Hi moms! I have a 14m old and just found out I'm pregnant again. We don't have any "extra" rooms in our apartment for another baby room, so my husband and I are trying to determine where baby #2 should sleep. What do you suggest?
Options:
1) co-sleep with us (I fear that the toddler would get jealous then and want to come in too, and also that if I eventually move the infant away from us, it'll be a hard transition, as he's used to being with us)-- btw our room is small and a pack n play or bassinet wouldn't fit in there; there's only room for hte bed so he'd have to sleep in bed with us if we did this option
2) in the toddler's room (I fear that then they will wake each other up... also, that room is 9x8 and there isn't really room for another piece of furniture in there for a baby... my toddler sleeps in a montessorri bed-- a mattress on the floor, and I'd love to do something similar with the newborn (blankets on the floor in a room barricaded from the toddler with a fence), but if they're in the same room without crib walls or something to separate them, I'd fear the toddler could run over the infant)
3) in another room of the house like the kitchen or living room or something
What do you suggest?
Thanks for all your responses. It turned out that I had twins... and I lost them this week in a miscarriage. Thanks for the ideas; hopefully I'll use them someday!
Congratulations! The baby could go with you for the beginning & older child can be told, the baby has to eat at night. Then when older the baby's crib can go in the toddler's room. The baby boom happened in 2 bedroom bungalows, this is totally do-able! Don't worry, just deal with things as they come, you won't change anything by worrying.
Good luck!
D.
Totally rule out the kitchen, and the living room would probably not let the baby sleep well. For the first few months, it may be easier to have the baby in your room with night feedings and changes in a bassinet or such. Your little one will be almost 2 when #2 is born. I had 3 in one room, about 9 x 8 or maybe 9 x 9 tops. And it was right below the stairs to the second floor apartment. There was just enough room for 2 cribs and a dresser. You may have an issue at first time of transition but you would be surprised how well kids can sleep in the same room and not be disturbed. One suggestion though is to not be super quiet when baby is sleeping. He/she will get used to the noise and sleep right through it. Not banging on pots or anything but don;t be afraid to use the vacuum or something like that. I would definitely not put the abby on the floor though especially with a toddler there too. If you involve the 14 month old in everything, you can cut down the jealousy a bit or maybe even prevent it. Congratulations.
Hi M.,
I agree that you should consider using a pack n play in your room while the baby is still small. Older sibs adjust pretty easily. I also agree that putting the baby on the floor with just blanket would not be safe at all. That just sounds like a very dangerous situation.
Good luck! and Congratulations!
A.
I am a big fan of a bassinet next to the bed for the first few months. Then maybe you can put a crib in your room until you can put bunk beds in the kids' room. If your toddler objects (which I doubt he/she will), be sure to make him or her feel like the big brother/sister and simply enforce the rule he/she sleeps in the "big boy/girl bedroom." Good luck to you!!
I don't have any new advice to give but wanted to say that a pack n play or bassinet in your room would be the best option for a few months at least. We are in a similar situation as we have a 2 bedroom townhouse (I am due in Dec.). We are going to keep the baby in our room for a few months until he/she is sleeping a good amount during the night.
You sure have had a busy time the past year and a half! Good luck to you and congratulations on all the blessings that have been brought into your lives!
For the first couple of months our baby slept in the family room in the bassinet and I slept on the sofa. I figured my husband needed great sleep to go to work and then come home to our first child and give the attention I could not. Then once the baby slept through the night, we moved upstairs.
My son is 22 months and we have a newborn. He knows the baby's packnplay is in our room and that's where she sleeps. We set it up a few days before she arrived and explained to him what it was for. It hasn't phased him at all!
Have you considered moving?
My other thought is that it would be better to have the toddler sleep with you and give the room to the baby so baby can learn to sleep.
I would keep the baby with you for a while to make things easier just like a previous posted stated. Get a Pack'N Play for the baby to sleep in. My 9 month old is still in our room in one because I have not gotten her room painted. My 2 year old does not have a problem with it at all. I would not, I repeat, would not put the baby on the floor just with blankets. You are asking for trouble. Your other child could seriously injure the baby plus the floor is too drafty. Once the baby is older you can transition her into the toddlers room.
I suggest the toddlers room if you are worried about jealousy. If the toddler is woke up every time the baby cries then move the baby into your room. The toddler will probably not care at that point because he will not like being work up. Some toddlers can sleep through a lot and never wake up.
Thank is my 2 cents.
S.
If you breastfeed, it's perfectly safe to sleep with your baby and actually promotes good supply (and sleep). Here's a good book:
Sleeping with Your Baby: A Parent's Guide to Cosleeping by James J. McKenna
My kids are 13 months apart. Putting them in the same room just wasn't possible. My older one still wasn't sleeping through the night when his sister was born (and didn't start until after 2 years old). The first few months we co-slept, but when it was time for her to move to her own bed we cleared out our (very big) walk-in closet for her. It's like a tiny nursery in there... we were able to fit the glider, her full size crib, all of her clothes and a bookshelf in there. She's 20 months old now, and we're hoping to move somewhere bigger in a few months before she needs to move to a bigger bed.
