Recipe for Claire's Sleep

Claire has slept in her own bed almost a week now (exception noted at bottom), and here is my recipe for our success! I'm definitely posting this one with trepidation because I'm afraid saying it will make it not true anymore, but what the heck. :) Before this, we have been mostly co-sleeping on the chaise in our room, but I figured out some of the elements that Claire needed and built them into her custom bed that I realize is not kosher to the American Academy of Pediatrics but works for us. My plan is to slowly transition and take away elements, but it's hard to poo-poo at sleeping in my own bed instead of fitting in whatever space Claire leaves me on the chaise!

Claire @ 9:15am after going down at 5:30am! She awoke 15 min later.

PREP TIME 15 Min
EXECUTION 5 Min
SLEEP TIME 2-4 Hours

INGREDIENTS
1 Baby
1 Bassinet
1 Fleece blanket
2 Flannel receiving blankets (preferably gently used)
1 Thermal blanket
1 Sleep positioner with heartbeat
1 Pacifier
2 Used breast pads (gross, I know)
2 Warm adult hands

PREPARATION

1. Tilt bassinet pad at an angle by inserting a rolled-up fleece blanket under the length of the bassinet pad.
2. Fold one used flannel receiving blanket to desired size and tuck ends under bassinet pad
3. Take 2 used breast pads and roll up into other receiving blanket in the area of where they would be if co-sleeping. Tuck ends of blanket under bassinet pad.
4. Place heartbeat mechanism in sleep positioner around where the breast pads are (and where your heart would be if co-sleeping).
5. Optional: Lay thermal blanket over where baby will be (bottom 1/3) and tuck in 2 sides.
6. Place pacifier nearby just in case.

EXECUTION

1. Place baby -- either drowsy or already asleep -- in bassinet (in our case, on her side with bottom arm and leg extended so there is no chage of rolling on stomach)
2. Optional: Cover with thermal blanket and tuck in remaining side under rolled-up receiving blanket
3. Place warm adult hands on baby to reassure her of presence and then slowly remove one hand at a time and back away slowly
4. Baby will roll onto back at some point which is preferred and fine.
5. For fussing, cover baby with warm hands until settles again. Can try pacifier but you then assume responsibility of getting up every 10 minutes to replace in mouth. Better route is to wait until baby starts falling asleep and slowly pull pacifier out of mouth and place in the same designated place for easy access (you don't want to be fishing around the bassinet for that thing in the dark with a waking baby).
6. For feedings, feed, burp, and place back in bed per #1.

NOTES

1. Claire's a "snacker" and doesn't go more than 2 hours at a time without eating during the day and 4 hours at night (hence the 2-4 hours).
2. We had some issues last Thursday night (see "Claire sucks" posting) but after being cranky all day and evening Friday, she got a long car ride when I went to pick Debbie up from the airport at 10:30pm. After we got home at 11:30pm, we left her in her carrier figuring she would wake around 12:30am to feed ... surprise, surprise, she slept until 4:30am! I fed her put her in her bassinet, and all went well.