How long did your baby sleep in your room with you? Bit rambly, sorry...

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DD is 20 weeks and sleeping in a crib in our bedroom. As we are coming up to 6 months I am beginning to think about when and how to move her into her own room. We haven't got a cot yet but the crib is borrowed and the owner will want it back soon. Would it be best to move that first so she gets used to her own room before changing her bed?

I am really worried about the idea of her sleeping in her own room, as I get quite panicky when I can't hear her breathing (I am sure most new mums feel the same) and need to check on her all the time. I am just being paranoid, I know, but the idea of her not sleeping in our room is very worrying.

BUT on the other hand (nothing is ever simple, is it?) I can't wait for her to be sleeping in her own room, as she is waking up more during the night now, and I know I am guilty of not letting her settle herself back to sleep, as I don't want DH to be too disturbed as he gets up early and works long hours. So I leap up at the first sign of her being awake and feed her in bed, where she then sleeps til morning.

If any of this sounds familiar I'd love to know what you did!

My DS is a very noisy sleeper and would start making noises about 1 hour before he actually woke for a feed, as a v light sleeper I was getting little sleep so we moved him at 10 weeks - he has always slept in his room for daytime naps and 7pm-10pm so it was no problem moving him over (for him - I, of course, was up all night worrying!) Since then he seems to sleep much better as do I. Apart from the nights he sleeps through when I then start worrying again. Good luck!

Both of mine lasted three weeks before I kicked them out.

Boolean,

It's funny as we moved DS when he turned 1 (only a few weeks ago). I put off doing it for ages as I liked having him in our room (in his own cot though) and always found excuses... The room's too cold, it's downstairs blah blah blah but it did get to a point where we were waking him up when we went to bed and neither of us dared breathe in case we woke him! We were prepared to spend a few nights on the floor next to him while he got used to it... But he went into his room no problems and started sleeping better than ever in 2 weeks... We do have a angelcare monitor and that really re-assures me especially when he does 7-7 without a peep! We thought it would be too cold in his room but in fact, he seems to sleep better for it though we have a heater in there to make sure the temperature does not drop beyond a certain point...

I did feel strangely bereaved when we moved him into his own room. Just felt that having his own room was so... grown up. It's sad I know!!!

Ax

Don't stress about it - they are not tiny for long. DS still in cot in our room age 18 months - still doesn't sleep through the night even though I don't feed him at night any more. Can't move him until he sleeps better because he will have to share with another child.

i would do it when you feel ready and comfortable
I understand the risk of cot death lowers when they are 1? for that reason i won't be moving him till he is at least 1 I don't think i would sleep with him in another room
but that's just how i feel i think people should do what they want with their baby

We intended to move ds1 out at 6 months but when 6 months came I just couldn't do it and ended up in tears. He was also still feeding through the night so it wasn't really practical. So he ended up staying until he was just over 2yrs! and only got moved then because we needed the got for soon to be ds2 and because i was disturbing him more than he disturbed me.

Ds2 is now 12 months and still next to my bed. He's be staying until he sleeps through or until a potential dc3 comes along.

needed the 'cot' not 'got'

Really must preview

Ds1 was about 6 months because he could no longer fit in the crib and no room for a cot in our room. we'd moved before Ds2 and had room for a cot so he stayed in with us until 12months. They both still woke for night feeds 6-12months and found it easier with ds2 as there was less coming and going across the house in the night.

2 1/2 years for DS1 and prob. about 12m for DS2 (now 6m)

The guidelines suggest 6 months as this lowers the risk of cot death. We wanted to move DD out at 5 months because we thought we were disturbing her. However I spoke to my friend who is a Paediatrician; apparently there is evidence that by being in the same room our breathing stimulates the baby to breathe. It's not a case of just being closer and therefore more aware if there is a problem. The risk then lowers after 6 months. So we kept DD in our room until then!

8 weeks