Siblings sharing a room

Bellodomani

Ok, so next month we will be moving across the country, to a 2 bedroom apartment. I'm eager to get my baby out of the bedroom so I can stop sleeping with earplugs in, but nervous about the process of getting two kids to bed in the same room! My son will be 3 in September- still sleeps in a crib, but we plan on switching him to a bed when we move. They currently both go to bed at 7:00 and both go to bed pretty easily. The baby wakes up around 5:30 or 6 to eat, and I would probably bring her into our room to eat and finish out the night. I imagine my son would sleep through us getting her out but it would be a total pain in the ass if he didn't. Also, 4 month sleep regression will probably mess everything up for us and she'll be up way more often, at least during the regression if not for a long time after. 

Would you wait to put them together until after the regression to see how things shake out? Have them share now and move her back to our room if things get bad? What if things stay bad for a really long time (my son didn't sleep through the night from 4 months- 9 months)? If you are facing this problem/ have faced this problem with previous kids, what's the game plan?

kbrands7

Our boys will be sharing a room. Right now, there is a crib in the room for DS2 that he uses for naps sometimes, but he sleeps over night in the PNP in DH's and my bedroom. I'm waiting until the 4mo sleep regression passes, and until DS1 more reliably sleeps through before rooming them together fulltime. Right now, sometimes DS1 sleeps through, but more often he has one wakeup. Sometimes its a big, disruptive sh*t show; other times he puts himself right back to sleep but moves to either the floor or his chair. The movement is what has me worried because I dont want him to be awake and try to give things to DS2 in the crib. DS2 is waking twice in the early morning and is pretty quiet about it.

Bltbear82

Following this. We are getting DS1's room ready to transition from crib to bed in the next few weeks but I have no clue when we will actually be able to move the baby in. 

LondonToSavannah

Also following. DS1 was moved to his own room at two months, and I'm desperate to move DS2 into their room asap.

Right now my older son goes to bed at 7 and sleeps until 6-7. The baby goes down for the night about 10 and sleeps until about 5-6, but will wake up about 3 if I don't stick a pacifier in his mouth. Ugh.  

mmemartinez

They are set up to share a room. I bought a video monitor to keep an eye on DS1 putting things in the crib. He is 4 so he understands but may do it anyway. DS1 is also a pretty heavy sleeper. Right now DS2 is in the bassinet in our room and it has a high weight limit so he should be there for awhile longer. Once he outgrows it we will switch him to the shared room. But since we are nursing I imagine he will still end up in bed with DH and I. That is already starting to happen because I fall asleep while feeding him and so does he.

camillaandcarson

I am probably over protective but I would not feel comfortable leaving my young child (who is the oldest but still young) alone in room with the baby unsupervised - monitor or not. Mine is so "helpful" and loves to share things like stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets. I would be so anxious the whole time! 

Bellodomani

camillaandcarson said:

I am probably over protective but I would not feel comfortable leaving my young child (who is the oldest but still young) alone in room with the baby unsupervised - monitor or not. Mine is so "helpful" and loves to share things like stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets. I would be so anxious the whole time! 

That's interesting, I really hadn't thought about that at all. I think if I explained how important it was that he not put anything in her crib, my son would listen, but I guess I'm not 100% sure. I talked to my mom about this just now and she said she always kept the youngest baby in her room until 6-8 months before letting them join the general population because she figured at that point they'd be old enough to defend themselves a bit, pull blankets off their faces, etc. I think if I can tolerate having her in our room until maybe January or so, she'll be a bit older, my son will be 3, and that might be a better time to start them off with sharing a room. I haven't actually seen the apartment we'll be in, but I guess it has two separate living spaces, like a dining room and a living room, so maybe we can do some makeshift room situation with one of those for a time. 

kbrands7

camillaandcarson said:

I am probably over protective but I would not feel comfortable leaving my young child (who is the oldest but still young) alone in room with the baby unsupervised - monitor or not. Mine is so "helpful" and loves to share things like stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets. I would be so anxious the whole time! 

This is the main reason why they won't be sleeping together over night anytime soon! Even if DS1 starts sleeping through more consistently, I probably still won't feel comfortable with DS2 in the crib in there until he's at the age where he'll reliably wake up and move away if something is near his face.

kami09

camillaandcarson said:

I am probably over protective but I would not feel comfortable leaving my young child (who is the oldest but still young) alone in room with the baby unsupervised - monitor or not. Mine is so "helpful" and loves to share things like stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets. I would be so anxious the whole time! 

DD was in the swing downstairs while DS was watching Octonauts...I ran upstairs to brush my teeth & he tried throwing all pillows and blankets that were on the couch onto her. & then I heard a loud thump...& ran downstairs to him underneath the swing. He apparently tried jumping on her, missed and fell underneath. So moral of the story is...I can't ever brush my teeth again.

ETA: So, we won't be having them in the same room anytime soon.

Bluejay3030

camillaandcarson said:

I am probably over protective but I would not feel comfortable leaving my young child (who is the oldest but still young) alone in room with the baby unsupervised - monitor or not. Mine is so "helpful" and loves to share things like stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets. I would be so anxious the whole time! 

I wouldn't trust my 2.5 yo to share a room with the baby just yet, either.  DD wouldn't hurt him intentionally, but she often tries to smother him with affection (quite literally).