toddler and baby sharing room- need advice.

[nicoolmama]

Hi,
I am seeking some advice for two small children sleeping in the same room.

I currently have a 21 month old who sleeps in his crib and a 5 month old who co-sleeps with myself and my DH in our queen sized bed. There is a twin kids bed in the room which I hope to transition my 21 month old over to once he turns two.

After my toddler is comfortable sleeping in a bed, I plan to move our baby into the crib-around 8 or 9 months.

I am hoping there are other mamas here who can give tips/advice on the easiest way to have two little ones in one room and still get them both to rest fairly smoothly.

Thank you in advance!!!

Nicole

[jldumm]

subbing.
in a similar situation

[_betsy_]

We do it.

DD1 was 27 months when the baby was born, and already sleeping in the twin bed in the girls' room. We didn't want her to feel pushed out of the crib by the baby or anything like that, so we took it pretty slowly starting her in the "Big girl bed" for naps. She picked out sheets, she got to have a pillow for the first time, fun stuff like that really helped.

We use room darkening shades and a white noise machine. Baby waking in the night to nurse never really seems to bother DD1, who is not a great sleeper though has gotten much better than she was. I nurse baby in a glider in the girls' room and none of it bothers DD1. She has woken, popped her head up, seen me there with the baby and rolled over, going back to sleep - as if to say, "OK, Mom's got her, I don't have to worry about the baby."

We don't have toys in the bedroom. While it's a decent size, it's not huge. Between the closet, the twin bed, the crib, a changing table, dresser and the ottoman and glider, it's pretty full. But it also prevents the older one from waking and deciding to play in there, waking the baby.

Good luck! It can be done!

[nicoolmama]

Thanks for the advice betsy.

We do have toys in their room and wondering if that will be a problem.

Also, my toddler is a VERY light sleeper. I have gone in there to grab extra diapers for the baby in the night and he always.wakes. up.

You have a good point with not moving too quickly so they don't feel the baby shoved them out of their crib...didn't even really think about that.

[_betsy_]

The white noise machine helps. DD1 is an intense child who hates to sleep, DD2 is very sensitive to noise. So the sound machine helps both of them block the other one out.

[averlee]

My good friend with a toddler and infant just kept adding more kiddos to the family bed. Eventually they pushed a twin mattress against their queen for the bigger kid. Then they pushed the twin apart from the big bed a bit.