When Should Babies Be Moved to Their Own Rooms?

Where Does Your Baby Sleep Now?

• If your baby does not sleep in her own room, she likely either sleeps in a cot or crib next to your bed or she co-sleeps in your bed. It's easier to transition a baby in her own crib. Co-sleepers should consider transitioning a baby to a separate crib before moving her to her own room.

Are You Ready for the Move?

• Many parents are comfortable sleeping with their children for a couple of years; others can't wait to get their sleeping and sex lives back to normal. Don't move your child to his own room just because your doctor recommends it. Instead, take your personal needs into account: Do you breastfeed the baby in bed with you? How hard is it to lead your normal adult life with the baby in the room with you? Would you worry if your child were in a different room?

Is Your Baby Ready for the Move?

• Similarly, not every baby is ready for a move. A little-known fact is that SIDS--sudden infant death syndrome--is less common in babies who sleep in their parents' room. If you worry about SIDS, you should keep your baby with you until he is 5 or 6 months old.

  Babies also have different personalities. You may have a Ms. Independent who couldn't care less that you aren't close by, or you may have a Mr. Mommy's Boy who cries if you are out of sight. More dependent children will take longer to be ready for a move, and it will take them longer to adjust once the move occurs.

Making the Move

• A successful transition for most babies is a slow one. One way to move the child to his own room is by moving the crib--first to your door for a night or two, then into the hallway just outside the door, then into the child's room. A resistant child in the last stage may be soothed by Mom or Dad staying in his room until he goes to sleep for a few nights. A good bedtime ritual can also ease this transition. If your child is still resistant, it might be better to get him used to naptimes in his own room before making the nighttime transition.

  Look at the timing of this move as well. It's much easier to make this move if you don't have to go to work the next day, so try to schedule it during a vacation period for you. Taking your baby out for an active day will also help, as he'll be too sleepy to fight too much that night.

After the Move

• Even if you've successfully transitioned your baby to her own room, be ready for the inevitable nightmares, storm scares and loneliness. Most children find their way back to Mom's and Dad's bed at some point. If you're comfortable with this but don't want it to be a habit, let your child stay with you for 15 to 30 minutes, then take her back to her room and repeat her normal bedtime ritual. She'll eventually grow out of this and sleep through the night.