The No-Cry Sleep Solution - We can do this!

I've been reading through Elizabeth Pantley's No-Cry Sleep Solution and soaking it up.  It makes so much sense!  I now have a goal of my son being able to sleep on his own one day and confidence that we can make it happen without any crying!  In preparation for it, I have started to work on his dependence of suckling to fall asleep.  Also, looking toward a time when he is sleeping on his own, I want to have a variety of ways to comfort him, so I'm going to adopt her suggestions of a lovey and key words.

Like I mentioned, I started the Pantley Pull Off with Mister during night feedings and we are down to one PPO, rarely two.  I used to let him nurse and suckle as long as he wanted, often he'd pop off himself once he was in a deep enough sleep.  Not anymore, he nurses one side, then the other and as soon as his swallowing has stopped and the sucking has slowed, I do a PPO and he rolls over and falls the rest of the way to sleep on his own.  It's awesome!

I have selected a little blue teddy from his collection to be his 'lovey', so it 'snuggles' with us in bed when he is nursing.  And while he is drifting off to sleep I have started whispering key words (i.e. night night, sweet dreams) as sleep cues for later use when he is going to sleep on his own.

Imagine my surprise when I found Pantley's step-by-step instructions to transitioning baby from co-sleeping to his own bed!  Jackpot!  Four easy steps that I can visualize and see them working for us.  Our first issue was Mister's dependency on nursing, which we are already addressing with success.  The next big issue when he was 5 months old and we tried moving him to his crib was that he would fall asleep in our arms and wake with the slightest movement.  He needs to be able to put himself to sleep, since we can't move him once he is asleep.  Another thing is getting him used to his room, as he's hardly slept in there at all.  I can see how Pantley's step-by-step instructions will help us address the issue of him being moved and see success at the end of the tunnel.

Pantley's approach is very gentle and flexible.  She suggests completing each step for 2-7 nights, or until everyone is comfortable and ready to move onto the next step. (These steps would be similar if moving baby to a mattress on the floor and eventually into their own bed in their room).

Step 1 - Remove front railing from crib and place right alongside co-sleeping bed.  Night nurse as usual with baby on his own crib mattress and mommy on co-sleeping bed.  Therefore, nothing is really changing expect that baby is getting used to a different mattress, a little more space between mommy and baby, sounds the crib might make and being surrounded by crib railings (3 sides - likely doesn't feel as 'cagey' for baby).

Step 2 - Replace front railing on crib but keep the crib right up close to mommy's bed so baby can still see, hear, touch mommy.

Step 3 - Move mommy's bed away from the crib, but baby can still see and hear mommy.

Step 4 - Move crib to baby's room.

My brain started reeling...how can I adapt this to my little Mister and make it work for us?

• We want him comfortable in his own room, so why not do all of this in his room, then he's used to it by the time I move out?  So we'll change the suggested setting and move my bed into his room. 
• Because moving him when he is asleep has been an issue all along, he needs to get used to being moved and then finish falling asleep on his own.  So, I'll nurse him in my bed and then move him to the crib right after, when he is still not all the way asleep. 
• Once the crib railing is back on, it will be impossible for me to put him down onto the mattress asleep (I also have a bad back), he will have to go in more awake.  So we'll add an additional step between 1 and 2 and place one of our bed railings between the crib and bed, so I have to lift him over it after each nursing, so he'll get used to being picked up and moved and having to fall asleep alone with a barrier between us.

I've got to talk to my hubby about all this...I think this will work...and possibly without any crying!!!  I'm thrilled!