From about 6 months old Emma has slept in the bed with me and Drew. Neither of us have ever minded it, we actually loved her being right with us. And we wouldn't really mind if she stayed in our bed for a few more years (at least, ha).
We had decided, though, with the new baby coming that it is probably best that Emma start sleeping in her own bed. Unless we're the luckiest parents in the world the new baby will be getting up several times a night. And since the baby will be sleeping in a bassinet in our room we were afraid that it would cause Emma to lose sleep as well.
So a few weeks ago we started step 1 of the plan. Emma takes a nap on the couch every afternoon. So our first step was to have her start falling asleep on her own in my bed, since she is used to being in my bed. It didn't take a day and she was perfectly fine with napping in my bed.
Step 2 was getting Emma to fall asleep and take a nap in her bed. So after a week of napping in my bed we switched her to napping in her own bed. Again, it didn't take a day and she was perfectly fine with napping in her own bed.
So why am I so surprised that she fell asleep tonight in her own bed at bedtime for the first time ever?? Step 3 worked like a charm. She did so great. Drew and I read her a book together, said our night night prayers and gave kisses (which is our usual bedtime routine, just in our bed). She didn't cry and only yelled for me once for another kiss then she was out like a light.
I sure hope she keeps this up.
We had decided, though, with the new baby coming that it is probably best that Emma start sleeping in her own bed. Unless we're the luckiest parents in the world the new baby will be getting up several times a night. And since the baby will be sleeping in a bassinet in our room we were afraid that it would cause Emma to lose sleep as well.
So a few weeks ago we started step 1 of the plan. Emma takes a nap on the couch every afternoon. So our first step was to have her start falling asleep on her own in my bed, since she is used to being in my bed. It didn't take a day and she was perfectly fine with napping in my bed.
Step 2 was getting Emma to fall asleep and take a nap in her bed. So after a week of napping in my bed we switched her to napping in her own bed. Again, it didn't take a day and she was perfectly fine with napping in her own bed.
So why am I so surprised that she fell asleep tonight in her own bed at bedtime for the first time ever?? Step 3 worked like a charm. She did so great. Drew and I read her a book together, said our night night prayers and gave kisses (which is our usual bedtime routine, just in our bed). She didn't cry and only yelled for me once for another kiss then she was out like a light.
I sure hope she keeps this up.
