Would you put them in the same room?

[Arimeh]

I've been telling DH that I want to put DS and DD1 in the same room when we move into our new unit in January (woohoo only a month to go)

The reason for this - I'm usually cluster feeding at the time the older two go to bed, and they both need someone to sit with them before they will fall asleep. DS can take up to 30 minutes to go to sleep, DD1 can take up to an hour - 1.5 hours with someone there to make her go to sleep.

So I was thinking, if DH put them in the same room, and put them to bed at the same time, at least he doesn't have to go from one room to the other to try and get them to sleep at the same time.

He is worried because DD1 has a habit of not sleeping through the night, and waking for several hours and crying and stuff - so he camps out on her floor some nights. My argument to this is that it won't worry DS because he usually comes into our bed half way through the night anyway

DS will be 3 by the time we move, DD1 will be 17 months. So would you put them in the same room?

[MantaRay]

My boys were about that age when we moved DS2 into DS1's room. It has worked really well actually. They both go to sleep more easily (most nights!) because they didn't like being by themselves before, and feel more settled with someone else in the room. There is the odd night when one isn't tired enough so they both muck around, but it's pretty rare.

[Nelle]

My two boys share a room...mostly it's great. Sometimes I wake up to bite marks... But for the most part they get along and keep each other company.

It's not like it'd be a permanent thing, if it doesn't work out after a certain amount of time you could move them back.

[lilima]

No harm in giving it a go

[Just Me]

I think it would be like anything - takes a bit of adjusting for them, but they will learn. They have to learn when they go from a cot to a big bed so I am sure the novelty of sharing a room will wear off quickly and not unsettle them too much.

My kids don't share rooms ... yet ... but if we have (while we are on holidays and stuff), if one wakes crying in the middle of the night, it has never seemed to bother the other. Even now when they fall asleep in the car if DD2 cries, DD1 and DS seem to sleep right through it. I can't see waking in the middle of the night would cause any real issues.

Good luck

[Gigi]

sounds like a plan to me

and certainly worth a red hot try

re-assess if they keep each other awake?

i agree, they might settle better, having company.

and good for the settling parent to only have to do it in one room

i follow your reasoning and it sounds very spot on (how do you manage to think so straight with three kids 24/7 and prolly not much sleep for you? you are amazing Mel !

[{sarah}]

You never know DS might wake & calm DD down instead of coming to visit you Well it is possible, maybe, in a perfect world

I say go for it, what's the worst thing that happens, you have some bad nights & you separate them.

[Beatrix]

Mel

I have just put all 3 of mine in the same room, the older two have shared a room for the last 2 years anyway and have always slept well and through the night together... my youngest had been a PITA at night.. waking at least 1-5 times a night.. exh told me she didnt do it at his house so i though what culd be different and the only thing i came up with is they all share a room there, so now my have ben in the same room for almost 2 weeks and believe it or not MJ has started sleping through (*****s b beyound belief that he got it right before i did , well he had no other choice cause he didnt have any spare rooms)

so it worked for me and even when Mj wakes up and cries she doesnt really bother the other two, they dont even wake..


HTH