Tips for transitioning out of bedsharing?

Question

I know it’s never recommended to bedshare, but we started doing it when our daughter was about 1 month old and would fall asleep while breastfeeding. Now she is able to fall asleep without breastfeeding but I’m not sure how to go about transitioning her to her own crib. It seems the only other way she falls asleep (she’s 8 months old now) is if someone is holding her.

Answer

There is nothing wrong with bed sharing if it’s done safely! There’s a reason babies sleep best when close to a parent, especially mom. I breastfeed to sleep and then lay my son in his crib. When he wakes I do the same. But that works well for us, I know not for everyone. If you want to find a space that encourages bed sharing and attachment parenting check out the beyond sleep training project on fb.

Answer

I am pro gentle parenting! I've been practicing putting my baby down in his crib after he falls asleep. Im trying to determine the "sweet spot" of when is the best time to put him down. Usually towards the beginning of when he fell asleep. I still plan on bedsharing at night because i'm too afraid i wouldn't hear him cry and i don't want him to hurt himself trying to get out of the crib. But eventually, I'll attempt a full night when both him and i are ready. Good luck mama!

Answer

I am in the same boat. Mine will fall asleep without being nursed but still needs our help (rocking or holding)... as soon as we put him down though he screams and cries and completely wakes himself up. I can’t do cry it out, that hour timeline is too much for me. I am fine with bedsharing at night but it’s important that he can nap on his own by the time he starts daycare in a few months!

Answer

I’m trying this out too. I’m trying to at least get her to take naps in there. I tried to play guitar for her but she just cried and fussed for about 30 minutes. This morning she skipped her regular morning nap and became so tired that I nursed her in my arms and then just laid her in the crib and it worked. I watched a video on a mom who just laid her baby down in the crib and walked away. She had an hour timeline, either the baby would fall asleep or cry for an hour, then if the baby cried she would pick the baby up after an hour and they would just continue on and skip the nap. Then for the next nap the baby would be so tired they’d fall asleep in there. I have a hard time doing the cry it out method but skipping that morning nap worked for us. Then eventually we can get back into the swing of things. Good luck!

Answer

We don't cosleep, so i have no baby tested advice 😁 but if i was in your situation, I would try to put her in the crib and since she is used to falling asleep in an embrace, i would try to substitute that with having my hand resting on her body... That's as close to being hugged as you can get in the crib :) if it works and she's able to fall asleep like that, then over time i would transition to just holding hands, then just sitting next to the crib a while.. and once she is used to falling asleep like that, i would start leaving the room. 
Let us know what you decide and if it works! 😊

Tips for transitioning out of bedsharing?

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