Should a baby and toddler share a room?

[Whomei]

We're in a small 3 bed apartment (1 box room, 2 small doubles)

We have a 16 month old, and another on the way. New baby will sleep with us for first 6 months, but then I'm wondering should they share a room or have 2 separate rooms? I'm conscious that by the time DC2 is 6months, DC1 will be 2.5 years, so possibly in a bed. Worried about:

1. DC1 getting out of bed and trying to play with baby
2. New baby keeping DC1 awake, and different bedtimes (she's a very light sleeper, has only just started sleeping through recently).

The only other option is to put DC2 in spare room, but that's where we dry the laundry (no garden), store all the kids clothes/toys and all the stuff you might keep in an attic.

Just wondering what others do?

I'd get a drier with a condenser, or a washer-drier and dry clothes in the living room or kitchen in the summer, clear the storage are and give baby its own room, personally. Get to IKEA and invest in some shelving and other storage solutions.

There's 2.5 yrs between my two and they share a room (only 2 bed so no choice) with no problems. They are good sleepers though, I don't think they have ever woken each other up.

16 months between my two and they share, although they are both good sleepers. They have shared since the youngest was 6 months

If I had the option I doubt I’d want them to share as I know my DD would have woken up another child but if they’re a good sleeper than maybe not

We had a 2 bed house and I wondered this too but there is nearly 5 years difference between my two.

In the end, dd2 stayed in with us until she was 3 due to circumstances (left the UK, lived with IL and then my family for a bit).

We now have a 3 bed house, with huge bedrooms, and they share as their choice 🤷

I was worried about them waking each other up when they were younger, but now they're old enough at 4 and nearly 9, to be quiet and considerate to each other.

I wouldn't decide until you know how they sleep. I have 3 (2 years between each) firstly the elder 2 shared once the middle one left the cot to go in a toddler bed. Then when I decorated the nursery when youngest was 4 we put bunk beds in an the two youngest shared giving the 8 year old his own room. My middle child (only girl) likes sharing. She now has her own room but at any unsettling times I will find her back in the bunks with her brother.

Thanks everyone, yes I suppose I don't really have to decide yet, getting ahead of myself! But some good options there to either use a dryer and sort out spare room, or see how they get on. In the end when they're both in beds we'll probably get bunk beds, it's more the toddler/baby stage. But who knows maybe we'll have an easy one this time round that doesn't wake up 10 times a night 😂

Go with your gut at the time. I'm in a three bed house and I remember when we moved in I'd just found out I was pregnant and 10 years later we have 3!

I remember the "dilema" or number 2 and wondering if they should share a room so I could continue to have my crafting space!!! The space went and number 2 got her own room. When my last one arrived after a year, the girls were forced to share a room whilst little brother got his own room. Life was so much easier when they hear their own rooms!! One day I may upgrade to a bigger house... Thats the dream!!!

My 15 month old and 29 month old share a room as we occupy one and my 12 year old has the other, youngest is in a cot and other in a toddler bed and wake each other up all the time 🙄 but they will eventually get used to it and be fine, I hope any way. I could do with a very large house and a bedroom and each end and out 1 in one room and the other one right at the other end of the house then maybe I'll get a decent night sleep 🤣🤣 but we have no choice lol if you have a spare room use it for baby it'll save months unsettled nights. Good luck it what you decide and hopefully you figure something out.

Give it a go, if it doesn’t work you can think of something else..

If you have a spare room, I don't understand why you'd even consider them sharing.

It worked and still works fine for my 2...actually the rate we are going there will be 3 in thier room soon! 😁 they love being together makes them feel safe, im more worried about moving them apart now and how they will cope with that.

I have 3 yrs between daughters. We kept DD2 in our room until 14 months (DS and DD were out into their own room much earlier, but didn't think it would work to move DD2 in with her sister while she was still feeding in the night) and then in cot in room with DD1. At 15 months she went into toddler bed (she was nearly escaping cot so for safety) in same room with no issues and at 17months she is in a proper bed (bunk beds set as 2 singles for now, cot bed was needed as a cot again elsewhere)

I think them sharing is fine, they get used to the noise of the other (DD1 is a light sleeper). Just make sure the room is set safely for how youngest will use it. (We put gate at the door and made sure nothing in the room for DD2 to hurt herself)