Transitioning Baby from Co-Sleeping to Crib: What Parents Need to Know
If you are currently co-sleeping with your baby the chances are that you have a beautiful nursery with an unoccupied crib, and you didn't plan to co-sleep.
Your baby would only sleep close to you, so this began to protect your own sleep. But now your baby is growing it feels like you are bedsharing with Mike Tyson every night….
In this post, I will break down everything you need to know about moving your baby from co-sleeping to their own crib — including when to start, how to prepare, and tips to ease the transition for both of you.
Step One
Start spending time in their nursery, put some books and toys in their crib, and simply get them used to this space.
Pop out of the room for a moment, so they begin feeling safe in the room.
Once this is going well, start putting them into their crib for their first nap of the day. The first nap of the day, is when your baby’s sleep drive is high, so any change is most accepted here.
When this is going well, work on all naps being in their crib or cot.
This helps your baby get familiar with their new sleep space without the pressure of overnight separation.
Make the crib feel familiar
Use a crib sheet that smells like mum (sleep with it for a night or two).
Use any familiar sleep association they have, dummy, white noise, dim lights
Create a consistent bedtime routine
It is quite common for co-sleeping mums to go to bed when their baby does. So your baby or toddler does not have a consistent bedtime routine.
Begin introducing a consistent bedtime routine, I recommend the same 4 activities in the same order, as research shows this can help them sleep better at night and for longer.
Your baby or toddler will begin to recognise this order, and this will prepare them for the change that is coming.
Crib for bedtime
The time has come for you to put your baby or toddler into their crib or cot at bedtime.
Settle them to sleep in the usual way, this may be feeding to sleep, rocking to sleep, cuddling to sleep. Once in a deep sleep transfer your baby to the crib.
Even if they only last one hour the first night, this is progress, and you need to celebrate this win!
Get your evening’s back
The first goal is to keep your baby or toddler in the crib for the first part of the night. This is when your baby should do their longest stretch, as their sleep hormone melatonin is nice and high, and after being awake all day they have high sleep pressure, (sleep pressure is what drives long stretches of sleep at night).
If they wake in the evening resettle them and put them in the crib. They have only known sleeping close to you, so this will take patience and consistency, you may be resettle very often for the first few days, to help them accept this change.
The second part of the night
The final step is keeping your baby or toddler in their crib for the night.
Consistency will be key, if they wake and you bring them into bed, they quickly learn if they resist the crib they come into your bed. So it will take a lot of patience and consistency.
An option here if you find this tough, is to set a camp bed up on their floor, and resettle them and sleep close, and as they begin accepting this, go back to your own room.
Need more support
Making the transition from co-sleeping can be daunting and often it's hard to know where to begin. And you may feel you need a helping hand.
I am experienced in helping families to make this transition in a way that takes into account your individual circumstances and your child's temperament. My baby sleep guide has a moving away from co-sleeping guide, which has helped thousands of families successfully get their baby sleeping in their crib for the night.
If you would like more support, then get in touch to book a free no-obligation intro call to discuss which option might work best for you.
