Newborn and toddler bed sharing

[worrieworm]

We are due our DD2 in June and have DS1 who is 2. Our current sleep situation is, our toddler will go to sleep in his cot and sleep through until 2/3am and then I bring him in the spare double bed and he will sleep in till 7/7:30am. We started doing this when he was poorly and its stuck but admittedly he does sleep in better. If we resettled him in his cot, he either wakes again or starts the day at 5am and when pregnant plus working full time the extra few hours were non negotiable!

Now our due date is only a few months away I am wondering how our family set up is going to work and if anyone has anything similar? Do you and your husband take in turns.. i.e one takes toddler one takes newborn or do we need to cut out the bed-sharing before newborn is here?

For context DS1 has never slept through the night, doesn't wake for hunger just to be resettled so not sure there is any magical resolution in getting him to sleep through either!

Any ideas or experiences so grateful.

Your DS sounds exactly like my DD (also 2) have you thought about moving him to a proper bed? DD just stopped wanting to sleep in her cot and would end up in our bed. I was okay with this arrangement but then we went to stay somewhere that had a floor bed in a safe enough separate room and she slept through all but 1 night we were there. It was like magic.
Got home and it was the same story of waking up regularly in the cot and ending up with us.
The bed also means either myself or DH can go and sleep with her and either stay or sneak out once she’s asleep again. She was just ready for a proper bed. Maybe your DS is the same.

@Groundhogday2025 thank you for your comments. I have thought about this.. my fear is, once hes up he would be up! Do you have a stair gate across the room?

Yes, stair gate across the room and room baby proofed, and I leave a few toys in there (put these in once she’s asleep so she doesn’t see they are there until morning) and a water bottle. This way even if she gets up and decides to start her day it buys us about 20 mins to half an hour of her playing before she decides she needs us! We can hear she’s up and have the monitor on, but it just gives us enough time to wake up and mentally prepare for the day, you know!

How old is your toddler? Old enough to decorate a lovely room for him and put him in a big boy bed? Let him pick the theme of the room and make it a gorgeous little snug room he wants to sleep in! You can’t really have them sharing

You need to be strong for a whole week of putting him back in his own bed until it’s get up time, the same routine of putting him back whether us 2am if 6am

Hi @Favouritefruits he is 23 months so not quite 2 so I am not sure about moving him to a big boy bed yet as I dont think he would understand "its nighttime"

The set up would be newborn in the master bedroom, toddler in his bedroom or in the spare bedroom with either me or husband.

@Groundhogday2025 thank you for your ideas. How old is your lo?

She’s just turned 2.