How to transition your baby out of co-sleeping or into their own room
Transitioning your little one to a new sleep space, whether it’s their own crib or their own room, can feel like a daunting process, especially if your child has been co-sleeping for most of their life and doesn’t know anything different.
But if you are ready to transition, there are ways to do this without it feeling abrupt or extreme for both you and your child. Here’s how...
How to transition from co-sleeping
If you have been co-sleeping, either out of desperation or out of choice, it can feel overwhelming to start the process of transitioning out of it. However, just remember that the earlier you start and the younger your little one is, the easier it will be to stop! When it comes to this transition, just understand that it is a gradual process and can take a significant amount of time, dedication, and consistency. When you are ready, take the following steps to help your baby learn to sleep in their own space.
Step 1- Prepare a separate sleep space for your baby. For a baby under 6 months, set up a crib/bassinet/travel crib in your room, but for older children, trying to keep them in your room but not in your bed is going to be challenging. Regardless of whether the crib/bassinet is in your room or a separate room, the room should be dark, free of distractions, and it is always a good idea to use a white noise machine. If your baby is under age 1, their crib should be bare, with just a tight-fitted sheet and no blankets, bumpers, or loveys (for safety reasons).
Step 2- Start to familiarize your child with their own room/sleep space by spending time in there during the day. It doesn’t necessarily need to be while playing, but you can just go in the room and point things out OR you can bring in a few small toys. You also can set your baby in their crib while awake, just to see how they respond. Show them that it is a safe place.
Step 3- Choose a night to put your baby to sleep in their new crib/sleep space. Follow a routine, doing things such as singing, reading, swaddling, and turning on white noise. If you are currently putting your baby down completely asleep, it is okay to do this same thing to start with. If they wake up, follow the process of getting them back to sleep, and keep trying to transfer them until they stay asleep. It is typically easier to start your baby in this new space at night, rather than naps, as that is when their sleep drive is higher.
Step 4- If your baby wakes up multiple times and has a really hard time with this transition, set up a mattress in their room and camp out there for the night so you can easily respond to their wake-ups. The mattress should not be their new co-sleeping space, but rather a place for you to sleep to help your child adjust to being in their own room. You should be able to phase yourself out after about 5 nights.
Step 5- Gradually start to work on putting your baby down awake for sleep periods, and practice leaving the room while they are still awake (check out Five steps to teach your baby to self-soothe for related tips). This is going to take time...as in, weeks! Just don’t give up! Your baby WILL adjust, as long as you stay consistent.
If you feel completely overwhelmed and know you don’t feel comfortable going at it alone, then please reach out to us. We are here to help!
How to transition your baby to their own room
The AAP recommends parents room-share until their baby is at least 6 months old, and even up to 1 year, in order to reduce the risk of SIDS. One of the reasons for this is because baby actually sleeps in a lighter stage of sleep when they are in close proximity to a parent. Also, a parent’s instincts are a lot stronger when baby is right next to them.
Room-sharing is great for those safety reasons, but the downside to this is that many babies (and parents) don’t sleep as well in the same room together, especially if they are a sensitive sleeper, so you may be itching to get your baby in their own space.
If your baby is struggling with sleep, our recommendation is to transition them right at that 6 month mark, which can make a huge difference for all of you! For most babies around 6 months of age, this transition is pretty smooth, but the older they get, the harder it gets!
For this transition, you will want to follow many of the same steps as you would if you were transitioning out of co-sleeping...
Step 1 - Prepare your baby's room to be conducive to sleep. It should be dark, quiet (except for white noise), and free of distractions. If your baby is under age 1, their crib should be bare, except for a tight-fitted sheet.
Step 2 - Help your child get used to their new room by spending time there during the day. Go in the room and point things out, read to them on the rocking chair there, or bring in a few small toys.
Step 3 - Choose a night to transition your baby to their own room. Their sleep drive is higher at night, so nights are typically easier than naps for a big transition like this.
Step 4 - If your baby wakes up multiple times and has a really hard time with this transition, bring a mattress into their room so you can sleep on the floor temporarily. This should just be a short-term solution, for five days or so, while they get adjusted to their new environment.
Once again, if you feel overwhelmed and are having trouble making this transition without guidance, then please reach out to us. We are here to help!
Related:
How and when to transition to a toddler bed
Tips for siblings sharing a room
By Rachel Mitchell & Melinda Muyargas
