On a scale of 1-10, how crazy is this idea?

[pipnchops]

Have two DDs, almost 3 and almost 1. DD2 it's ebf bottle and dummy refuser, sleeps in cot by side of my bed until about midnight when she won't settle unless in bed with me and on and off boob the rest of the night. DD3 similarly starts the night in bed in her own room but wakes up in the early hours and won't go back to sleep unless DH sleeps next to her, so they go in the spare bed. We've basically done what needed to be done to get as much sleep as possible. The grand plan is that when DD2 stops night feeds the girls will share a bedroom.

Here's the crazy idea... if we put them in the same room now, we wonder whether this will help them both sleep. DD2 might settle better without me and my boob in such close proximity. DD1 might like having company in the night. Me and DH might get a decent nights sleep. I know this would take some work and wouldn't taken immediately. But if we carry on waiting for them to change we might be waiting a while. So I'm thinking we force the issue.

I am going away for two nights at the beginning of December and at the moment DD2 won't settle without me, so this is worrying me too and is the main reason why I'm not keen to just drift along the way things are.

[pipnchops]

Sorry should have proof read before posting.... do not have a DD3, I meant to say DD1!

[FATEdestiny]

I would say they are a bit too young to 'get it' yet. Nice plan though.

I know two families who had a bedroom each for their children but have found that both sleep better when sharing a room together. This is more school age though, from 4 or 5 years old onwards.

I fear that they probably would keep each other awake at the moment, especially your 1 year old keeping your 3 year old up. But I would definitely keep this idea as an option for the future.

How about a family bed?

You can get mattress connectors on Amazon. You could physically attach two single beds either side of your bed. Or sidecar a cot into one side and a bed onto the other. Couple of images I found on Google attached.

[pipnchops]

Thanks Fate. I like that idea but our room isn't big enough unfortunately and what we're doing currently is almost as good as that. I suppose my main goal is to get it so DD2 doesn't need me to settle her back to sleep each night so I was looking at ways to start reducing the night feeds. Neither of us are happy to do anything that involves her crying so looking for a gentle way to get her sleeping more independently.