I'm pregnant with our second, and DD will be 3 in Jan. When I was pregnant with DD, we set up and decorated her whole room, but she actually barely spent any time in it until she was 3 months. She slept in our room in a co-sleeper, we hung out downstairs, so I really just took her into her room to get dressed since her dresser and closet were in there. So, with our next kid, DH and I are thinking about not even setting up a room, since we're planning to keep the baby in our room for the first couple of months anyways. Our bedroom is large and is a rectangle with our bed and dresser at one end, and the other end is supposed to be a sitting area. We were thinking about putting the cosleeper and a dresser(changing table) in the sitting area space, and not dealing with decorating a room until later. There would be room for a glider, too. Also, our bedroom is closer to the kitchen and living room, so it would be more convenient. DD is currently in the baby's future room, so we have to deal with moving her to the guest room. So, the few people we've mentioned this plan to are horrified that we are not planning to give our new baby it's own room. Is it so awful that the baby doesn't have it's own room? I just feel like it was a waste of space for the first few months of DD's life. I guess this could also be some guilt I'm feeling for not being all ecstatic about this pregnancy. I feel like I'm looking at things from a more practical planning standpoint this time around.
Re: Moms of 2+: Getting ready for the next one
TTC since 11/05...ectopic pg 4/08...early m/c 6/09...BFP 10/5/09!

Nora B...June 15, 2010...8lbs, 8oz...Med-free birth!
TTC #2 since 7/11...cycle #3 of Clomid + IUI = BFP

Malcolm...September 21, 2012...8lbs, 6oz...Another med-free birth!
We moved DD1 to her new room a few months before her sister was born. I wanted her to be excited about her new big girl room and I didn't want her to associate moving out of her old room with the baby. I didn't order anything new for DD2. Her room looks almost exactly like it did when DD1 was a baby. DD2 didn't sleep in her room for two months or so, but I'm still glad we moved DD1 before DD2 was born. I don't think it's terrible that you don't want to set up the baby room until it will be used. Do what works for you.
Honestly, I wish I would have done what you are saying. DS is 5 months old and has never slept in his room. He doesn't even go in there to play, all of his stuff is in our living room. I set his room up as soon as I found out he was a boy. It will have been set up for almost a year by the time he actually sleeps in there. I am already sick of the decor and he is not even using his room!
Oh, and I also bought another crib because I was convinced DD would still be using a crib. However, she has been out of a crib for about 9 months. I really could have saved a lot of money just buying a toddler bed instead of a crib.
Oh well!
Do what you think works best and forget about everyone else!
We were different. DS slept in his room from birth and I made sure I had a daybed in his room. We did this for a few reasons and I am glad I did!
1. DD room is closest to our master bedroom. The newborn crying was going to wake her up!
2. DH went to work almost right away and since I was bfing anyways he wasn't going to be much help in the middle of the night yet he would be woken up every 2-2.5 hours.
3. i didn't see the point of having all the newborn diapers, wipes & wipe warmer, extra clothing, changing area, bassinet (which neither kid ever slept in) all in my room when I had a nursery put together in his room ...with glider!
4. He ONLY would sleep in the swing (turned off) so it was nice for me to have it right up against my day bed in the room. I would pick him up nurse him, change him on the changing table/dresser, sit back into the glider and nurse more then lay him back into the swing and go to sleep. By 3.5 months I had him in the crib with a crib wedge (reflux) and I had an angelcare monitor in our room.
I think setting up and decorating a room for a newborn is a total waste (IMHO). I mean, if the parents want to and it brings them happiness I think that they should go for it, but a newborn doesn't need or care about a decorated room.
When DD was born, we kept her in our room until she was 4 mos, then moved her into DS' room (they still share). We got some new blankets and crib sheets, but did not decorate for her. We were much more practical when #2 was born.
I have heard of people getting the older sibling involved in setting up the new baby's room and I think that is a nice idea. I think it would he the older sib feel like a part of the process
We are trying for #2. If we get pregnant, we'll setup a small "nursery" in the guest bedroom. Just setup the crib and put the babys clothes in the dresser already in there.
For the first 3 months he/she will sleep in our room in the basinet.
We'll be moving in 2014, so when we move to our new house he/she will get a real room. (If its a girl she'll most likely share with DD).