Putting baby in another room

[MeredithK]

I feel like I need to make some changes in our routine and I'm nervous about it. DS is 5 months old and has always been in the same room as me. Naps in the living room and falls asleep on me at night. It's getting harder to have him in the living room all the time, particularly if we want to have a guest over and it's nap time.

We are going to begin working on getting him out of the swing for naps, so I feel like now is the time to move him out of the room. But, the thought of him being upstairs by himself makes me sad. We bought a video monitor, but it doesn't work in our house.

I think it's the right thing for DS to help him sleep better...away from the noise and not stuck in the swing (this will be a hard thing to work out of). I also think it will be better for us to be able to not tiptoe all the time.

Anyone else have a hard time transitioning? I don't know why this is so hard for me. Any advice?

[JordanKX]

We are just starting to move to naps out of the living room (DS is 6 mo). It hasn't really been a problem - he's napping on the couch in the boppy and I go into my office. BUT like you said, if someone is over, you have to go in another room to talk, be on the phone, etc. So far my DS doesn't have a totally set schedule on his naps, and he conks out during one of his feedings. But because we're now all bottle, it's easier to put him in his crib -- which is side-carred to the bed -- and lay him down with a bottle. The past few days I've fed him a bottle in the living room and then laid him down in his crib and he plays for a bit and then falls asleep himself. He is definitely sleeping longer by being out of the living room.

can you put the swing in another room?

Transitioning to another room for night-time... I'm not there yet. I'd originally thought 6months would be a good time for him to move into "his" room. But that was a decision made before he was born and, well, I was an idiot :-) I still love having him next to me. Now that he rolls, he often rolls into the bed with me and we sleep together. But if either of us are waking too much, the crib is right there to give us both ample space.
I'm not ready to give up on that yet. I'd bet DP is ready for more alone adult time, but, he can't just be patient on that too! :-)

[maptome]

For me, I've always found that LO is more flexible than I thought. I was so worried about her outgrowing the swing. Whenever we've changed her sleeping situation, it has been hard at first, but she would learn pretty quickly. I always realized after the change, that I was more worried about it than I needed to be. It sounds like, according to your post, that you haven't actually had a hard time, yet. It may be easier than you think. Good luck.

[BlueWolf]

Let me know if you find a way on how to transition out of the swing for naps. I've been trying with my DD and it's just not working.

[MeredithK]

Originally Posted by JordanKX

can you put the swing in another room?

Transitioning to another room for night-time... I'm not there yet.

Yeah, I think I'll put the swing upstairs where he'll eventually nap in his crib. Start in the swing and hopefully move on from there. I can't even begin to think about nighttime being separate!

Originally Posted by Pearl H

It sounds like, according to your post, that you haven't actually had a hard time, yet. It may be easier than you think.

That is totally true. I have a tendency to think that things will go bad. We struggle so much with nap time as it is, I guess I am just anticipating things being difficult. More so for me, than him!

[MeredithK]

Originally Posted by BlueWolf

Let me know if you find a way on how to transition out of the swing for naps. I've been trying with my DD and it's just not working.

I will. I know it will be hard, but he just doesn't sleep long in there. When I let him sleep on me..he'll go for an hour or so. In the swing it's only 25 minutes.

[To-Fu]

Maybe you could transition by letting him stay in the swing while he's in another room? Then when he gets used to it, you could try something else. At least the swing would make it familiar for him at first.

And I'd exchange the video monitor and get another one that works in your house (maye it's the frequency?). It's the only way I feel right about our son being on another floor of the house while he's sleeping.

[MeredithK]

Originally Posted by To-Fu

Maybe you could transition by letting him stay in the swing while he's in another room?


And I'd exchange the video monitor and get another one that works in your house (maye it's the frequency?).

I will do that with the swing. Unfortunately, I bought the stupid monitor before I was pregnant and didn't try to use it until last month. So, I can't return it.
I guess I have to try a different one.

[tzs]

i thought dd would be with us in the room at night for a while, maybe a year or so, i just didn;t see the need for a babe to have their own room. seemed like overkill, y/k?

but then as 6 months approached i got nervous about trying to transition her out after any seperation anxiety might hit. and she'd been pretty much sttn so it wouldn't be too much of a hassle. so i moved her out to another room (it's not even decorated for her yet!) i was really nervous about it but it didn't affect her at all. in fact....she sleeps much better, no complaining when i put her down, and her naps are way way WAY better.

seems the only lonely one is me.

[mkksmom]

Personally, I like the stroller for naps. If he needs movement, it's a good way to help because you can get him to sleep, and then wheel him into a quieter room. If he wakes early, you can walk him around again. I also put the radio on for some background noise during naps and that seems to help. I do use the crib, which is upstairs in my bedroom from time to time, and I have a babysense V monitor which detects movement and lets me know if the movement stops so I know she is breathing OK.

[MeredithK]

Originally Posted by mkksmom

Personally, I like the stroller for naps.

He does always sleep in the stroller when we go for walks, but unfortunately, I don't think it would help in our house. Our house is too small to really go anywhere but in small circles. And, we only have one open room downstairs, so there is no other place to move him too. If I had an elevator, it would be great!

[BlueWolf]

Originally Posted by MeredithK

He does always sleep in the stroller when we go for walks, but unfortunately, I don't think it would help in our house. Our house is too small to really go anywhere but in small circles. And, we only have one open room downstairs, so there is no other place to move him too. If I had an elevator, it would be great!

I have the same dilemma of a small house.

[Kmama2]

WE just moved Mr high Maintenance to his own room this week. Its been great so far. He sleeps longer stretches at night ( woo hoo for an occasional 3 hour stretch!! ) and I sleep better. It was hard at first. WE bought a video moniter too but its not working so we are sending it back and getting another one. My main issue was DS's room is on the second floor and ours is on the first.
He slept in the side cared crib next to me or in our bed before and I just cant get refreshing sleep co sleeping.
Its tough but you probably wont regret doing it. Get a sound machine and room darkening blinds. If he naps in the swing put it in his room. Crib transitions are usually easier the younger they are. I nurse him to sleep in the rocker and then transfer to his crib. When he wakes up every 2-3 hours I walk upstairs nurse and then tranfer back to crib.
I have a friend whose daughter napped in her swing till she was 14 months old! Do what works.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by mkksmom

Personally, I like the stroller for naps. If he needs movement, it's a good way to help because you can get him to sleep, and then wheel him into a quieter room.

this is genius!

[Rabbit8]

When my daughter was a baby we did the swing thing for her naps too, in the living room where all the action is. Like you it got to the point where we had to move her upstairs to her room. Instead of going cold turkey like that, we used the pack n play in the living room, got her used to napping on a flat surface and not the swing, then the transition to upstairs. It took about a week for her to adjust without much fuss.

[MeredithK]

Originally Posted by Rabbit8

Instead of going cold turkey like that, we used the pack n play in the living room, got her used to napping on a flat surface and not the swing, then the transition to upstairs. It took about a week for her to adjust without much fuss.

How did you go about that change? I can only get DS to fall asleep by pushing him in the swing or nursing him. But, I can't transfer after nursing to a flat surface.

[phrogger]

What has always worked for me with all my kids is to NOT keep it quite and tip toe around. I always have background noise on. Music, Tv, something. Just so there is always that background noise and they sleep SO much better. They dont' jolt or get scared of every little noise. My boys could sleep through the dogs barking and the lawn mowers outside. But if it is quite then there is a noise, nap is over.

So if you are worried about him being out of sight yet, maybe tr y that?

[claddaghmom]

Contact the manufacturer. If it's actually broken, they should fix it or replace it. I'm guessing video monitor = expensive lol.