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Sleep

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Original poster

Moving DS to his own room - how did you do it?

49 replies

BCFirstTimeMum · 19/09/2018 08:31

Our little one will be 6 months next week and we’re hoping to move his cot into his nursery and get him sleeping in his own room but he is our first and we have no idea what to do or expect!

How old did you move your little one/s and how did you do it?

Also he has started waking frequently in the night (which I’m hoping is just a phase) from 1 night feed to 3/4 times (not always for food). Were your little one/s sleeping through when they went in their own room or not? Did it make a difference to their sleep? I wonder if we wake him up sometimes!

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

TittyGolightly · 19/09/2018 08:36

I think 6 months is a bit young. Lots of changes and development leaps still to come that will disrupt sleep (weaning, teething, crawling, massive separation anxiety at 8 months etc). Plus, unless they’re a very light sleeper it’s a bit weird (to me) to expect a tiny baby to sleep alone whilst adults are sharing a room/bed.

CripplingAnxiety · 19/09/2018 08:44

If he's waking frequently it's likely you might be disturbing him - my DS had no choice but to stay in our room until 16/17 months (living in a one bed flat at the time) and all three of us were constantly disturbing each other it was a nightmare, if I'd have have the chance to move him earlier I definitely would have but at 6 months I expect it might take a good few weeks for him to get used to it, so you'll probably still be getting up 3/4 times in the night just because he'll miss you but if you can deal with that when go for it. If it doesn't go well you can always move him back in with you and try again a few months later.

elmo1980 · 19/09/2018 08:50

We moved ds1 at 4 months as he outgrew his Moses basket. He was sleeping through but we were starting to disturb him. We just moved him one night and he continued to sleep through, no dramas and he seemed to love the extra space his cot gave him.

Ds2 is now 4 months and getting to the point where hes ready so I'm hoping he will find it as easy.

I wouldn't over think it, if you feel hes ready try it for a few nights. Worst case scenario he doesn't like it and you keep him in with you a bit longer but it does sound like he might be ready particularly if you feel you might be disturbing him.

Eeeeek2 · 19/09/2018 09:00

I started by putting ds in cot after each nappy change whilst I tied up (change table was in his room)

Then did his nap in his room

Then did bedtime, bath, bottle, story. He actually slept much better in his own room.

He was 7 month as we had visitors who slept in his room at 6 and a bit months and didn't see the point of moving him for a couple of weeks and then having him back and move him again.

TittyGolightly · 19/09/2018 09:11

We moved ds1 at 4 months as he outgrew his Moses basket.
This is very much against SIDS guidance.

SnuggyBuggy · 19/09/2018 09:15

I'm planning to get the room set up by the time DD is 5 months and use it for nappy changes, getting her dressed, playing and reading. Not sure when we will move her, maybe when she is only waking once per night.

Fatted · 19/09/2018 09:20

I moved my eldest into his own room at 11 weeks. Plonked his Moses basket into his cot and put him in the moses basket for the first few nights. Then when he was settled just put him in the cot.

With youngest we didn't move him until he was about 10 months I think. We just put him straight into the cot and he seemed to settle OK. He was pretty much sleeping through by that point anyway.

Six months is a tough time with teething etc. Both of mine slept through from early on, but were waking more around the 5-6 month mark. Just don't expect putting them in their own room to magically fix anything.

bangourvillagebesttimeever · 19/09/2018 09:23

We moved our DD at around 6mths as we started disrupting each other. We simply moved her cot into the other room. Sat in the room with her until she fell asleep for the first few nights and had the baby monitor on. That was it, nothing challenging.

elmo1980 · 19/09/2018 09:24

tittygolightly what would you advise we should have done then?

SpikyCactus · 19/09/2018 09:25

Mine is 8 months and wakes every hour or two. There’s no way I’m getting out of bed ten times a night during the winter to repeatedly stumble to his room and spend up to half an hour putting him back to sleep. We’ve given up and he just sleeps with us.

kikibo · 19/09/2018 09:34

We moved DD when she was about 5 months. She was sleeping through, but she was being disturbed by us coming into the room at night.

For two nights she woke up when we went up, but then just slept through it.

TittyGolightly · 19/09/2018 09:35

tittygolightly what would you advise we should have done then?

Whatever was necessary to ensure your baby had an adult in the room with them whilst sleeping.

Original poster

BCFirstTimeMum · 19/09/2018 09:49

Thanks for all the comments and tips ladies.

We have always used his room for nappy changes/getting dressed and ready for bed since he was very little so he is already used to the surroundings. Plus he is currently sleeping in his cot in our room so we will simply move this next door to his room (same sheets etc).

He naps in his cot when we are at home and I use the video baby monitor so I can do bits around the house so I will probably use this overnight (for my peace of mind)!

I think we will give it a go and see how he gets on. It’s easy enough to move him back in if he isn’t settling.

Tittygolightly - thank you for commenting but I really do not understand why women/mothers are constantly trying to belittle and put each other down. It’s not helpful and it’s not particularly pleasant. Every mother goes through their own journey and we should all be there for one another to help each other through it. Comments like yours are not helpful. I’m sure everyone is aware of the SIDS guidelines.

Elmo1980 - If 4 months worked for you and your ds1 then I’m so pleased for you. I know people that put their little ones in to their own room the day they came home from hospital! Every baby is different.

OP posts:

SnuggyBuggy · 19/09/2018 10:10

I get the logic of 6 months but it's not always going to be practical. What if you have a 4 month old who needs a quiet room to nap and you have other children. Are you all supposed to camp out in the quiet room with them?

TittyGolightly · 19/09/2018 10:13

He naps in his cot when we are at home and I use the video baby monitor so I can do bits around the house so I will probably use this overnight (for my peace of mind)!

I’m sure everyone is aware of the SIDS guidelines.

Apparently not. The video monitor does nothing to assist with SIDS. Having an adult there reminds them to breathe during deep sleep. That can’t be replaced by a one way monitor.

elmo1980 · 19/09/2018 10:17

We would obviously have preferred to stick to the 6 month guidance however it simply wasn't practical and we used (and still use) a video monitor which believe me, I watched like a hawk!

Guidance is just that, guidance. Parents are usually good at judging when to adhere strictly to what is suggested and when to bend the rules to suit their little ones.

Original poster

BCFirstTimeMum · 19/09/2018 10:28

I never said the video monitor made a difference to SIDS. I said it was what I used throughout the day while he naps. I’m well aware of the guidelines (and they are guidelines not law).
I find it hard to believe that you keep your baby with you at every moment of the day and night!

Oh and it’s a two way monitor.

OP posts:

TittyGolightly · 19/09/2018 10:49

Guidance is just that, guidance. Parents are usually good at judging when to adhere strictly to what is suggested and when to bend the rules to suit their little ones.

I’d agree, in the main. It’s potentially problematic though when someone posts on a forum that they did something which is not in line with the guidance with no reference to the guidance or mitigating information. A less-informed person might think “oh, it’s okay to do that then” when it’s not the best option for them.

kikibo · 19/09/2018 10:50

Fwiw, my baby wouldn't have slept in a noisy room. She napped in her pram in the library with the door closed so we could at least talk or do something.

Seriously, the guidelines are not practical and I suspect they leave some babies overtired if they are light sleepers.

TittyGolightly · 19/09/2018 10:52

I find it hard to believe that you keep your baby with you at every moment of the day and night!

My “baby” is now almost 8 years old. And yes, at that age she was with me, or when he was home, DH. She napped in a sling, pram or next to one if us on the bed. And we co-slept.

Oh and it’s a two way monitor.

Really? Your baby can hear you breathe through it, can they? Most monitors have a button that needs to be pressed to allow transmission to the base unit.

TittyGolightly · 19/09/2018 10:53

Seriously, the guidelines are not practical

The guidelines are based on biological outcomes. The practicality of modern life is what needs looking at!

SnuggyBuggy · 19/09/2018 11:00

Would the government be able to supply an extra adult to sit with the baby or watch the other children for every family?

Irrelevant for me as DD won't let me put her down to nap. She is currently in my arms dreaming about food.

Snipples · 19/09/2018 11:01

Why so judgy Titty. Let others do as they wish. They are guidelines not laws. Some might take issue with your cosleeping. It's totally up to the parent.

I have friends who moved babies into their own rooms at 4 months old and others who waited until nearer the 12 month mark. Do what works best for you OP. Nothing is foolproof against SIDS.

Original poster

BCFirstTimeMum · 19/09/2018 11:21

The safest place for your baby to sleep for the first 6 months is in a separate cot or Moses basket in the same room as you.

This is direct from The Lullaby Trust’s website and is for all periods of sleep not just nights. Clearly this is not something most parents are able to adhere to. I have done this for night sleeps from day one but for day sleeps he is in our room in his cot and I use the baby monitor. This works for us.

I don’t co-sleep (which in itself can be incredibly dangerous) but every parent can make their own decision on what is best for them and their baby.

Everyone does what they believe is best for their child and for you to suggest otherwise is incredibly rude. People post on this forum for advice and reassurance not to be spoken to in a patronising way!

OP posts:

TittyGolightly · 19/09/2018 11:26

Why so judgy Titty. Let others do as they wish.

Not judging. Just redressing the balance between scientifically generated guidance and “I did this and it was fine” posts. You’re posting on the WWW where anyone might look for guidance, not just the OP.

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