Sleep guidelines - the magic 6 months!

[AyeWhySWIM]

So we've passed the 5 month mark and ds is still sleeping in his cot in our room. There are reasons why it's seeming like he'll be better off in his own room - becoming more aware of us/dh's alarm etc but I'm so nervous about it.

I'm trying him in there to get him used to it for naps and early evening but I know it's wrong to do so according to the guidelines. Have read plenty on the topic but I can't see why things should suddenly be different at 6 months? I think I'm really going to struggle with the transition to him sleeping in his own room. I know he doesn't have to go but I really think he'll get a better, less disrupted sleep.

So what I'm asking of anyone more informed is what's so key about this 6month landmark? Am I ok gradually working towards it or is it vital to supervise all sleeps till then and then work from there? I know there are hundreds of people who'll say it's fine to put them in their own room from early on but I'm definitely of the 'guidelines are there for a reason' camp. I'd love some reassurance or just some more info please?

According to the baby centre website 90% of cot deaths happen within the first 6 months. The risk reduces as they get older so by 5 months. It says the second month has the highest risk.

It also states that very few deaths happen over 1 year old.

I guess there is nothing that happens at 6 months on the dot, more a gradual reduction in risk.

My 6 mo DD is still in my bed room but this is because she wakes up a lot and I am lazy.

Thanks for your response and for directing me to that page - had read it a while back and it is reassuring with the statistics. I need to think about the gradual improvement and build up my confidence as he would be far less disrupted through the night. He seems so small though to be on his own! He settles well in there for naps so I'm afraid the issues are all on my behalf!

We moved dd out at 6 months. I was dreading it, but she didn't seem to notice! She was in a bedside cot until then. She sleeps much better, and naps there in the day too. At 8mo she still wakes once or twice in the night, so feeding her is a bit more of a pain.

We moved DD at 6 months - having worried for ages about it. She instantly slept better and longer, as did we! I find that I stir at the slightest sound on the monitor so I'm not worried that I wouldn't hear her in the night (what I feared before we did it). One tip is not to move rooms and beds at the same time - we had her in her big cot in our room for a couple of weeks so she got used to it, and then moved her and the bed together. We also did one night of us sleeping on the living room floor and her on her own in our room, just to check that she would be OK without us right next to her. She instantly slept better...! Good luck.