual loosening of the wrap works well and once they have adjusted to no wrap then move them to the bag. We changed straight over from wrapping to a bag at 8 weeks but she didn't have a dummy to knock out.
Good luck!

[Lulu]

My kids were more than happy to get out of the bassinette, they didn't really notice!

I agree with Tan, do one transition at a time. Put him in the cot wrapped, then try the gro bag.

[EJE]

Other than when it is really hot (like tonight) in the bassinet we wrap him tight then wrap a sheet over him, so he cant houdini his way out.

I dont think it is the cot that will be a problem, it will be not wrapping him.I am worried about moving him to his cot whilst wrapping him, as I dont think I will be able to use this two wrap system without him getting out- the cot is a lot wider than the bassinet, so wont be able to be as tight, and then I worry about him getting the sheets stuck on his head,- which is why I wanted to use a gro bag in his cot.

Tonight I wrapped him with one arm out, and when I went in before he has two arms out. Will wrap him though with two arms after his last feed in a few minutes, so he sleeps well tonigh. Needs all he can get in this horrid heat.

[Ezz]

I wrap DS in the cot & put a sheet over him to tuck in. He is a major Houdini - so I use sarongs rather than regular wraps (much bigger) - you can get them much tighter! Otherwise, a nurse from Tresillian suggested that you can use a cot sheet as a wrap (also much bigger).

HTH