Having spent plenty of time, money and energy preparing your baby's nursery, it may have remained largely unused ever since.
Babies sleep in their parents' room for the first part of their lives, and it can leave many parents wondering when they can move their baby to their own room.
After all, room sharing with a baby can take up a lot of space and you just want your own room back for a sense of normality.
But when can your baby sleep in their own room?
Table Of Contents
Why young babies sleep in their parents' room
Before we get to when you can transition your baby to their own room, we first need to consider why room sharing is important. And really it boils down to two reasons; your baby's health and your convenience.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
The reason that every respected paediatric body and child health professional recommends a baby sleeps in their parents' room is to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
It's the sudden and unexplained death of babies and infants under the age of one. As the name suggests, SIDS is sudden. But it is often also unexplained - there's nothing overt that causes the baby to pass away. Because SIDS so often occurs during sleep, sleep related deaths are also known as 'crib death'.
SIDS occurs for a huge variety of reasons, and experts are not entirely clear on why it happens. However, it is agreed that room sharing in the parents' room can help to reduce SIDS risk.
Convenience
The other (and less important) reason to room share with your baby is convenience.
The reality, particularly in the first few weeks and months, is that your baby is waking several times a night. And it's a lot more convenient for you and the baby's mother to reach across to baby's crib or moses basket.
The last thing either of you want to do is that to get out of bed and go to another room 12 times a night.
What is room sharing?
It's important to understand what we mean by room sharing because some parents confuse it with bed sharing.
Room sharing means just that... sharing a room with your baby. Mum and dad sleep in their own bed while baby has their own sleep space - a moses basket, a cot, or a 'co-sleeper' crib.
Room sharing is not bed sharing. Bed sharing is considered to be one of many unsafe sleep practices that increase the risk of SIDS.
When do babies move to their own rooms?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends room sharing until your baby is at least six months old, and ideally until they reach their first birthday.
Most parents tend to make the transition to baby's room shortly after the six month mark rather than waiting until closer to 12 months.
What are the benefits?
You may have read the section above on SIDS and be wondering 'why would I ever move them to baby's room?'. But there are a number of benefits (once the time is right!).
SIDS - The reality is that the risk of SIDS falls dramatically as your baby gets older. In fact, the majority of sudden infant deaths occur during the first four months.
Your own space - It may seem small, but getting your own room back can help your wellbeing enormously. After six months or so, you finally have a space just for yourselves.
Separation anxiety - Believe it or not, moving baby to their own room can help to reduce separation anxiety over the medium-term (even if there are some short-term challenges)
Sleep training - It's next to impossible to sleep train babies unless they're in the own rooms. And what's more, they tend to sleep better in their own room.
Is my child ready?
Turning six months old should not be the determining factor in moving your baby to their own room. Remember, experts recommend they stay in your room for at least six months.
A better marker of your child being 'ready' is how well they sleep, providing they are older than six months. If your baby is sleeping for long stretches, regularly sleeping for more than six hours at a time without waking, this is generally considered to be a good sign that they're ready to move to their own room.
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How to transition your baby to their own room
You no longer have a newborn. The big move is fast approaching and it's time to move your baby to their own room. But moving your baby to a different sleeping environment can be tricky.
Create the perfect environment
The chances are that you spent plenty of time making your baby's nursery look perfect. But making it the perfect environment for baby sleep may not have been at the forefront of your mind.
Light - Babies sleep better when it's dark... really dark. So invest in some blackout curtains. If you want to use a night light to help you when checking on baby, make sure it emits a dull, warm light.
Check out our guide on the best baby night lights!
Temperature - Babies sleep best when the temperature in their room is 16-20°C.
Sounds - Some people think babies need silence to sleep, but they were quite used to a lot of noise when they were in the womb. Try a white noise machine to help with this.
Comfort - The cot should have a fitted sheet, a cosy baby blanket to help with comfort and temperature regulation. It should be free from a bumper, toys and pillows.
Practice naps
Babies take a huge amount of comfort from familiarity. So simply dropping them in their own room one night and expecting them to sleep isn't realistic.
Spending time in baby's room in the run up to the first night will them them to familiarise themselves with their surroundings and feel more comfortable.
Practice naps are a great way to help your baby adjust, but it you can also spend time there while they're awake (but be wary of particularly exciting or lively activities - remember, you want them to associate this room with sleep). Spend a few days putting them down for a daytime nap in their bedroom.
Consistent bedtime routine
Hopefully you've already established a calming bedtime routine. But it's vital that you stay consistent with that routine as you move your baby to their own room.
Although it may be a new sleep space for them, maintaining the rest of your bedtime routine will help them to recognise that it's time for sleep, and also to link associate their room with their bedtime routine, and therefore with sleep.
If your baby does struggle to fall asleep in their own room, you may be tempted to let them fall asleep in their bedroom before moving baby to their own room afterwards. However, you should refrain from doing this because waking up in a different environment is more likely to cause your baby distress. Instead, focus on making your baby feel comfortable in this new space.
FAQs
What is 'safer sleep'?
Safer Sleep is a range of practical steps parents can take to reduce the risk of SIDS. It includes things like having baby sleep on their back, using a firm mattress, not using bumpers and room sharing for at least the first six months.
It's important to note that these principles are called 'Safer Sleep', not 'Safe Sleep'.
Can I move my baby to their own room before six months if they're sleeping well?
The guidance of health professionals will always be to keep your baby in your room until they are at least six months old, no matter how well your baby's sleep is.
What is SIDS?
SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - the unexplained death of a baby under the age of one. The risk can be increased by a range of different factors, including not being breastfeed, overheating, sleeping in parents' bed, sleeping on front.
You can find more on SIDS here.
