Has anyone successfully shared their bedroom with a crib?

[wencit]

I am getting sick of sleeping on the couch downstairs and am at my wit's end trying to figure out sleeping arrangements! We are currently renting a 2 bedroom townhouse. DS1 sleeps in his own room, and DS2 sleeps in his crib in our master bedroom. At least, that was the plan. Right now, DH and I sleep on couches downstairs in the living room because if DS2 happens to wake up in the middle of the night and sees or hears me, he screams bloody murder and won't go back to sleep. We have neighbors who we share a wall with, so I don't want him screaming in the middle of the night. DS2 is capable of sleeping through the night (mostly). Me sleeping with DS1 is not really an option because he only has a twin bed, and I also don't want to have to later break him of the habit of sleeping with me, too.

I've briefly considered having the boys share a room, but DS2 goes to bed at 6/6:30, and DS1 doesn't go to sleep until 7:30/8, so I'm afraid DS1 will wake DS2 as he's getting ready for bed. Plus, I fear DS2 might wake DS1 if he wakes up in the middle of the night crying for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could try? My back would really thank you!

[WatchingThemGrow]

It's at least worth trying them in the same room, right? Our boys share a room, but we put them to bed at the same time. Can your older one get ready for bed elsewhere?

[WatchingThemGrow]

double post
sorry!

[soontobe]

I'll be watching this thread-we may be dealing with this at some point in the future..........

[TwinFoxes]

It's at least worth trying them in the same room, right? Our boys share a room, but we put them to bed at the same time. Can your older one get ready for bed elsewhere?

That's exactly what I was going to say. It's worth a try for a few nights.

If that doesn't work, can you wheel the crib into the hall? It sounds weird, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

[KathyN115]

Could the baby sleep downstairs in the living room? Or any other spare area (entry way, kitchen)? Not the best, but better than you sleeping on a couch all the time!

[salsah]

i would try putting the kids together or maybe try to arrange your room in a way that the baby can't see your bed from the crib. maybe you can get one of those room divider things to put between the crib and your bed?

[wencit]

Thanks for your great suggestions! You're right, I guess it can't hurt to try rooming the boys together and hope that it works out. Maybe I'll do it on Saturday night, so that if both boys are up all night from waking each other up, well.....my Mother's Day gift will be sleeping in on Sunday morning. ;)


maybe you can get one of those room divider things to put between the crib and your bed? A room divider! That's what those are called! Thank you! I had no idea there was a name for them and was talking to DH the other night. I just called it "one of those folding screen thingees." :tongue5: Google brings up a bunch of options, so I may invest in one. They're pricey, but I'm willing to pay for the privilege of being able to sleep in my own bed!

Thank you again. I love the collective creativity of the BBB.

[catcombs]

The only thing I would add is that you might want to give the boys a couple of weeks to adjust before you decide it won't work. When I moved DD and DS1 into the same room it took a couple of weeks before they got used to each other. Now they can sleep through the other one getting up in the middle of the night and that kind of thing. At first I thought it was never going to work but now they love sharing a room.

[SpaceGal]

All of our kids started in our room and it worked out well for us. They would need us to sit with them to fall asleep...and by sitting I mean I sat on my bed reading or something like that and they would fall asleep. So it did work for us.

With the way it is going for you, it's obviously not working and you need your rest. You got some great suggestions here. If you do let the boys share a room give it a while...it may take them both some time to get used to the other in the room. My two share a room and some nights are better than others. But for the most part it works...our boys are 5 yo and 3 yo. DD is still in our room.