Sibling Cosleeping -- Has anyone done it this way?

[betjte]

I'm thinking about moving our almost 2-year-old (birthday is on October) into our 4-year-old's room. They will each have their own twin beds. The 4-year-old has been have some sleep issues (not wanting to go to sleep on her own and crying during the night wanting to come to Mommy's bed). She has been going to sleep by herself and staying in her bed all night for almost one year, but is now reverting back to her old ways. Anyway, I still rock the 2-year-old to sleep and then lay her in my bed until I go to sleep and then we (the 2-year-old and myself) cosleep the rest of the night. Most things I read about sibling cosleeping talks about the kids going to sleep together at the same time. However, my plan is to still rock the 2-year-old to sleep and then go lay her in her bed in her sister's room instead of in my bed. The 4-year-old has been looking at books with a flashlight before falling asleep (unless I have to go rock her, too!). I'm hoping that knowing her little sister will be coming into her room to sleep will help her start going to sleep by herself and staying asleep all night. So, in other words, I would be getting them to sleep separated and then putting them in the same room. Does anyone else do this? How is it working for you?

Thanks,
Bethany

[Tjej]

I don't do exactly what you are saying, but my kids (4 and 2) do share a room. It works wonderfully 98% of the time. They both really like it. My kids do talk with eachother at bedtime sometimes and in the morning sometimes, so you have to be okay with them chatting it up when it'd be better for them to be asleep sometimes... but I find it great that they enjoy eachother's company so much and they sure giggle and have fun.

Tjej

[momtoTnT]

We did our bedtime like this when my kids were about 2 and 3, although my DH would often sit/lay/read with my ds (then 3 yo) while I nursed/rocked my dd - dh would leave ds when I'd bring dd into the room. It worked great for us. We were able to smoothly transition to what we do now (and have been doing since they were 3 and 4) - they both go into bed at the same time, we read stories and then it's lights out.

[betjte]

MomtoTnT -- Were both kids already asleep when you first starting putting them into the room together? (was your son asleep when your husband left and was your daughter asleep when you brought her into the room)

Tjej -- Thanks for responding. It helps to know that this might work with kids who are the same ages as yours.

[momtoTnT]

My dd was ALWAYS asleep when we brought her in- if she woke, I had to start the whole nurse/rock/sway routine from the beginning. My ds was usually asleep, but mostly because it took his sister a long time to fall asleep and stay asleep. On those rare nights when she'd fall asleep after just a little while, we could put her to bed while he was awake and it didn't cause any problems (he didn't wake her!).

[betjte]

MomtoTnt -- That is very comforting to hear because I imagine that is how it will go with us. How and when did you transition from doing it that way to reading them books and then leaving and letting them go to sleep by themselves?

Bethany

[olive&pimiento]

I have a four year old and an almost 2 year old who share a room. DS is still in a crib (for another week or two). They have been sharing a room since he was one, and they both seem to really love it. They started going to bed at the same time from the first night, and they each feel asleep within a normal time frame. I really like the idea and think it fosters closeness between siblings. I plan on moving the baby into that room when he turns one.

[Happeesupermom]

Our situation isn't exactly the same, but since June (DS3 was born in July)...

my DS2 (almost-2 yo) will either fall asleep in my arms or rocking with me on my bed, then we'll move him to his bed in DS1's (9 yo) room. Sometimes he wakes during the night & he crawls into bed with DS1; sometimes he ends up knocking on DD1 or DD2's bedroom door (17 & 16 yo); sometimes he ends up at our bedroom door & we let him come into bed with us.

A few times I've managed to get him to lay down on his bed for a story & he falls asleep there. That's the goal 100% of the time, but we're not there yet.

[mamadelbosque]

Good to hear theres lots of people doing this out there... right now ds1 has his own room, but I have definete plans to move ds2 in there w/ him in the next 6-12 months (ds1 is 3.5, ds2 1)... I've actually been considering having them sleep together in the same room... they slept in the same sleeping bag while camping a couple wks ago an did GREAT!!! Anythougts on that??

[momtoTnT]

Originally Posted by betjte

MomtoTnt -- That is very comforting to hear because I imagine that is how it will go with us. How and when did you transition from doing it that way to reading them books and then leaving and letting them go to sleep by themselves?

Bethany

We didn't transition them until dd weaned (30 months or so). By then, we were doing stories/bedtime with ds for awhile - instead of my DH sitting/laying with DS, he would sit in the hallway/doorway of his room until I brought dd in. It was gradual with my ds....we worked very slowly up to being able to sit out in the hallway by moving further and further away after books were read.

When my dd started to wean, we started the process - so, on nights when she didn't nurse to sleep, we'd bring her in to hear stories. We were able to leave right after we finished reading right away. After a few weeks, she was not nursing at all anymore, and was fully into the routine of stories/drink/bed.