HELP The Big Bed is coming!!!!!!!!

[Lunasmum]

Hello everyone!
It's been a while since my last post "sleeping toddler in parents bed" on that occasion a followed the mattress method or best said the sleeping bag method to get Luna to sleep on her own. After a few sleepless nights this method worked, however I haven't really followed the method until the end ::)The truth is the sleeping bag is still in her room!! due to space (in 2 moves I'm out of the room!)and forever waiting for the big bed to arrive (she sleeps in her cot with the front barrister removed) I haven't managed to remove the SB yet!.
At the moment this is what happens:
After the bath, warm milk and story routine she goes in her cot and I lay in the SB sing her a song and after max 10/15 mins she's asleep, the problem is sometimes so am i!! (being 13 weeks pg doesn't help me staying awake). Once I manage to wake up a leave ans she will sleep generally until morning with the occasional wakening if she falls or has a bad dream, normally around 4am. However lately this has been around 2am! and then she will come crying to my bed! and lately to get out of bed and lead her back to hers is forever difficult!! Does this mean I'm back to square one!!!!and basically I have not done it right at all!
Tomorrow, finally her big bed will arrive and yesterday I made a big fuss by taking her out and choosing special Minnie & Winnie sheets so she is really looking forward to her new bed, but me I'm absolutely terrified!! I don't know what to do, do I carry on with the seeping bag and put up with the occasional awakenings? do I use a chair instead? shall I start w in/wo? At this stage I'm very confused and not too confident that I could handle more sleepless nights & more crying but at the same time I have to do something before the new one arrives!!
Please please some advise will be very grateful!
Thank you!
Chelito

[mcruari]

I definitely think you are very brave!!
I would like to introduce the "Big Bed" when I kinda know her going to bed/sleeping is regular and acceptable.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Florencia]

I beleive she is ready for the big bed since she's been sleeping with the bar down. She's now used to get out and fall which are the main issues for the big bed.

You're doing awesome with the sleeping bag, it's ok to leave the room after 15 mins (or more if you're asleep). It's ok also to handle the wakings the way you're doing, that is, leading her back to her bed every time she tries to go to you. Do this without a word, just the first time you say it's bedtime, then the following wakings should be just leading her to the bed and that's it. No eye contact, no cuddles.

You say she has ocassional wakings, this is why i think you're handling them in the right way. In case this ocassional wakings become the rule, (that is, happening everynight around the same hour) we could try wake to sleep to prevent them.

Again, it is a hard transition and many changes for her (I remember that when you started the mattress method you were into deep issues of accidental parenting so you've come a LOOONG succesful road) so it is to be expected some other sleepless nights. Try to get your husband on board for this so you can switch nights and hold on through the whole process in a more rested way.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Lunasmum]

Thanks a lot for your reply Florencia and for your support
Last night was the 3rd night in the big bed. The 1st she woke up twice and on both occasions I was just in time to catch her leaving her room so as soon as she saw me coming she went straight back to her bed! Last night unfortunately she fell out and had a big blow to her head (the new bed has one underneath and it is quite high) so she obviously woke up screaming so I took her and comforted her in our bed However none of us slept too well not even Luna as I think now she has got used to sleeping on her own. Anyway today I'm buying a bed protector so that the falling is solved and hopefully tonight everything will go back to normal!
Thanks again for your encouragement.
Chelito

[Lunasmum]

Hello again,
The 4th & 5th night of the big bed have passed. Thanks to the protector there is no falling!
On the 4th it took me longer for her to fall asleep as with the protector she can't see whats going on or hold mummys hand  but after a couple of songs she slept. She then woke up at 4am crying and ran straight to our bed. I took her back but she kept crying so I explain that now she had her own bed to sleep in, after a cuddle, a yogurt & 2 songs she finally went back to sleep until morning.
On the 5th she woke up around 5am (she went to bed  a little later) but this time with no crying I led her back and she fell asleep with no talking or singing just one small drinking yogurt!
I'm trying desperately to get her to sleep earlier but it is quite difficult as i don't get home from work until 7! the plan if for her to sleep at 9:30/10, wake up around 8 + 2 hours nap. But sometimes this does get later! I'm sure that if I can get an earlier bed time maybe this will help with the wakenings. Anyway I'll keep you posted. Thanks for listening, these posts also help me keep a record!
Chelito

[tylersmommy]

Chelito-

Just wanted to let you know you're not alone...we switched Tyler to the big boy bed on Saturday! We're leading parallel lives!

Our issues have been slightly different. His naps are GONE. He's napped once since Saturday, and since he takes forever to fall asleep at night, there's no way he's getting enough sleep. I'm hoping things settle down soon and he starts getting more sleep!

[Lunasmum]

Hi there, thanks for replying Melissa!
it really looks like we have parallel lives across the blue sea!
I really hope Tyler get more sleep soon & that Luna stops her night awakenings so that our parallel nights get easier!
Thanks again for sharing and keep me posted on your progress
Chelito

[Florencia]

Oh Chelito, don't worry i think you're doing a great job (well... maybe the yoghurt is not the best idea since it can become a prop and Luna might get used to wake to get her youghurt...) but take onto consideration that it is a big change, even if it doesn't seem like to you, Luna has known her crib since she was born and now she has to sleep somewhere else. Lo's react to changes in their security objects and the crib is certainly one of the most important... so it's going in the right way. At least you're seeing minor improvements each night. Keep up the good job and i'm sure we'll be laughing at this in a month or so

Melissa, CONGRATS ON YOUR PREGNANCY!!!!!!!!!! I didn't know you were pregnant, I'm so very happy for you and Tyler!!!!!!!!!!! This is great news, and I'm sure you'll have a beautiful and healthy baby. I'm sure Tyler will get used to his bed really soon, it's a big change for him, as I said before but i know you have good routines stablished and are very disciplined so it's just a matter of time.

Keep on posting girls, you'll see it will get better really soon!

[tylersmommy]

Melissa, CONGRATS ON YOUR PREGNANCY!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Florencia! Tyler's having a better day, he's actually napping today! Woo hoo! The kid's got to be exhausted...hopefully he'll get back on track soon!

Thanks for the support, gals!

[Lunasmum]

Wow, I'm glad to read some positiveness!!Melissa - good job with the naps & Florencia - Thanks for your support
I'm actually feeling really low & miserable at the moment
Last night was the worst night ever! Luna woke up about 1.5 hours after going to bed and there was just no way I could confort her or get her back to sleep. I tried everything and all the wrong things too! She wanted to sleep with me, hold my hands, songs, yogurt etc At one point I actually laid with her in her bed!! Which I feel awful about as I know that I've created a precedent! she was just so upset and crying real tears that I gave in! This went on until nearly 5am at which point I just could not go on so dh took over and I just collapse on my bed. This morning the 2 of them were sleeping on the sleeping bag!
At this moment I just feel awful, I'm at work after 3 hours sleep which doesn't help and thinking what on earth have I done wrong?
This really feels like the never ending story!
Sorry for going on I'm not at my best right now, I really hope I can report better news next time, but to be honest I'm literally dreading tonight!
Chelito

[Florencia]

Oh Chelito, I'm sorry things are so rough now! I would certainly be low with 3 hours of sleep too!

Other than being consistant i can't think of anything else. Remember that setbacks are to be expected and that it gets worse before it gets better.

You just keep going with the routine and methods, try to stick to them as much as your body allows you to. I know it's hard, specially being pregnant and having a job to attend. We mommies can't get days off, can we? Maybe you can ask for a day off, or call sick to get some catch up on sleep during the day and start over again. That's all i can think of...come here for a vent anytime you need! you'll make it, it is really hard work but i guarantee you it's totally worth it!