Facilitating Sibling Co-sleeping

[MinneapolisMom]

Hi! Anyone have experience or advice on switching up the family bed from baby with mom and dad to toddler with sibling?

In the last 3 months, our just-turned-3-yr old has been sleeping in her own room. She loves to be in her own bed, although she "visits" and sleeps at my feet in the morning hours. It's been great! Now I want to transition our 16 month old to co-sleep with her sister rather than with us.

DH and I are going through a stressful time now (due to unemployment and financial issues) and that has led to insomnia for DH (and a little for me.) He's frustrated because the best way for him to relax and go to sleep is to read in bed, but our DD2 absolutely WILL NOT sleep with the light on, even a dim light. With DD2 in our bed, DH often finds himself leaving the room and not getting enough sleep.

I still nurse 3x or so during the night, but I am getting very ready to night wean. While I was working full-time, she was reverse cycling, so I was happy to nurse throughout the night. But now, I am home all day, so she gets plenty of nursies during the day.

Here's the practical situation:
3 yr's old bed is a single mattress directly on floor in adjoining room to parents. 16 month old is strong enough to prevent any kind of roll-over by sister. They LOVE one another and really want to nap together (and with the cat!).

How do I start facilitating this change? Should I night-wean first, simultaneously, or after changing sleeping situation?

TIA

[MadameFancyPants]

I don't have much advice but I wanted to share my experience with sibling co-sleeping.

I remember when I was 3, my parents *kicked* me out of their bed to make room for my sister.  Later when my sister was moved to her own bed we naturally started cosleeping.  She was scared so I climbed in bed with her or she climbed in bed with me.  We shared a room so it wasn't like we were traveling down the hall or anything.  I was still young so maybe my parents used it as a way to get her out of their bed.  You know, "sleep with your sister she'll keep you safe" or whatever. 

Over time it became a habit.  We bedshared when we had nightmares, were cold, bored and wanted to play in the middle of the night, etc.