Where to sleep - in our room or in own baby room? Cradle or cot?

[Life is Good]

I kept our boy with me in the same room until 8 weeks. We slept in a separate room to DH because he really needs his sleep for the crazy stressful long hours he works. We would all be in the same room over weekends.

We had the same issue with his bedroom being on the other side of the house. For the first two weeks I slept in the spare room near his because I was so scared to be so far away. I then bit the bullet and used the monitor (volume turned right up! haha) and since then it has been pretty easy.

I think I will do the same thing again with the next bub, though I may move them into their own room sooner as DS slept so much better in his own room!

Making sure that you always have fresh back-up batteries in both your remote and base monitor units really helps!

Best of luck - just do what feels right for you

[~me~]

DS1 was in a bassinette in our room for a few weeks then straight into his own room in a cot.
DS2 was in a bassinette in our room for a little longer. I used to move the change table to the room nearest our bedroom, more for convenience. We also used a bassinette for convenience when they were NB as the bassinette was on wheels and could be moved from room to room during the day.
DD was pretty much the same as DS2 and is now in her own room in the cot.
My husband used to wake up in the morning with "how was your night dear?" when they were in our room
As people have mentioned, they are noisy little people as new borns and grunt, groan and make all sorts of funny noises.
Don't be concerned about how much noise you make around bubs. It's very handy to have them get used to normal house noises. If you normally have a radio or music on during the day, don't be afraid to keep doing it. I used to vacuum under DS1's cot while he slept. DH wakes up to the radio and neither of them ever woke up to that. Or for that matter when we went to bed and did the usual teeth and so on in our ensuite. You will be amazed at what babies will sleep through.
You will fall into your own pattern and comfort zone.

Congratulations on your pregnancy

[lindsaymaree]

As one of the girls mentioned above, you'd be amazed at what your partner will sleep though! My DS generally gives a bit of a warning cry before he hits full throttle and I would have him up and out of the room before he had a chance to wake DP.

I think you'll find what works for you as soon as you get home. I intended on have DS sleep in his room straight away as his room is right next door to ours. However I found I couldn't have him that far away from me and he's spent the first 6 weeks in our room. We purchased a pram with a bassinet attachment which he's currently sleeping in, we'll probably move him into his cot in the next week or so.

Since we've moved DS into his own room I've been getting a much better quality of sleep, I found I was waking to DS's every grunt during the night.

I don't think there's any right or wrong in terms of were they sleep, only what works best for you and your family. As long as bubs is happy and safe xx

[Nix76]

Hey Ladies,

Thank you to all of you for your replies. I'm sure it is interesting to read for other first time expectant mums too!

You are all so lovely and so right in what you say - that we will just figure it out when we get there. Its just nice to know what is done in other caring homes!

You have all given me some great advice - thanks very much for your time in replying!

Nix

[ktdancer]

I said through my whole pregnancy that bub would go straight inot her cot when we got home.
But my appendix burst 3 days after having Aaliyah and had to have emergency surgery, so was in hospital for 2 weeks. When I got home, hubby and my mum and mum in law had set up a cradel in our room, so that it would be easier for me through the nights, as I was still having a hard time getting around after the operation. I think bub stayed there for maybe a week. She was just so noisy that even when she was asleep, we were wide awake cause she was wriggling and breathing loud and making all sorts of noises.
We moved her into her room in her cot, and even she slept better. In our room, she was waking us up and we were waking her up.
My mum had bought us a snuggle bed, so she had a little bed within her cot, to help her feel secure, so thats an option if you want bub to go into the cot straight away.
It's just one of those things that only you will know what's best for you, and it might work out completely different once bub is home.

[GabberQueeN]

I said through my whole pregnancy that bub would go straight inot her cot when we got home.
But my appendix burst 3 days after having Aaliyah and had to have emergency surgery, so was in hospital for 2 weeks. When I got home, hubby and my mum and mum in law had set up a cradel in our room, so that it would be easier for me through the nights, as I was still having a hard time getting around after the operation. I think bub stayed there for maybe a week. She was just so noisy that even when she was asleep, we were wide awake cause she was wriggling and breathing loud and making all sorts of noises.
We moved her into her room in her cot, and even she slept better. In our room, she was waking us up and we were waking her up.
My mum had bought us a snuggle bed, so she had a little bed within her cot, to help her feel secure, so thats an option if you want bub to go into the cot straight away.
It's just one of those things that only you will know what's best for you, and it might work out completely different once bub is home.

I just sent my DH to get the snuggle bed! let's hope that helps my little one settle.

[Ellee05]

As others have said - best to make a decision when you get there. I had thought I would put DD in her own room when we were home. But she came early and after having her in the neonates I just wanted her beside me when we came home. Rather then buy a bassinet we just got a porta cot with the bassinet level and change table that attaches on the top. We knew we needed a portacot for our lifestyle anyway so this was best option for us. We slept her at the end of our bed.

Good luck, and don't stress to much over it. Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy.

[Pip82]

Hi

My DD is 9 months old now and is in a cot in our room. She was in a bassinette (borrowed one, maybe try to do that too as they are in one for such a short time really) until about 4 months, we were going to put her in a cot in her room after then but it didn't feel right, so we moved the cot into our room (and a few things out of our room to fit the cot in).

On the whole noise business - newborns seem to sleep loudly, they make funny noises, fart in their sleep and it is hard to get used to having another person in the room. Also, don't be afraid of waking up Dad!! I'm probably going against the grain here but I think that the baby and the responsibility belongs to both of you, and even though Dad goes to work full time that isn't a reason to not do any of the baby caring while they are at home and that includes getting up at night. Obviously they can't breastfeed them but my DH got the baby up, changed her nappy and gave her to me to feed, then went back to sleep in the first few months when she was feeding three hourly around the clock. He still helps now. I think that trying to do everything and not expecting dad to help out (not just when it suits them either) it a bad way to start. Just my opinion anyway (and my DH works full time too, I now work part time but didn't in the beginning), just do what feels right for your family. Best wishes for your pregnancy.

Pip

[babymiracles]

Hi Niz
I am sure you will work out what is best for you, baby and hubby when bubs comes home.

My DD is still in our room and will be until she is at least one (which is a SIDs recommendation). Hubby generally sleeps through when she wakes and I find it easier with her right next to me to wake and attend to her before she gets to the stage of crying with hunger etc (I tend to hear her noises/signals and wake usually just at the right time). I also find it very comforting knowing she is next to me. Initially she had a bassinette but we ended up buying a cradle (boori country brand) The really wonderful thing with a cradle is that 1. it is longer and bigger than a bassinette (90 cm long compared to 60 cm for bassinette) which means baby can stay in it a lot longer - but it is smaller than cot (and newborn would be lost in a cot) 2. easy to rock when she needs a bit more help getting off to sleep. So highly recommend a cradle rather than a bassinette. DD is still in it and loves it.

Anyway best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy. Just do what feels right for you and your family - you will be fine