Co Sleeping - The Transition

As you know, if you've read my previous post about co sleeping I'm a big fan. However at some point there is going to be that period of time where they are heading into their own bed. We are there right now with our youngest (almost 2) and the same plan we used for Lucy seem to be working again. 

Transitioning Lucy our oldest so the she was mostly in her own bed was fairly long but fairly easy as tasks go. Although she doesn't spend every night in there its usually only once or twice a week that she will jump in with us. I think her transition was made easier by the fact she was in control. she was already taking naps in her room on a blanket without us. So we took that as a sign to move her into a bed of her own. We went to Ikea and let her pick out her bed (within reason) and covers and she spent the rest of the day helping me unpack it, set it up and make it with her blankets. By the time we were done she was so ecstatic with how she had picked and made her own bed she slept in it that night, well half the night. 

From then on if she fell asleep or went down for a nap it was always in her own bed. Lucy's ownership of the bed and its construction really seemed to make her want to use it. We made a point of not being to stern about the sleep transition (and still aren't) so she felt comfortable. If there was a night she was up and couldn't sleep, it was her choice to sleep in our bed or hers. Also it helps that Lucy and Tilley's bedroom is right next to ours, so it's easy for them to get up in the night and snuggle in with us. 

So now we are heading the same way with Tilley. We took a trip to get her bed a couple of months ago and she helped build it. She happily sleeps there at least 2 -4 night's a week. Which means that we have no kids in our bed. Although we aren't full there yet I can see a time where there will potentially be 7 days a week that the girls will be in their own beds all night. I do have some duplicity about it, wanting to have them snuggled up with me but wanting them to have a little independence. However is going pretty smoothly right now so I think i'm calling 'putting them in the drive seat' of getting into their own beds a parenting win so far. ​