To have my 8 week old baby sleeping in her own room

[Olivetti]

My little girl (8 weeks) has slept in her own room since she was 3 weeks old. She currently sleeps 7-9 hours and I wake up if she even squeaks loudly, and check on her - she usually just seems to be dreaming. She's putting on weight and thriving. I remember very heated debate about this on MN when I was pregnant, so just wondering whether people think it's ok, given she seems to be happy enough.

Hi Snala,

Interesting.... I don't think I would ignore any new or recent guidelines, just that to me I would be more sceptical, the evidence would have to be very compelling, otherwise in the back of my mind I'd be thinking... Ah this is one of their "new" pieces of advice, human beings have been parenting successfully for a long time now and I'll think I'll go with what feels best for me.

Brices,I totally agree you should go with what feels best for you. Its obviously your choice.

The advice about room sharing has been around for well over 10 years though so isn't really new.

People parent how they think best and thats up to them.

My DD was with me for all naps and sleeps until about 4mo. After that she napped in a different room and was on her own at night for about an hour before I came to bed.
She moved into her own room at 8mo and it didn't affect her sleep pattern at all.

My understanding of the advice was that it is advisable to have sleeping DC in same room, but especially important overnight. I think that one of the reasons for the advice is to stop baby falling into too deep a sleep, and there's more risk of this in the long overnight sleep. But this is just my recollection.

I think that as parents we all make judgement calls every day. Bottom line is (as others have said) do the research and make an informed decision on what's best for your baby.

But i personally wouldn't be prioritising my sex life or my DH sleep over reducing my DDs risk of SIDS.
Each to their own I guess.

The last thread on this descended into a row about how people could not be with the baby ALL the time when they slept...but this is not about that.

You and the baby spend hours asleep at night...so it makes perfect sense to keep the baby with you in order to reduce risk.

What's so hard about that? Yes they snuffle and make noise...but surely it's not hard to ut up with for months!.

dd co slept for 18 months,ds is 4 months and spends ALL of his naps and nightime sleeps with me either in bed or in a crib downstairs...
but it's your choice,and if your happier with him in another room no one is going to change your mind.and nor should they try.
i have always felt an odd pull when my baby is too far away from me,i dont like that feeling and cannot relax.
so i avoid that when i can.

It's really helpful to talk it through. I think when comparing the different advice on SIDS putting the baby to sleep on their back seems achievable to me, something I'd be capable of.

Now when it comes to where will the baby sleep if I'm honest I don't think I will be capable of being with the baby all the time when they are asleep until they are 6 months. Apart from the obvious like using the bathroom, shower etc. the baby will outgrow the moses basket, I can't see how I'm going to achieve this "Guideline". How many parents I wonder can? As a first time parent I don't want to set myself up for a fall, fail at this Guideline and feel a failure as a parent. I want to do the best for my child and for me that will involve feeling confident and following realistic achievable Guidelines.

I've got so much to learn :) I assumed I'd be too noisy! Talking on the phone waking the baby up, bright light through the windows I could go on...

We just used a crib or the pram in the lounge and a cot next to our bed.

Obviously I carried on with my day to day chores etc whilst my dcs were asleep downstairs near me in the day.

Its the general household noise during the day that helps.

nope,ds slept through dd's massive meltdown,screaming,throwing self about tantrum today...along with other day to day stuff (window light,kettle boiling,hoover etc)

if they've always slept in a quite room alone,that is what they'll be used to,if they sleep though noise from day one,they always will ...DD sleeps through DS'S night time cry's too btw.very useful

i aggree with lenin about there always being a way...

I'm not sure why you posted, saying she's happy enough - why wouldn't she be?

Mine slept in their own room from3weeks at that age and slept well. For me I could deal with the slightly increase cot death risk as I got zero sleep with a baby in my room, and I couldn't function at all with no slept. None of the cot death risk factors applied to us - neither of us smoke, full term healthy baby, careful not to overheat etc

So for me it was a no brainer to have him in own room.

i thihnk thats the clincher...which ever way helps you to sleep...i cant sleep with him away from me,for others,its the opposite.

I agree Lenin, all the risks are risks. Why take one risk and not another?

How do you decide which risks are worth taking? (genuine question)
We personally didn't want to take any.

A tiny increase on a tiny risk though Imarriedafrog, let's not go overboard!

We take risks every day - I don't have the most expensive carseat I could have bought for example, I take my baby to visit grandparents who smoke, I had a few drinks while pregnant...