So many of the families I work with desire to have their kiddos share a room together, but have no idea where to start! Sometimes it is a baby needing to transition out the shared parent space. Other times it is moving to a new home where space is limited. No matter the reason there are a few key steps that will help make this transition a smooth one.
Step 1) Make sure both kiddos are sleeping well first!
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP guideline) recommends room sharing with newborns for the first 6 months of life. The first few months your baby is getting up frequently and needing a lot of overnight attention therefore it is best to keep them close and keep your older child from a disrupted night of sleep.
By the time your baby is 5-6 months of age they should be sleeping longer stretches between feeds overnight, or dropped overnight feedings completely. Therefore, if you would like to move your baby to the older child’s bedroom this is a great age to sleep train (more on sleep training 101). Sleep training allows your child to fall asleep independently AND allows them to stay asleep through most of the night. This means minimal disruption to the older child.
Sometimes the older child may need some sleep support too or may be going through other transitions such as the crib to bed transition or potty training. I recommend working on those transitions first and being in a good sleep routine prior to combining kiddos into the same room.
Step 2) Set up the room
A few things can make the shared sleep space more comfortable when 2+ people are I the same room.
Sound Machine (keep decibel level at 50 or less for use overnight although it can be higher during brief periods such as at bedtime and closer to the morning). If your sound machine allows you to program this you can adjust the volume at different times of the evening/morning.
Put the child that goes to bed later closer to the door so that way you can sneak into the room easier when it’s time for bed.
Have a reading nook outside of the bedroom. When you have another area you can do a bedtime routine for the older child (or child with later bedtime) then you don’t have to disrupt the sleeping child to read books or find PJs.
Step 3) Combine the bedtime routine
Often times it can be helpful to combine the bedtime routine when you are sharing a bedroom because then you can do a quicker bedtime process. This is much easier with kids within 2 years of age to each other. I recommend having each child choose a book to read and using a routine chart when you first get going so you meet less resistance and can let the routines lead the way!
Once kids are sleeping well and the room is all set up then go ahead and make the transition! It should take a week or so to get used to the new process and routine. If it’s taking weeks and weeks then definitely reach out for help so we can troubleshoot together and get the whole family sleeping well!
Need help with a room combo? My comprehensive and premier sleep plans include an environmental assessment to get you set up for sleep success. Book a free 15 minute discovery call here to see what plan will be best for your family!
