Every family is bound to feel a little differently about your baby sharing your bedroom. You may be looking forward to the moment your little roommate can switch into their own space. Or you may be perfectly happy sticking with the room-sharing status quo. Ultimately, the specific timing of your baby’s move date is up to you. But as you decide what works and feels best, there’s one big safety guideline to keep in mind.
What the Experts Say
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies share your bedroom—sleeping in their own crib, bassinet, or other sleep space (i.e., not your bed)—until they are at least 6 months old, as room sharing can reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) by at least half. The AAP also notes that having your baby nearby can make nighttime feeding, comforting, and monitoring more convenient for parents.
That said, every family’s needs are different, and some may choose to transition their baby to their own room sooner. For some, room sharing can lead to disrupted sleep—for both parents and baby—since babies can be noisy sleepers, and parents entering the room may wake them up. If room sharing is severely affecting your sleep, it’s important to find a balance that works best for your family.
Regardless of where your baby sleeps, keeping a consistent bedtime routine and sleep schedule is key. Room sharing doesn’t mean your baby will automatically follow the same rhythms as you, so encouraging regular sleep patterns remains important.
Whatever time frame you choose, there are a few things you can do to simplify and lessen the stress of your baby’s transition into their new space.
How to Ease the Transition to the New Room
1. Create a calm, cozy, and safe sleep space.
Set your baby’s room up to be a good environment for sleeping. A few key players:
- Blackout curtains or shades keep daylight from waking your baby up too early or preventing them from settling down at night.
- White noise helps with surprising or loud sound interruptions; soft lighting sets a serene mood at bedtime or during middle-of-the-night wakeups. Nanit’s Sound + Light machine provides both.
- A baby monitor is another great tool for the room. In addition to letting you check on your baby from anywhere, Nanit’s Monitor can track the room’s temperature and humidity levels, other important factors in creating the ideal sleep setting.
As for the crib, make sure it’s a baby-only space: no stuffed animals, blankets, or bumpers as they can all be a safety hazard. A tight fitted sheet is all you need, and you can layer pajamas and a sleep sack to keep them warm.
2. Start with naps in the new room.
We’re more comfortable in spaces that are familiar; it’s a concept to which we can all relate. So to help your child get used to their new room, you can try putting them down for naps in the space first. The shorter sleeps will pave the way for longer, nighttime sleeps without you right there. Easing into the new space with naps may also be useful if your child is experiencing any separation anxiety, which can come up for children starting around 6 months.
3. Incorporate the room into your daytime and bedtime routine.
During the day, go into your child’s room to play and read books. Again, as with naps, any time spent in the space will make it friendlier and help your child associate their room with comfort, coziness, and ultimately sleep.
Establish a simple bedtime routine that includes some activities in your baby’s room, such as changing into pjs in the nursery or rocking together in the glider. Most importantly, know that it may take a few nights to adjust, but maintaining consistency in your routines and boundaries as they (and you!) adjust to the transition will have huge benefits long-term.
It’s a milestone moment: when everyone’s in their own sleep space. Hang in there as the shift happens and here’s to long nights of good rest. And, if your baby will be sharing a room with an older sibling, check out this article as there are some different guidelines to consider.
