Back in the crib

After months of trying RC in her bed because it was safer, we are back to the crib for our sanity.

She's not a great sleeper. She never has been. It may be partially that we didn't know what we were doing in setting up good sleep behaviors. It may be partially her nature. Regardless of what 'caused' it, it's there.

The fact is that she never asked for a big bed. She's never seemed ready for it to me. The only reason we put her in it was because she climbed out and most people say that means we have to transition her. Having thought about it, and read some more, I realize that she never hurt herself climbing and it never seemed that she would. She only climbed when she was alert and being careful. At this point, the girl knows how to climb and do it safely so safety concerns are pretty moot.

She won't stay in bed. She doesn't grasp that she has to stay in bed to sleep. She wants to play and keep going until she just can't keep her eyes open any longer. In her crib, she'd fuss for a bit and then she'd sleep, just like she needs to do.

Anyway...in my reading, I think I've decided that she's not getting enough sleep since giving up her nap. Giving up the nap is mostly my fault. I wasn't consistent with her routine or giving her a place to rest or anything. She gave it up and I/we have suffered for it with cranky afternoons. Last night, she slept for 14 hours (instead of her usual 11), waking at 10am (instead of 7ish). That was the last piece of correlation I needed.

Given that, she's back in her crib. She fussed for an hour at nap time, but the lack of playing = downtime and I think we had a better afternoon for it. Tonight, she got herself to sleep without Chrys. It might have taken 15 minutes instead of 10, but hopefully she'll relearn how to soothe herself and we'll all get more sleep in the meantime.

I don't want to be a sleep nazi. She's always been pretty flexible with changes in schedule. Heck, she went back and forth to Japan enough and did great. Nevertheless, I need to recognize that, as she ages, she needs more structure to get her through and I need to help that, for both our sakes.