Gentle sleep solutions with two, is it possible?

[~Saram~]

Hi, I realise it is early to be thinking of this but I figure if we need to have a plan we can start now.

My situation is this. My son is 3 and 1/2 and we have always stayed with him as he falls asleep. My hsband and I love this special quiet time with him but with #2 on the way I am looking for suggestions either routines so we can settle the two of them or ways we can encourage DS to sleep alone.

Thanks

[BellyBelly]

I think it's a good time to start before the baby, to prevent him thinking it's because of the baby that he had to move, so it's better to prevent any resent he may feel. Do it slowly with love, try and provide other comforts like special lights, a torch, a new bedtime toy (stuffed toy or something) and perhaps start by leaving for small periods and coming back - e.g. I will say to Marisa, okay you keep reading this book, I am going to get a cuppa. She's often drifted off to sleep by herself to our surprise, but I think the main thing is spending more time with them before bed, so that when it is bedtime they are not wanting a big fix of you then. Its like that with the kids during the day, they like time with me, then they like quiet time - too much of one thing makes them grumpy! So perhaps spending a bit extra time with him before bed and seeing how you go? Just little things, slowly...

[~Saram~]

Thanks Kelly! That's exactly why I want to start now. We are also buying a king sized bed so we can all fit in as Xander still jumps into bed with us early in the morning and we are planning on co-sleeping if it suits bubba. I will try the popping out thing and see how it goes.

[Lucy]

I do the "back in a minute" thing with Olivia.....I get her settled in bed with her teddy and her favourite books and then say "I'll be back in a minute 'Livia......just checking on Charlie/going to the loo".....often I go back 15 mins later (after settling Charlie) and she is fast alseep with a book on her chest.

She has got to the point now where she gets herself all settled and she says to me "Come back in a minute Mummy........" which means I am dismissed!!!! LOL!

We started this when she was 14 months, so she had 3 months to get used to it before Charlie arrived.......

I have just started to do the same thing with Charlie.....pop him into his cot wide awake and playing and happy (usually with his squeaky polar bear!) and when I go back in after 10 mins he is on his tummy asleep.......or he may call out "mummmmmm" in which case I nip back in and do some "pat pat" on his back, but this is getting less and less and less.....hopefully over the next few months that will stop all together and then I wil be confident that I can deal with B3 with plenty of time up my sleeve for settling/feeding.........