8 month old - moving into her own bedroom

[nikijane]

I have an angel baby who has always been an excellent sleeper since birth. She is used to taking a 1 hr nap in the morning and a 2 hr nap in the afternoon. Around 8.30 / 9pm I put her to bed in our room and she sleeps through until 8.30 am.
Now I need help in moving her into her own bedroom. Because our apartment is very hot in the summer (we live in Italy), I decided it was best to leave her sleeping in her crib in our room. At around 7 months I decided to try putting her to sleep in her cot in her bedroom, I stayed with her but she had a really bad reaction every time I tried to leave the room (my baby could be left alone to get to sleep in her crib). She got quite hysterical which is so unlike her. Eventually she got to sleep (I refused to give in and take her into our room) but at 1 am I went in to check and she was wide awake, so I brought her back into her crib. The following night I tried again and got her to sleep ok and she slept all night without problems. The third night she got to sleep ok but woke up hysterical again (pounding fists and shaking). This is SO unlike her! I lasted 1 hr by her side (with her staring at me! ) and she refused to let me leave the room! Eventually I caved in and brought her back into her crib where she fell asleep immediately.
The following few days my DD was very clingy and she gets quite angry if I leave her alone.
Now I've had to take the crib out of our room because she is turning over and could fall out, so I have replaced it with a travel bed. Now she is used to a bigger bed I'm hoping it will be easier to move her into her room. As I will be returning to work in a month I want to know if it is a good idea to insist now, or wait till she is used to me working and her separation anxiety is over. What's best?

[Samuel's mum]

I'm not sure how a travel bed is different - is it like a travel cot/crib? Obviously you want to make sure she won't be able to crawl around the house at night

I would suggest you try and tackle it now rather than after you are back at work for a couple of reasons:
Firstly, there could be some tough nights ahead and you may physically not be able to manage the transition while you are at work. Plus if she finds the experience distressing and in addition you are gone in the day I don't think that's going to make anything easier.
Secondly, the older she is; the more accustomed she will be to where she is sleeping and the more aware of her surroundings. Separation anxiety comes and goes but there are no guarantees it will be 'over' in a certain time frame. And her reaction could happen at any time.

I would think about the ways her bedroom is different from her current sleeping arrangements - comfort, lighting, temperature (is it actually hotter?). You want her bedroom to reproduce as much of that as is possible - the same bed and bedding and temperature etc.

This is also an age where a lovey/comfort object can help e.g. something that you have slept with close to you so it smells of you.

Daft question - but you mention you went in to check her at 1am and she was wide awake so you moved her. If she wasn't crying or distressed but simply lying 'awake' - I would have left her. Who knows how much time she lies awake in your room - presumably you are actually asleep if she's awake peacefully. Babies will quite often have awake periods inbetween sleep cycles.

[vivy74]

Hi Nikijane,
my Lo is now 9 months 1/2 and we moved him in his bed and bedroom when he was 3 months and a half. At the beginning we started with the nap in the afternoon and after one week we moved him for the night. For the first month it happened that he woke up and needed me to fall asleep again. So, to stay with him I put a camping mattress in his room and stayed next to his bed, sometimes I gave him my hand and reassured him. After a few weeks if he woke up, was able to fall asleep again in short time with small intervention.
About the travel bed, mine LO doesn't like it. i think because is too low.
I hope this could help you. I'm Italian, where do you live in Italy? I live between Milan and Como.

Vivy

[nikijane]

Thank you Vivy and samuel's mum! I think your advice makes sense.

Luckily I have a sofa-bed in my daughter's room so I could sleep on that next to her if the does get too upset. Samuel's mum: You are right about me picking her up even though she wasn't crying, it was pretty daft but I felt sorry for her! I am sure I was more upset about leaving her there than she was  .
A travel bed is a camp-bed, it has net sides and is quite low. Since she's been in it my DD loves rolling onto her front and pushing up, but often she does this and is unable to roll back on her back again, so i have to intervene. She's had a few restless nights now because of this problem. Hopefully she will get stronger and be crawling soon so she won't get so frustrated.
The crib we had before was actually a large moses basket on wheels and her movements were quite restricted, but as it has low sides I know it's not safe for her any more. 

I think I will start tomorrow night putting her in her bed, and starting from tonight I will sleep with her favourite teddy so she has my scent to comfort her.
The temperature in her room is the same as in ours, only we have air-con in our room and set it at a minimum to keep the room cool. Now it's not so hot so the problem doesn't exist.
However, I may have a new problem on my hands now winter is approaching. Last spring she would wake up with no covers on and cold feet and hands. She always kicks all the covers off and having read on this board about a LO nearly suffocating because of a blanket it has put me off even covering her with a sheet! Have either of you used one of those sleeping bag/bed suit things? Any suggestions?

Vivy: I am English but I have been in Italy for 14 yrs. We live just outside of Brescia, so we're not too far from each other. Compliments on your excellent English! Out of curiousity, did you follow the English method of weaning as suggested on this site (with the emphasis on milk) or did you go the Italian route with the classic "pappa" at lunch, and again at dinner starting from 5 months old? I was in a real dilemma!   

[Samuel's mum]

I think those sleeping bags are one of the best inventions of the last few decades. I would definitely definitely recommend them. So so easy and completely eliminates your worries.
I used ones made by 'grobag' in the UK which have tog ratings and give careful advice on what to wear underneath. I'm sure there are other good brands too.