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Sleep

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Original poster

moving to own room

17 replies

Midge · 26/03/2001 21:12

We are gearing ourselves up to move our one year old into his own room. Any helpful suggestions will be gratefuly received.

We have been told by several people we should have moved him six months ago but neither of us wanted to, now I think if we leave it too much longer we will probably only make it worse.

We do use his room a lot already for playing in the day, getting dressed etc so he is familiar with his room but he has never slept in there or slept in a room on his own since he came home.

I know I'm going to hate moving him away from me (that sounds so clingy!) but it has to be done some time doesn't it. On a positive note - she says, trying to convince herself - It will be nice to put all our bedroom furniture back in its proper place and not have to climb over everything.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Bugsy · 27/03/2001 08:54

Midge
Perhaps you could try putting him in his room for daytime naps first and then for the night-time. Also go through exactly the same routine in his own room as you currently do when he is in yours. I think it may take a while to get him used to the difference, as at the age of one you can't really explain it to him.
Good luck.

Pj · 28/03/2001 09:53

Midge

We have recently moved our 10 month old to his own room - he too was used to playing and dressing in there but still slept alongside our bed. I kept postponing the move as I was sure Ben would wake up in the middle of the night and think we had deserted him! My husband, however, put his foot down and insisted that at 10 months Ben should have his own room. The night we moved the cot I cried but Ben was fine and has slept through the night since! He doesnt cry when he goes to bed or in the morning so I presume he is very happy. And I can at last enjoy reading and tv watching in bed, luxury, and a sex life with my husband so we all benefit!

Good luck

Tigermoth · 28/03/2001 10:14

I know exactly how you feel Midge. We left it till my son was 18 months, because it took longer than planned for the spare room to metamorphasise into his bedroom.

I was really worried about him getting to sleep and staying asleep. Every night without fail my son used to wake every 4 -5 hours for a drink. I assumed I'd be wearing holes in the hall carpet as I ran up and down all night. I bought a sleep training manual in preparation and expected the worst.

Came the dreaded first night in his own room and something wonderful happened: he slept right through. He's been in his room now for about 5 week and his sleep pattern has improved no end. Still the odd wake up, but much less than before.

Could it be that we had been keeping him awake? He appears to be a fairly light sleeper, so it's possible.

I suppose the room he moved into felt familiar to him - for the first time he had all his special toys arranged in his own space. And we had a room opening ceremony for him - bigger brother proudly putting up pictures and a mobile.

Also, he was sleeping in the same cot as always, so his immediate sleep environment wasn't altered.

Going on this, I'd say just see how it goes - and it is so nice to get your own room back again. I didn't realise how much I missed having an adults-only bedroom.

Nusch · 07/04/2001 18:57

Midge,
You sound like you are trying to convince yourself. Just wanted to add, as I'm sure you know, that there are plenty people who think that the right time to move a baby to their own room is when they feel ready to go. There are all kinds of half way houses too, like starting in one room and ending up in your room, or you moving through with a mattress if he wakes in the night. I'm not speaking from personal experience, as my baby is only 7 months, but just wanted to make sure you're doing what you want to do and not what you think you ought to do - I know plenty people who think a year is way too young for a child to be alone (and I think it also depends a lot on the child how they will react to it - you may try it and then decide if it's OK for yours or not).

Original poster

Midge · 08/04/2001 18:46

Dear Nusch, oh how right you are!!
I would quite happily keep him in with me a bit longer but my husband is putting his foot down - not something he does very often. He was supposed to move this weekend but suffered his first bout of croup 2 nights ago so I stamped both feet - he stays put a bit longer - the only positive outcome to a really torrid night!
I keep waiting to feel that the time might be right, it just hasn't happened yet.

OP posts:

Nusch · 11/04/2001 18:25

Just wondered why your husband is putting his foot down? Mine did, at about three months and still does occasionally, but somehow, it was never the right time...and then hubby began to sleep better and not notice baby in the bed...and now mostly he says he thinks she should be in her own room but he likes waking up with her in the morning too much!

Also, the fact that I explained to him that to get her to sleep alone, he would be MUCH more successful than me because she didn't associate him with milk...the prospect for him of getting up three times a night until she got used to it has meant she is definitely staying in our bed for now!

Original poster

Midge · 11/04/2001 21:40

Mostly because he is convinced that his snoring is disturbing our baby! (I think this is probably true) but partly because several of his colleagues have told him we should have moved our son into his own room at least a couple of months ago and to leave it longer is storing up more trouble for ourselves. I don't know about that, but after the bout of croup on Friday I think my husband is a little less inclined to do anything just yet. Plus he may be going away for a few days next week (school hols) - I said I would keep the cot in our room until after the hols then, so it looks as if I am going to get my own way by default! At least until May half term.
I should add that my husband never usually puts his foot down about anything, he is usually quite easygoing with me but I think he has been feeling the pressure from work mates who should mind thier own business!!
Thanks for your concern.

OP posts:

Ailsa · 17/04/2001 22:28

My son decided to sleep through the night at the age of 2½yrs, roughly the same time that he transferred from the cot to a bed, whereas my daughter started sleeping through at 4 weeks (yes 4 weeks) which was exactly when I transferred her from the carrycot to the big cot, I suppose I didn't worry about either of them going into their own room, as it joined (at that time) onto our room. Not anymore though as I've swapped the rooms around, the kids have the adjoining rooms, well they both sleep in the big room (double bed), and I've promised to turn the small room into a playroom for them.

Lil · 18/04/2001 14:54

Ailsa, just curious why you are encouraging your 2 to sleep in the same bed at this late stage? What's the point in it, as you will have to start to encourage them back into their own beds and have their own space in the future?

Ailsa · 19/04/2001 20:34

Lil,

I'm not exactly encouraging them to sleep together, I'm just letting them get on with it. They've just decided to do it for themselves, they started climbing into each others single beds to start with, and then waking me up at 3 in the morning because one had pulled the blankets off the other.

They both toss, turn and kick like mad, so, I figure that they'll eventually get fed up and want their own beds back, which is why I've borrowed a double bed from a friend. In the meantime it means we all get a good nights sleep.

Nannygoat · 11/08/2001 13:57

what is the best age to move babies to their own bedroom,

Nannygoat · 11/08/2001 13:57

what is the best age to move babies to their own bedroom,

Lisav · 11/08/2001 16:18

We moved ours when she was around 3-4 months old and beginning to settle in the night. We started off putting her in her own room to nap during the day to get her used to it, and then she slept there during the night. We never encountered any problems. Get Gina Ford's 'The Little Contented Baby Book' to help your baby get into a routine. Once he/she is sleeping right through, there is no reason why they shouldn't be in their own room.

Nmd · 12/08/2001 08:36

We moved our first out just before she was 4 weeks old as she was so noisy, and we all slept much better after that. Our second took about 2 months as she had dreadful colds at first and I wanted to keep an eye on her. Apparently my siblings & I were put into our own rooms immediately as there wasn't enough room in my parents' room, so I guess it's whatever you can manage.

Cam · 12/08/2001 13:37

I moved my daughter at 7 weeks as I had her in a carrycot next to my bed and wanted to give her more room in her proper cot. She was fine and I fed (breast)her at night in her room, laying with her on the single bed we kept in there which is now her bed.It really worked for my husband to get enough sleep for work and also for undisturbed sleep for me whilst she was asleep.

Willow2 · 12/08/2001 20:25

I know that health visitors advise six months - but frankly I'd have gone potty if I'd waited that long. Moved our son at 4 months and he immediately started sleeping through regularly. Bliss!

Sweetie · 15/08/2001 00:56

Our son moved into his own room at 3 1/2 months. I was convinced that he wouldn't sleep and would miss our company, but in fact he slept much more soundly and was perfectly happy.I think that maybe we were waking him up, even though we would creep around and whisper.

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