Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

DS needs to move rooms before DD is born - how to do it?

19 replies

GoldenSnitch · 24/08/2009 21:53

We have a 3 bedroomed house but the bedrooms are all a bit rubbish sized.

Currently, DH and I have the smaller of the two "double" rooms to sleep in and have the box room as a dressing room as there isn't enough space for wardrobes in our bedroom! DS has the bigger double room.

But now we have a DD on the way - due in December - and we need all 3 rooms to be bedrooms..

DH and I need DS's room so we have a hope of getting wardrobes in with our bed. DS can have our room with a new single bed and a new wardrobe. DD can then have the box room with DS's old cotbed and chest of drawers in.

I want to get things moving but am not sure which is the best way to go. DS is 2 so I want to change things gently and give him plenty of time to get used to the new room and his new bed/bedding etc before the baby arrives.

Not wanting to sound too PFB but do you think I should do the whole move in 1 - ie new room, new bed and bedding and decor all at once or should I stagger it - old cotbed, bedding, curtains etc into new room, then change the bed and bedding later? All rooms are cream so the paint won't need changing.

We changed his cot to a cotbed a couple of months ago to start the process. I really want to do this soon to give him a chance to be settled before DD makes an appearance at Christmas and our lives get turned upside down! He seems to be struggling with the concept at the moment - he even keeps running off with a soft baby book we've been filling (which is identical to one he has) saying "baby not have it". They start off on the shelf together, then he hides hers! I'm a bit concerned over how he's going to react when she needs his cot so I want to give him as much time in his new bed as possible so he's settled and has almost forgotten that the cot was even his.

Please be gentle....

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Original poster

GoldenSnitch · 24/08/2009 22:05

Am off to bed - looking forward to reading Mumsnets collective advice tomorrow

OP posts:

Original poster

GoldenSnitch · 25/08/2009 08:05

Oh! That's disappointing

OP posts:

Original poster

GoldenSnitch · 25/08/2009 08:47

Wonder if a bump would help?

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General parenting

TheBolter · 25/08/2009 08:52

Make his new room look amazing. Buy him a much-coveted toy and place it strategically in new room. Buy some cool bedding. Give him lots of attention when he moves in, get your family to all "come and see X's new room!" next time they visit. Make a big fuss in a positive way so he gets lots of attention and sees this as a big exciting thing!

That's what I would have done anyway.

TheBolter · 25/08/2009 08:54

As far as the cotbed is concerned... I would make all the changes straight away. Get him really excited about his new big boy bed. We moved dds 1 & 2 into a shared room and it was dd2's first time in a new bed. She loved it, wasn't traumatised AFAI was aware!

StillNorks · 25/08/2009 08:55

With my DD before arrival of DS I did nothing. She was quite a knowing child so when DS out grew his moses and needed to come out of our room and into a cot I spoke to her about what we should do.She said to put ds into her cot and she needed a big bed now - room move done at the same time as not really enough room n the box for a full size single.

In your situation I would probably put a full size single in his current room and then do the room switch at a time convienient to all of you or do it all in one hit - I think kids can cope with it quite well especially if you go along the big boy special room thing.

Only you know your DS and how well he copes with change, but one big change may be less distressing than lots of little ones

FabBakerGirlIsBack · 25/08/2009 08:55

I would just do it in one go but if he naps in the day make that nap the first time he sleeps in his new room.

TheBolter · 25/08/2009 08:56

yy children more robust than you think, esp two year olds.

TheBolter · 25/08/2009 08:56

Good idea FBG.

Umlellala · 25/08/2009 08:56

Go to Ikea. Let him play on the beds. Buy a couple of things while you are there. Do his bedroom with him - he'll be so excited he won't care about his old room.

TheBolter · 25/08/2009 08:59

Yes, get him involved. When we moved to new house, just before dd2 was born, I got dd1 involved in shopping for her new room. She was only 1 but seemed to get it and find it exciting! She had new house, new room and new baby to contend with in three week period. She was fine. Just get them all excited and make lots of positive fuss.

feetheart · 25/08/2009 09:02

I would involve him as much as possible - choosing bedding, curtains etc.
Would also think about painting his new room if possible and let him choose the new colour (obviously within reason) and letting him help a bit - worked a treat with DD, she didn't know it was just undercoat!

Lots of discussion about being able to choose things/help because he is a big boy and going to be a big brother. The new baby won't be able to do anything like that as she will be tiny and need people to do things for her etc, etc

Its all coming backthough DD is now 6 and DS 3 !!

Original poster

GoldenSnitch · 25/08/2009 09:06

He's stopped napping

I mentioned, just once, that we could get him a special big boy bed - after a trip to Ikea where he'd been trying some out and had gotten very excited about having one of his own - he was all for the idea and I said, very offhand, that maybe the baby could then have his baby bed...

He immediately went "baby NOT have it"

He seems excited about his new sister, He kisses my bump spontaneously and we've read books and talked about new babies, I even bought him a baby doll which he adores, but whenever it comes to the idea of sharing or handing down things, he goes on the defensive.

I'd love it if he'd accept the new addition as well as your DD did StillNorks, but I don't think it's going to be that easy

I think maybe going for it is a good plan - maybe do it with him here so he can see the changes and watch his new badroom coming together? That seemed to work when we took the sides off his cot - he was happy in the bed cause he'd seen it being made.

I remember being sent to my Grandma's when I had a new room done at my parents house but I was older

OP posts:

QuintessentialShadows · 25/08/2009 09:11

It is natural to be defensive about handing down things. Especially if he is still sleeping in the bed. Do the transition sooner rather than later, disassemble the cot/cotbed, and put it away. Dont mention it is for the baby. Just focus on what HE is getting and getting him settled in his new bedroom. THEN get a start on the babys room.

Ceebee74 · 25/08/2009 09:12

Will the baby be in your room at first? We had Ds2 in our bedroom until he was 4 months old by which time DS1 had pretty much accepted him and was much happier than he had been when DS2 first arrived.

It was at this point that we moved DS1 into his new bedroom - we completely repainted, new furniture etc - we built all the furniture/put curtains up and made it look lovely one day whilst he was at nursery and then when we picked him up, told him we had a surprise for him etc - he loved it. We were quite flexible about letting him sleep in it as we weren't in a desperate rush to move DS2 but he wanted to sleep in it that night and still loves it 5 months later. We did think about not moving DS2 straight away in case DS1 still had an attachment to his old bedroom but he loved his new one so much, we moved DS2 the following night and had no problems. (Oh we also let DS1 choose some name plates for each of their doors which he 'helped' Daddy put up).

FabBakerGirlIsBack · 25/08/2009 09:14

When my 2 year old saw the baby in his cot he said Mine cot, baby out. It is what they do. It had been his cot but he had a bed and it was now the baby's cot.

I think if you just do it like it is no big deal it would be better than fretting and expecting problems.

Original poster

GoldenSnitch · 25/08/2009 09:16

Baby will sleep with us at first. We managed about 4 months before DH kicked DS out of our room ;)

But it's us and DS that will have to swap. DD will be going in the box room that is currently our dressing room. It's got to be an all or nothing swap as we need somewhere to sleep and will not fit in the box room.

OP posts:

TheBolter · 25/08/2009 11:16

Agree. Put the cot bed away now. By the time your baby is born and in the cot your ds will have completely forgotten about it and moved on. Toddlers are incredibly fickle.

Original poster

GoldenSnitch · 25/08/2009 11:19

I knew it had to be soon...

DH seems to think we have forever though and it's driving me crazy!

Going to do a complete move I think and do new bed, new room all in one go.

OP posts:

Flip