Sleep Training While Room Sharing

Can you sleep train while sharing a room with baby?

As a Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and a mom myself, I can empathize the conflicting thoughts about sharing a room with your baby. Having close proximity to your baby is convenient, yet it can be a cause for more frequent night wake-ups. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages parents to room share with their newborn for the first six months, but provides little guidance on how to navigate this. I'm equipping you with tools to help you create a sleep space that allows you to room share with your baby while you both get restful night's sleep.

How to sleep train when baby shares a room with parents

1. Utilize white noise machine

To avoid sounds around the home waking you and/or your baby, a white noise machine is the simplest solution. It will help to create a soothing environment that will help dampen other sounds that might cause an unwelcome awakening. White noise, pink noise or brown noise are considered the best type of noise and should be used at 50 decibels or less as per APP's recommendations.

2. Create a partition when room sharing

As your baby gets older, it becomes more important to create a visual barrier, especially if you decide to continue room sharing beyond the age of 6 months. Babies are often hyper aware of parents' presence and that in itself can be the cause form multiple night wakings. A great way to reduce these wakings is by using a privacy screen, curtain or even a sleep pod. This separation within your shared room can create a sleep space that will help baby stay asleep through the night better.

3. Keep a bedtime routine

When room sharing, it is critical to create a consistent bedtime routine leading up to putting your child into the crib. This routine will signal your baby that it's bedtime, and this predictability will help your baby settle to sleep with less protest. If your baby is sometimes sleeping in your bed and sometimes sleeping in their crib, the inconsistency makes it harder for baby to settle to sleep in their own sleep space.

4. Consider alternatives to room sharing if it isn't working for you

While room sharing with your baby may be your initial decision, switching one parent out every few days can give parents a way to get better quality sleep. Many sleep experts have also found that transitioning baby to their own nursery after 6 months of age results in better sleep for both parent and child. The marked alertness of your baby around 6 months of age makes it a lot harder to room share without having baby wake frequently due to your proximity.

How to sleep train when baby shares a room with a sibling

Extra space isn't a commodity that everyone can have access to, but it should not be a limiting factor on whether or not you sleep train your baby. In fact, sleep training is one of the best ways to help siblings successfully room share. To get the most success, I've prepared five great tips that can set you up for success.

1. Use a white noise machine

 The obvious goal is to keep your toddler from being woken up by the sound of their sibling stirring in the night. With time, they will learn to ignore those noises or simply sleep through them. It just takes an adjustment period during which the white noise can be a powerful tool

2. Set expectations

Let your older child know what to expect when baby begins room sharing with them and what your expectations of them are as the older sibling. Share with your child what you'll be doing while baby is sleep training so they can better cope with the wake-ups. Give your child suggestions of what they can do if they are woken up by baby overnight and this will help them cope with sleep disturbances.

3. Meet each child's individual sleep needs

Being different ages, it makes sense that each child's sleep needs will look a little different. Even being a multiple (twins, triplets etc) will have little variance in sleep needs between siblings. Sometimes, staggering bedtimes can be beneficial so that the child who struggles more with sleep can fall asleep first without disturbing your other child who will go to bed a little later. For this staggered approach to work, plan ahead by adjusting naps so they align well with your target bedtimes and think about how you will carry out your bedtime routines.

4. Introduce a sleep training clock

Toddlers thrive on predictability and what better tool than to see a clock that tells them when they can be up for the day or when they should be trying to go back to sleep. This can be a fun and exciting step for your child as they feel the privilege that comes with their independence. Be sure to practice every morning and bedtime to create the association.

5. Be patient and stay consistent

While there will be initial nights where both your children because one child awoke the other, your consistency will help develop healthy sleep habits that will result in restful nights for all.

What to avoid when room sharing with a baby

1. Do not bring baby into your bed

Room sharing and bed sharing are very different scenarios, where the former provides a safe space for baby to sleep and the latter does not. Let's remember that co-sleeping with baby poses a significant risk of causing SIDS and is not recommended by the AAP. Your baby should sleep in a crib, on a firm mattress and be void of crib bumpers, pillows or blankets.

2. Do not use room sharing alone for SIDS prevention

Although room sharing can help reduce incidence of SIDS, there are several other safe sleep guidelines are worthwhile and necessary to adhere to. Babies should always be placed on their back to sleep and in a crib. I have an indepth blog while can help guide you on best practice to ensure your baby's safety.

3. Do not forgo the importance of your own sleep

Although losing sleep during the newborn days is almost unavoidable, a parent's sleep is equally important to baby's sleep. When you prioritize your own sleep, you're more rested and able to deal with the challenges of baby's endless needs. If you find room sharing is causing you to lose a significant amount of sleep, it may be worthwhile to rearrange sleeping arrangements.

4. Do not postpone moving baby to their own room

While parents often have an idea when they would like to move baby to their own room, try to remain adaptable as your family dynamics change. If you find your partner's work schedule or sleeping habits don't jive well with baby and are one of the causes for baby's night wakings, then moving baby their own room might be a consideration. This might come earlier than you planned, but it makes sense if it can reduce overnight wakings which cause chronic overtiredness

Benefits of room sharing with baby

Room sharing can be a reassuring way to keep baby safe and close-by during the initial months. But find a balance of what works for your family. While giving baby their own nursery and sleep space can provide restful sleep for all, it is not always possible. If room sharing is the best option for your situation, know that you can make it work. Utilizing tools like white noise and partitions it can help create a safe space within a shared room. And eventually, when you're ready to transition baby to their own room, it will be a positive step for better sleep.

If you find yourself at a loss on how to start sleep training especially if you would still like to room share with your baby, subscribe to my newsletter and receive a free sleep solutions bundle. For more customized help, have a FREE chat with me to hear how I work 1-1 with families to get better sleep.