At what age did your baby start sleeping in their crib?

Brittany - posted on 04/09/2011

I started the transition at 3 months. I read in multiple places that is the best time. It took us about 2 weeks total. I started with putting her in the crib after her last night feeding. Then after she got used to that (about 3 days). I started at the beginning of the night. The first night was horrible, it took over an hour just to get her to fall asleep. I held her leaning over her crib.

By about the 7th day she only cried 15 minutes with me holding her. After a couple more days I just placed her in her crib. If she cried for more than 5 minutes I'd go in reasure her then leave. By the end of the week she easily fell asleep in that 5 minute time. At about 4 1/2 months she barely cried (unless she was kept up to late and over tired or sick).

ASHLEY - posted on 04/09/2011

10 wks. in his own room. If he isn't ready for the crib try getting a fisher price rock n play sleeper it is awesome my 2 boys hated the bassinet but for some reason my youngest will sleep in this =)

Ariel - posted on 04/08/2011

my son (now 8 months) is only learning to sleep in his own crib but i sure wish i had enforced it earlier. if hes always up try to make sure he's warm/cool enough. my son kicks his blankets off during the night and then wakes up because he is cold. other than that i would say get him into his crib sooner rather than later. you wont regret the few sleepless nights once you have your own bed back! good luck :)

Jaci - posted on 04/08/2011

My daughter went straight into her cot and doesn't really like to sleep anywhere else now. She has had a few bad nights where she sleeps with us but the majority of the time she is in her own bed. I found that with everyone being tired as much sleep when possible was the best.
The nights that she is not happy or unsettled I have found sleeping in her room on a mattress is helpful, they then feel secure and once they are sleeping you can move into your room and hopefully that will be un noticed.... Maybe this could help at first too and even if you fall asleep in there everyone has their own space and your baby gets used to their own room. If you start each night in the mattress for say a week then gradually stay for less and less time this might help you both adjust to the change. Good Luck :)

Chrissandra - posted on 09/30/2009

Try using an inclined sleep positioner. My daughter will wake up immediately if I lie her down flat on her back, but with if she is propped up in any fashion she will sleep throughout the night without any problems. Whether she's in the bouncer, the swing or on an inclined positioner pad, it works like a charm!

Ashley - posted on 09/30/2009

Mine slept in a bassinet by the bed for a month then we put him in his bed for good.About a year ago everything changed. And yes, I believe the few sleepless nights in the beginning are worth it because my son comes to our room almost every night now and we don't even know until morning and I've been stuck on my side and my husband is haging half off the bed...Please don't start letting them sleep with you! lol

Jen - posted on 09/30/2009

My daughter went in her crib the night she came home from the hospital. She did scream when we first put her in so we figured she just felt really small in a huge crib. We solved that by putting her boppy in the crib and then putting her in it. She slept in a boppy until she was 8 weeks old. She would only wake once during the night and slept through at 8 weeks old.

KerryAnn - posted on 09/30/2009

I started putting my daughter in her crib at about 10 weeks, I had planned when she was 3 months, but she was too long for hr basinet. She woke frequently for the first couple of days, but now sleeps about 6 hours straight.

Abby - posted on 09/30/2009

This is totally just my opinion and everyone's is different...but i think its sad to never let your child in your bed. There are 5 kids in my family and all of us slept with my parents when we were babies. My mom breastfed all of us til we were at least a year old so I think it was a convenience factor for her to get any sleep at all. To the people who say "you will NEVER get them out of your bed" if you sleep with your babies, i'm 22 now and I certainly don't sleep with my mom still lol....but when my sisters and I get together we still have some of our best conversations laying around in someones bed talking and giggling. My baby's 10 months old now and he's slept with us from day 1, now he sleeps most of the night in his crib and about 2 hours in our bed (when i answer that 5 am. feeding call lol). My husband and I love having him there in the mornings for playtime before dad goes to work. Whatever works for you...if you sleep with your babies you wont smother them. They probably have a bigger chance of something happening to them when you can't see or hear them in the other room when they're being left to scream themselves to sleep then when they're right next to you.

Megan - posted on 09/30/2009

We started with the basinette in our room, so she was right there if she cried... and that probably lasted 6 weeks.. there were a few nights while I was still breastfeeding that she would fall asleep next to me, and I wouldn't move her, but she now sleeps EVERY night in her own bed (well, crib). My husband and I didn't think it was safe enough for her to sleep with us, so we made it a point to start right off the bat with her sleeping in her own bed.. plus I don't want any bad habits...! night time is the only time my husband and I get together, just the 2 of us.. I don't want baby in the middle!



The other thing that helps is having a fan in the room. Not blowing on baby or anything, but the noise is VERY heplful.. similar to the way those heartbeat/ocean noise things work...

Tracy - posted on 09/30/2009

My daughter was the same way but she didn't sleep with me she only would sleep in her bouncer. I asked all the mothers I knew and everyone had different answers. I asked my doctor and he said that it's normal. It was about 4-6 weeks and she finally slept in her crib! It is just a phase that some babys go through I believe. Your son will eventually grow out of it.

Savannah - posted on 09/30/2009

An easy tip for you: Take a shirt or two that you have already worn and smells like you and put it in his crib for him to lay on. It won't make him want to automatically go in there but it will def make it easier for him. And the monitors that have the sounds of the heart beat/what it sounds like in the womb. That helped my daughter A LOT.

Alaina - posted on 09/30/2009

When my daughter came home from hospital she slept in a bassinet next to our bed day and night as I was breast feeding and could keep an eye on her too. As she got older (approx 2mths old) during the day I would put her to sleep in her cot in her own room so she would get used to sleeping in there and if there was any problems during the day at least I wasn't up during the night losing any sleep!. As soon as my daughter was 3mths old I put her in her cot to sleep at night and had a baby monitor aswell. I never had any problems with her sleeping as it was all a gradual process and not a big shock for her to go from sleeping in our room to sleeping on her own. Hope this helps! Good Luck.

Alexis - posted on 09/30/2009

My son didnt sleep in his crib until he was about 2 months old, he slept un bed with us. But do not keep him in your bed too long because then its that much harder to get them back out of your bed and into their own bed. With my daughter never would sleep in her crib, she went from a pack and play to a toddler bed but we didnt get her used to being in our bed at all.

Christina - posted on 09/30/2009

My son Garrett just started sleeping in his crib, he's 4 months. We had him in a bassinet for 2 months in our room, then he bacame to long for it, so we put him in a pack'n'play in our room. He just turned 4 months and has been sleeping great in his crib. We have a mobile that lights up and plays music that he loves to watch.

Melanie - posted on 09/30/2009

my daughter sleep with me until she was 6mths her and i both liked it so it worked for us. but with my son i just wasnt comfterble. So for nabout 1 mth i slept with him then i slowlytransitioned him into his bed that was right next to mine.I foound that if swadled him thight so that he couldnt move he would stay a sleep longer.But he never sleept threw the nite he is just starting to now at 8 mth old lol. i guess its up to u i dont think u hurt yr child by sleeping with him i think when u are both ready you can just as easily transition. My daughter sleept threw the nite a 2 mths and still does lol she sleeps in her own bed now and she is 3.

Tara - posted on 09/30/2009

Try a secure sleep for in your bed to help transition. My daughter was the same way and I had her in her own bed at 4 months thanks to one of those!

Alexis - posted on 09/30/2009

It's not unhealthy to sleep with your baby. You just have to make it a safe environment. I slept with my boy for around 6 months. He had reflux and never slept. If they fall asleep on you and you put them in their crib. They wake up cold and alone. Think of it like going to sleep in your bed and waking up in the bathroom. Xander went into his cot without too much fuss at 6 months. i started with having it in my room so he could see me if he woke up. To putting him in his own room.

Valarie - posted on 09/30/2009

you definitely want to get a routine started my daughter is almost a year old now and we're just trying to start a routine and i really wish i had gotten it over with when she was younger. It's definitely worth the sleepless nights to get him in his crib now and on a routine

Kerin - posted on 09/29/2009

With my first he started sleeping in his crib as soon as he got home and did fine. With my second son he actually sleep on my chest for the first two months. While I don't believe in co-sleeping due to SIDS, I was in so much pain there was no way I was rolling and he woke up to eat about every hour or so anyway. After that it was to his own bed. I'm expecting my third and may allow her to sleep on my chest like my 2nd did while she is a new newborn but after that she is going to her crib. Unless you plan on permanently co-sleeping I think it's best to start them sleeping in their own bed right away, that way a habit doesn't form. As for the question "Is it unhealthy for him to still be sleeping with me?" the only thing is SIDS. I know several moms who co-slept and woke up with cold blue babies in their arms, no exaggeration. The mental image is enough for me.

Jajaira - posted on 09/29/2009

It's definitely your decision how u go about it & it really depends on ur tolerance of hearing ur baby cry I think. If you want your baby to cry it out & can deal w/ that fine but if you're like me & the crying makes you feel guilty I recommend reading this book," The No Cry Sleep Solution", I used it for my first born, started at about 6 months after co sleeping & exclusively breastfeeding & my son is two years old & loves his own space in his bed. It doesn't hurt to try it I think but good luck either way, no harm will be done to your child which ever way you go. It took almost 2 weeks for him to get it but it's worth it!

Dalynn - posted on 09/29/2009

A nurse friend of mine suggested this: Wear/sleep in a t-shirt for 1-2 days to get your "scent" on it. Then lay it flat in the crib and let your son sleep on his back on top of it. At this age he still wants to be close to you and your shirt with your "scent" on it will "trick" him into thinking he is on your chest or at the very least close to you. Leave your shirt in his crib for about a week or so and by then he will be used to sleeping alone so you can remove it. It will be a hard week but stick with it and I promise it will get better. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Sara - posted on 09/29/2009

Letting the baby sleep with you in the bed is a really bad habit that is later on hard to break. I saw my friend go through that and phew..yeah..you don't want that! It's ok to let the baby cry it out so that he can adjust to the crib. Put a soothing mobil in there. Also,laminate some pictures of you,and others he may find comfort towards,and hang them from a string above his crib so that he can see them. That would help A LOT!

Suzanne - posted on 09/29/2009

My little boy has been sleeping in his crib since birth. My husband and I decided that he belong there instead our bed. He sometimes fall asleep outside of his crib but we always place him back in his crib. He sometimes cries but we let him until he fall asleep. there no harm in letting him cry. It takes time but once you start dont stop. You will get to sleep alone without your little one it just takes time and wills. Good Luck!

Suzanne - posted on 09/29/2009

My little boy has been sleeping in his crib since birth. My husband and I decided that he belong there instead our bed. He sometimes fall asleep outside of his crib but we always place him back in his crib. He sometimes cries but we let him until he fall asleep. there no harm in letting him cry. It takes time but once you start dont stop. You will get to sleep alone without your little one it just takes time and wills. Good Luck!

Veronica - posted on 09/29/2009

I put Noah in his crib for the first time the same day we got back from the hospital! LOL

I figured, he slept in his own hospital crib for the time we were there, so why take him out of his routine... what made it easier was that at the time we were living with my parents and his crib was in our room! So when we moved into our house, and Noah had his own room, I felt so wierd sleeping in a room so far from his crib! At the same time, though, logic stepped in and told me, he'll be fine, he's just sleeping a few feet farther than you're used to. At the end of the day, I had to accept that it was ME that felt uncomfortable with the separation, Noah was fine! There's even baby monitors with video to put ur mind more at ease! For now, just keep trying, that's all you can really do.

Nicole - posted on 09/29/2009

I had my daughter in her bassinet for the first few weeks and moved her to her crib at about 5-6 weeks old. She found it more comfortable to be on a mattress than the foam in the bassinet. She was always sleeping to well in our bed, so we moved her. I'd say take a weekend when you don't have to work and get him used to his crib. He may like the sound of you and your heartbeat and that's what makes him comfortable. I got my daughter this teddy bear that makes the sound of a heartbeat. It's sound activated. It's the best thing ever!!!!

Christina - posted on 09/29/2009

My kids slept in there crib since the first time we came home . Once they're in your bed. they're ALWAYS in your bed . lol

Cristi - posted on 09/29/2009

Both of my children sleep in my room in a bassinet/playpin till they were 6 months old. My son is 3 1/2 and my daughter is 1 1/2 and they sleep just fine in their own rooms. But it is all up to u and what u feel is right for u and ur baby

Jaimee - posted on 09/29/2009

this is only my opinion! my son was a small baby and his heart rate use to drop when he slept i was very scared to have him in his bassanette or cot at first but after a couple of weeks i put him in his bassanette as ppl told me if i didnt id never get him out of my bed! so i listened to them! he was also a good sleeper so i was lucky. when he was too long for his bassanette at about 2mths old i then moved him to his own room and cot, the first maybe week i was up and down all night to give him his dummy etc but he was fine after that! my suggestion is to put him in his own room and cot, tuck him in, give him a comfort toy(teddy), dummy, play some background noise leave him in there if he wont settle after 5-10min go in and cuddle/ rock him, pat his bum etc then put him back in and repeat all the above you may have to do it a few times and over a few nights but he will start to sleep! good luck and stay strong!

Samantha - posted on 09/29/2009

My daughter was the same way! I found that the only sleep I could get was when she was in bed with us. I tried everything to get her to sleep on her own, like heating her blankets up so it was nice and warm when I laid her down. I just gave it time and was patient with her and figured she will sleep on her own when she is ready, sure enough by the time she was 2 months she was in her own bed.

Samantha - posted on 09/29/2009

My daughter was the same way! I found that the only sleep I could get was when she was in bed with us. I tried everything to get her to sleep on her own, like heating her blankets up so it was nice and warm when I laid her down. I just gave it time and was patient with her and figured she will sleep on her own when she is ready, sure enough by the time she was 2 months she was in her own bed.

Amber - posted on 09/29/2009

my son is 5 weeks old and he has been sleeping in his crib since night number 1. he is still getting up at night...but when i feed him i lay him elevated on a pillow...if i hold him then i put him in his crib he screams...so the pillow thing really works for me. but in the morning when he gets up around 7ish...i lay him down with me for the last hour...and he is doing great!

Christine - posted on 09/29/2009

We've made a schedule with our son. It took us a little while and a lot of patience, but it is well worth it. We put him to bed with a nice warm bottle (we put a little rice cereal in it to keep him tied over but we did it when he was old enough). And turned his soother on and just left the door open a crack. He eventually goes to sleep but sometimes he cries. That's where the patience comes in. You can't go get him though or he'll put two and two together. Some nights are harder than others. He was about 5 1/2 months old when we started it and he sleeps great and so do we! Good luck

Lisa - posted on 09/29/2009

It is ok if you want him to sleep with you... there is nothing wrong with co-sleeping if you want to. My son has always slept in either his bassinet, or his crib (from 1.5 months on).

He always slept fine by himself, but for the first few months he always went to sleep while eating before bed.

I would recommend practicing during the day and being consistent with whatever it is you decide to do. He will adjust. You just have to do to what works best for you!

Shawna - posted on 09/29/2009

My daughter went to her bed pretty easily but when she first came home I had a moses basket that let her sleep beside me but not in my bed. I loved the fact that I could see her and even hold her hand or rub her while she went to sleep and it made her feel more secure at night. prob around her being a month or two old i moved her into her own room in a crib. She sleeps through the night most everynight and also puts herself to bed( I don't have to hold and rock her)Sometimes she would cry but I would give her about 10 mins and if she was still upset i'd go in lay her back down and leave again. Usually within 20 to 30 mins she was asleep. It is different with everyone, but I hope you find a way that works for you and hope i could be of some help.

Sonia - posted on 09/29/2009

I have always had my kids in their crib from day one first the bassinet then the crib but no babies in the bed is the big rule bacause u need time for u and ur honey too.. but I think that it should start from the begginig so u dont have transition problems later

Samantha - posted on 09/29/2009

i would say it is important to get them in thier own bed asap my four year old slept in my bed from the time she was born till she was 2 it was really tough but wut i did was puut her bed in my room till she got used to sleepin in it then i moved it to her room and would sit with her till she fell asleep then over a few weeks i would work my way closer to the door until i was out of the room completly it does take time, when my youngest was born right after she was done eatin i would lay her in her bed and let her fall asleep in there an her own sometimes she would cry bt u have to let cry for a min it is actually good for them whn thier that little.

Heather - posted on 09/29/2009

My son slept in his crib since day one. But we had a period of time where we had alot of visitors...so we moved his crib in the bedroom with us. When we finally moved his crib back to his own room he had a hard time being alone. It was hard the first several days, and we lost alot of sleep. But we knew it had to be done. Just keep it up...the sooner you can get him to sleep on his own the happier you both will be. :)

Kendra - posted on 09/29/2009

i had the same problem with my second child. my first son slept with me, because we both enjoyed it, and around 6 months started wanting his own space so from then on he slept in his own bed. now my second son would not sleep without me next to him AT ALL! i thought i would go crazy because he would only want to sleep next to me PLUS he wanted to nurse all night long! out of exhaustion i kept trying to get him to sleep by himself but it wouldnt work. so i just gave up and figured it wouldnt be like this forever, i was positive i wouldnt have a 10 year old in bed nursing lol and sure enough, 6 months rolled around, he wanted his space, and has slept in his own bed every night since then :D

Shawnda - posted on 09/29/2009

umm i might not be able help u to well my daughter 2 now still sleeps with me but i think it be best to start puttin him in his crib while he young he get use to sleepin in his bed that was my mastack wish i put my in her bed while she was a baby but i didnt and she still in bed with me i tried puttin her in her bed now she jus gets up comes in my room.....

Dannielle - posted on 09/29/2009

my son was the same but by the time he was 3 weeks old i put him his his crib and left him to cry for about 5-10 minutes, then went up gve him a hug and his dummy and put him back in his crib, i hated doing it and i felt so bad and guilty but after a few nights he realised he wasnt going to get his own way and sleep with me, and he was fine sleeping in his crib.(which was in my room) it gets worse as they get older if you leave it as i noticed with a few of my friends children. by the time my son was a month old he was sleeping through the night in his own crib so when he was 3 months i put him in his own room and again it took him a night or 2 to get used to it but he did. hope that helps xx

Maria - posted on 09/29/2009

My son is 3 months old and 2 weeks and he has been sleeping in his crib since we came home from the hospital. During the day he napped in his bassinet, and at night he sleeps in his crib. How soon do you try to move him to his crib? I feed my son and by time he's finished his bottle he's sleeping then we cuddle for half an hour or so after his bottle to make sure he's in a deep sleep before I put him down. Make sure he's in a deep sleep before you move him, try and raise one of his arms if the arm falls limp hes likely in a deep sleep and you can try to move him if he shows resistance wait a while. In the long run it'll be worth it, plus you don't want to risk the dangers that co-sleeping can bring. Good luck and keep trying! Remember Patience is the key.

Amber - posted on 09/29/2009

moved the crib from the nursery to my room*

Amber - posted on 09/29/2009

I had the same problem with my daughter. When I brought her home from the hospital she slept in her crib but she would wake up in the middle of the night crying so I would put her in bed with me & she would go straight to sleep. I started putting her back in her crib when she was about 3 months old. I moved the crib from the nursery & I would rock her to sleep then put her in her crib. For the first few days she would wake up crying & want to get in bed with me. I would rock her back to sleep & put her in her crib. Now she sleeps in her crib fine & she even likes to get in her crib & play during the day.

Jane - posted on 09/29/2009

We put my both of our kids into their cribs as soon as we came home. It worked for a while but the both managed to weasel their way into our bed. lol

Megan - posted on 09/29/2009

I put my little girl in her crib at 6 months and tried the cry method mentioned in the book baby 411. After 2 bad nights macie has slept through the night everynight. It has been a dream to sprawl out after the nine months of horrible sleep. :)

Sarah - posted on 09/29/2009

my baby went to sleep in his crib in the same day we came from the hospital

Trinity - posted on 09/29/2009

My son slept in our room with us until 4 months old. If there were nights that I couldn't get him to go back to sleep easily I would just lay him next to me and he'd go right to sleep. But I didn't want that habit to continue so I would rock him at bed time and sing him a song for a few minutes and put him down in his crib. That way he would learn how to sleep on his own. It worked like a charm. Good luck :)

Saskia - posted on 09/29/2009

Quoting Brittany :

So its ok to lay him down when hes still awake and let him cry for 45min or untill he falls asleep?

when i moved my eldest into his crib at 6 months ( he was in a moses basket by the side of tyhe bed until then) i let him cry sometimes for an hour all I did is go in the room stroke his head reassure him i'm not gone after a week he slowly cried less and after 2 not at all