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Posted by Lori on February 09, 2002 at 07:54:34:In Reply to: Getting a 3-week old to bed: what can be expected? posted by Julia's mom on February 08, 2002 at 16:46:29:
Let me tell you our story...
It starts in the hospital, the first night of her life outside the womb. The child would not sleep. I didn't think too much of it at the time. We brought her home. The first night was a disaster. We were exhausted so we went to bed around 9. I rocked my sweet little girl to sleep and the three of us proceeded to our room where I put dd in her bassinet and dh and I got into bed. Not one minute later, she was awake and crying. Not quite what I expected. But I got up, rocked her again and she was out. So I put her down, she woke up. We did this maybe two more times then she was up for good...until 4am! I didn't have your endurance to keep putting her in the bassinet. I took her to bed with me. She slept. And so did I. So we became co-sleepers. Sometimes she would only sleep on my chest. This was fine with me because I slept too. Sometimes I could put her down next to me and she would nurse to sleep. There is nothing like laying side by side with your sweet little baby cuddled up next to you. And the best thing about my days is that when I wake up I get to see the most beautiful smile in the world. Nothing starts off a day like that!
In the meantime, we got rid of the bassinet. I decided I didn't want to transition her twice. (From my bed to bassinet, then from bassinet to crib). So we went straight for the crib in the daytime. I got her to take her daytime naps in there so she'd get used to it. I just made sure she was in a very sound sleep before I put her down. Sometimes she would wake up a little but I did persist. Just kept patting and let her cry a little. I gently transitioned her to sleep her first stretch there at night too. I guess she thought of it as another nap.
Now at three months...I put her down awake. She'll fuss a little but now falls asleep on her own for naps during the day. At bedtime 7 or 8pm we do the same thing. She sleeps her first stretch of the night there. And this first stretch is getting longer and longer. When she wakes up, I just bring her to bed with me and she nurses right back to sleep. Eventually we think she'll just sleep the whole night in her crib.
So basically I transitioned her gently within her comfort level. I read somewhere...a baby is very overwhelmed when she enters the world, everything is brand new and probably very scary to her. Why not ease her transition into this new place where your baby feels loved and most secure...in your arms.
I guess I'm trying to offer you a middle ground. Not the co-sleep, attachment parent all the way thing and not the other sleep training thing.
Best of luck to you!
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