What Age Should Baby Move in with Big Sister

Updated on August 20, 2010
A.C. asks from Silver Spring, MD
7 answers

My 2nd daughter is 9 months and I am thinking about the future of letting her share a bedroom with her 6 year old sister. Right now baby is in a crib in our room, and I have no problem with that for the next several months. However, what age do people think it's appropiate to move the baby in with her sister? Big sister is really exited about it and wnats her to be in the room with her and we've talked about how we would redo the room so she could fit in. Thanks for your help.
A.

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K.H.

answers from Richmond on

the prefect age to move the baby in with her sister.. when she is no longer in diapers.
K. h.

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S.A.

answers from Washington DC on

i think it totally depends on both kids, and what they're ready for! We decided to wait until both of our kids had the same bedtime before having them share a room. We figured that would be the easiest way to handle getting ready for bed/story time etc.
And we also need to wait until the yhoungest is ready to sleep out of the crib since there isn't room for the crib in the bedroom. so those are the considerations that we made. I figure the youngest will be ready to move into the older boy's room somewhere between 18-24 months but that's because of the crib.

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K.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

We moved our youngest son into our oldest son's bedroom when they were 6 months and 2 1/2 years, respectively. As soon as the youngest was able to sleep through the night, that's when we made the switch. The hardest part was that our oldest son loved him so much that he would crawl into his crib and we'd find them both in there asleep together, oldest curled around the youngest. I think that as long as your younger one can sleep through the night, even if they go to sleep at different times, it's okay to move her in!

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K.S.

answers from Dallas on

my baby girl moved in with big sister when she was about 5 months old, that's when she started sleeping most of the night (she was in a basinett in our room so i could just get her out & bf her & put her back to sleep instead of her waking up her sis & i didn't have to go far to get her) she actually started sleeping better once she was in her room because if she wakes & doesnt see me she will just go back to sleep.

we got my oldest a loft bed (she is 6) it is like the top bunk of a bunk bed & underneath we put the baby's crib, it saved us a lot of room & worked out perfect! we love it!

S.L.

answers from Kansas City on

I would move the baby in when you feel the older child is going to be able to help with her. I mean by that just not bothering her too much. Some of ours were in before 6 months and some closer to a year but that was due to space, etc. It's just depends on the baby and the older child and it sounds to me like your little 6 year old is ready and would be mature enough to do a good job sharing the room with the baby. Make rules or what you expect clear in the beginning and then check on them to be sure they are doing okay and it should be nice for both of them.

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A.R.

answers from Washington DC on

My sons had to share a room last (15mos and 5 at the time). I think it may have been an easier transition if the youngest had been younger. At those ages they wanted to entertain each other at bedtime (usually for a half hour or so). Frequently one of us (myself or DH) had to stay in the room until they were settled and at least one of them asleep. That's just my experience though. Kids are so different.

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T.H.

answers from Norfolk on

sense big sister is in school and needs her sleep i'd wait til baby falls asleep on her own and stays asleep all night til after or the same time sister has to wake up so that she doesnt wake her in the night or morning. one thing that might help is to set up a playpen in sisters room for nap time so baby can adjust. not all kids need adjustment time but some do. i would have tried it during the summer or any time when big sister doesnt have to wake up the next day. either a friday night or wait til winter vacation to try out the new sleeping arrangements. if you can wait longer try spring break or next june once school is out for awhile.

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