VR with a big bed

Anyone tried verbal reassurance with a 18(ish) month old when they are in a big bed?
We have been trying this to get DD to settle herself to sleep without DH or myself lying with her (which is causing her to wake at night needing to be resettled the same way, less than ideal!) and although it does work (she falls alseep within 5 minutes in the day, within 20 minutes at night), she always falls asleep right behind her door (which we close after she comes out 3 times, and she does that every time).
Her door opens inwards and is sticky (you kinda have to force it) so as soon as I try to get in to move her to her bed, she wakes and it starts the whole process again. That's fine for her day sleep as its warm enough but not so much at night.

Ideas on how to get around that??

Our other option which we having been trying is gradual removal from the room - i.e. first couple of nights I sit on her bed rather than lying next to her, then I move to a seat in her room, then sitting by the door, then just out the door etc until I dont need to be in there at all. It is reducing her night wake ups but its bloody slow going and last night shes gone backwards a bit with it - was hysterical until I sat on the bed and kept hold of my hand, I had been on the chair at that stage (not to mention its bloody uncomfortable sitting on the bed for as long as its taking when you are the size of a whale).

Any suggestions would be great!

We had to make a sudden one as when we tried VR at 14 months, she climbed out of her cot and faceplated the floor. Result being a chipped front tooth and her being terrified of her cot. So she's been in the bed for 4 months so far (which is a mattress on the floor, her new bed is at BILs house an hour away and we haven't had the time to go and get it with calving).

The 'plan' was to make the transition about now when she should have had her sleep sorted (with the above mentioned VR) but that was not to be. Wasn't too worried about moving before bub comes as our bassinet is massive and could easily cover the first 6 months for new baby.

Tricky, tricky huh!

Oh no KerryLea, that sounds really rough :-( Hope someone pops in here with something helpful, i'm dreading the transition too!

Had thought about that too Danda but she will just shut the door and create the same issue.
Wriggle wrap could be a solution but I suspect that she may not react well to it as she hates being restricted (she was never one to like being wrapped past about 3 months and hates her blankets being too tight) - maybe she would just need to get used to that?