Transitioning from co-sleeping to their own bed, where do you even start?

Question

We're ready to move our 2.5 year old out of our bed into her own room but I honestly don't know where to begin, she's literally never slept anywhere but next to me. Do you do it all at once or bit by bit? And own room straight away or start in ours?

Gemma Coe · Accepted Answer

Hi Kate, I would start by helping her bedroom feel familiar and positive before expecting her to sleep there. Spend time playing, reading and having cuddles in the room during the day. You can also gently practise popping in and out while she plays, gradually allowing her to spend slightly longer periods there without you, so being in the room alone does not feel completely new. Next, begin moving parts of the bedtime routine into her bedroom, such as getting into pyjamas, reading stories or having a final cuddle there. When you feel ready to make the move, you could choose a weekend and temporarily camp out in her room on a separate mattress while she gets used to falling asleep and waking in her new bed. In the morning, make a lovely fuss of the fact that she slept and woke up there. If she settles well, you can gradually start moving back towards your own room. You may prefer to continue sleeping nearby for a little longer, or keep a temporary mattress available in case she needs support during the night. There is no need to rush this. She has always slept beside you, so the aim is to help her build a happy, secure relationship with her new room and bed, then gradually reduce how much support she needs. Make sure the room is fully toddler-proofed before she begins sleeping there independently. I hope that helps!

Yasmin · Answer

We did it in stages over about three weeks. Started with her mattress on our bedroom floor, then moved that into her own room and I slept in there with her, then I sat next to the bed, then by the door. Few nights on each step. Slow going but she never felt dumped and there were hardly any tears. Doing her room up together and letting her choose the bedding made her weirdly proud of it.