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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for your tips for sleeping in the living room

86 replies

Fressia123 · 15/02/2021 09:49

Posting here for traffic... Baby sleeps through the night when he sleeps on his own in the box room. EOW and every Friday his big brother sleeps in that room so our 15mo comes back to our room. He wakes up at 2-3 and there's no way to get him to go back sleep. Any tips for how to sleep in the living room as that seems the obvious answer?

OP posts:
Lockheart · 15/02/2021 09:52

You sleep in the living room the same way you would sleep in a bedroom.

Original poster
Fressia123 · 15/02/2021 10:01

You would yeah, but I think it would need adjustments? I.e. sofa beds, places to put bedding (something similar to bedside tables perhaps) and blackout blinds?

OP posts:
muddledmidget · 15/02/2021 10:04

It depends how much money you want to throw at the problem. I'd probably just get a blow up bed and take my own bedding through, particularly to try it at first, rather than buying a sofa bed (which are never that comfy) and buying bedside tables.
Where does your little one sleep when he comes in with you? Does he have his own bed or is he cosleeping?

Frankinmachine · 15/02/2021 10:09

I don’t even have a bedside table in my own bedroom. A cheap double navy/black sheet is a good temporary blackout blind to put over the top of curtains/curtain pole.

Original poster
Fressia123 · 15/02/2021 10:20

Yes, he has his own cotbed. maybe he wakes up in the other room and we don't hear him. But the difference in sleep is abyssal.

So our toddler will happily sleep in his cot until 2-3 then he'll wake up, and there no chance in hell he'll go back to sleep. Last night my DP had to sleep in the living room and he didn't sleep at all as out sofa is very uncomfortable.

OP posts:
Bluetrews25 · 15/02/2021 10:40

So when DS comes, you all move to sleep in a different room? That sounds bonkers!
Many years ago we got an IKEA cabin bed with wooden legs, and chopped the wooden legs down so it would fit over the box. You might be able to fit the cot underneath it? Time to get measuring?

SteveBrexit · 15/02/2021 10:43

what do you do when you have friends over? Confused (in normal times of course...)

or when you stay in friends houses?

When people haven't got enough space for a guest room, you just get a sofa bed, store beddings with the rest of the beddings.

I am not even sure I understand the question!

Original poster
Fressia123 · 15/02/2021 10:43

Well DSS is 13 and apparently an my DP find it unacceptable that they share. As first I thought he was being unreasonable, but I get it now.

OP posts:
SteveBrexit · 15/02/2021 10:44

I don't think your idea is that bonkers, all my kids went into their own bedroom before they were 3 months old as we were all keeping each other awake otherwise!

Original poster
Fressia123 · 15/02/2021 10:47

We actually never have more than one person over (which would be our mothers) and we have a rollout bed. Every house I've stayed in has a guest room, but even then this is a more permanent type of sleeping than a few nights every now and then.

OP posts:
TestingTestingWonTooFree · 15/02/2021 10:56

IKEA do reasonably priced blackout curtains/blinds.

If you’re buying a sofa bed, we had a chaise one that pulled out, rather than a fold out one, and it was a lot more solid. It was too hard, but with a mattress topper it was comfortable and there was space to store it in the chaise. Something like this: www.furniturevillage.co.uk/versatile-2-seater-fabric-chaise-sofa-bed-with-storage-with-box-arms/ZFRSP000000000043893.html

Original poster
Fressia123 · 15/02/2021 11:03

Ty! That's like the updated version of the IKEA one we have ATM. It isn't a sofa bed but it's an L shape one. We hate it, but I think that's more to do with the sofa in particular than the shape

OP posts:
parietal · 15/02/2021 11:25

i'd get a good quality inflatable mattress with a pump. and then I'd move the sheets / duvet from the main bed for the one night that you are in the living room & launder them afterwards.

that would be a quick cheep solution for the next few months, and then the baby might start sleeping through?

solicitoring · 15/02/2021 11:42

Put the baby in the living room?

Original poster
Fressia123 · 15/02/2021 11:54

Baby in living room would work as we use it until about 10 in the evening...

OP posts:
Bluetrews25 · 15/02/2021 12:40

Ah right, with that age gap I can see why you don't want them to share.
I thought 'big brother' could have been a 3 yr old.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 15/02/2021 12:47

Are there any other siblings at home the toddler could bunk in with while SDS stays.

Original poster
Fressia123 · 15/02/2021 12:48

Not really no. His sisters already share and even though they could fit one more in their room as it's huge the age gap doesn't help (10 and 8).

OP posts:
user643289 · 15/02/2021 16:16

Why can't toddler sleep in your bed with you?

Original poster
Fressia123 · 15/02/2021 16:19

It's not safe with a toddler and we won't sleep anyways

OP posts:
sunflowersandbuttercups · 15/02/2021 16:21

Can you put the toddler to sleep in your room, then move him into the living room when you go to bed at 10pm?

Mynotsoperfectlittlefamily · 15/02/2021 16:39

Could you get a second mattress. Use it on top of your current one when you sleep in your own room. Take it to the lounge when you sleep in there?

NameChange30 · 15/02/2021 16:46

Why do you think he's not settling when he's in with you - do you think it's because he can see you? If so perhaps you could get some kind of screen?

Original poster
Fressia123 · 15/02/2021 16:47

I think he can hear us, but later in the evening, either that or he's old enough to recognise his surroundings our room Vs the other room.

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 15/02/2021 16:50

If you think sound is an issue you could try pink noise?