WWYD with this sleeping arrangement and baby?

[HopelesslyHopeful87]

My house is too small... I have 4 dc in a 3 bed but no rooms are true doubles. I have DD10, DSD7, DS6 and DD aged 5 months. DSD doesn't live with us full time but is here often enough to need her own bed and clothes and toys etc.

When baby was born we physically could not fit her in the bedroom we had and have room for all the other kids in the other two small single rooms so we converted the dining room into a bedroom which became our room. Eldest DD then got the main upstairs room to herself. The second upstairs room which is similar in size to that room went for DSD and DS. They have bunks and share well as they are similar ages and play similar games and toys. Smallest box room became baby nursery as I don't want her sharing with other kids until she isn't waking in the night to disturb them.

So our downstairs bedroom isn't the biggest but it fits our furniture and the baby's crib in but it's a squash. Baby DD doesn't sleep through which I know is normal at 5mo. She feeds once in the night and wakes numerous times for her dummy. Si we got her a white noise machine which helps if turned up but then we can't sleep at all! She sleeps solidly until we go to bed so I think we disturb her tossing and turning and DP snoring etc even though we try our best to be quiet. We went on holiday last week and baby had to sleep in her own room due to the layout of the caravan. She slept through 3 out of 7 nights and on the others only woke once. She had the white noise machine that she had louder in the caravan so clearly when I turn it up it helps her.

So we return from holiday and I put her in her own room. Blackout blinds, cot set up the same as her crib, same routine etc etc but she still woke 5 times on her first night. Will it get better as she gets used to the cot? Now I'm even more tired because I have to walk across the whole length of the house to get to the stairs and then up the stairs before I even get to her now.

WWYD? I need some solutions because I need some sleep. Sorry this was so long. I've tried to describe the set up as best I can.

What did baby sleep in in the caravan? What was the temperature like? Maybe baby's room is too hot/ cold? I have to say my 10 month old is a crap sleeper but always sleeps better when we are away - think the new sights and sounds tire him out! If you have the energy and motivation I would persevere now that you have made the move. I tried the cot at 6 months and DS still won't sleep in it all night so wish I had tried it earlier! Fwiw 5 months was the worst for us sleep-wise and really improved after that. Good luck!

Did she sleep better in the caravan as she was more tired out by the day time goings on?

My friend is in the same situation. She's converted a downstairs room but the baby has just turned one and he's still in their room as the trailing upstairs was worse thanhaving him in their room!

In the caravan she slept in her crib from home. We have a chicco lullago which is a travel version of the next2me so we took that.

Prior to holiday she was on a 7, 11, 3, 7 daytime routine. For holiday we changed that to 8, 12, 4, 8 and it works better for her and us so we've kept that for home now too. She only takes 6oz bottles which isn't much for her age but she is only just showing signs of needing more. So bedtime bottle is 8oz and I'm trying her on 7oz in the day. She has reflux which is controlled well with gaviscon and ranitidine.

She wasn't especially tired out from activities as she's a bit young to do anything. She mostly just had her own toys and her own bed and her own routine in a different place. She probably slept more in the day there if we were in the car or she was in pushchair.

Moving house is the only solution but I just can't. We're in a council house and not eligible for more than a 3 bed because DSD doesn't actually live with us so I can't include her on anything formally. Exchanges come up because what we have is gold dust to council tenants - 3 bed with option for a 4th - but we live in a 'rough' area that nobody wants. People are so narrow minded.

The temperature thing may be something to think about. She seems to like being quite warm which makes me worry.

Caravan was chilly as they always are so we had the heating on overnight and she had a 2.5tog bag on over a long sleeve best and sleepsuit. She also had 2 blankets over that. Hands and face still felt cold but body was always warm but she loves to sleep with blankets over her face weirdo so I panic about that too and end uo checking on her loads just in case shes pulled them up. And obviously with her moving before 6m I do over think the sids guidelines and worry I'm doing the wrong thing.

She's had a good 1.5hr nap in the cot this morning which is progress.