Tips for Transitioning Baby to Their Own Room

Transitioning your baby from your room to their own room can be an exciting and scary time. For first time mothers, it is often full of uncertainty. Even if you have been through this transition before it can still be a new experience each time because each child and situation is different.

Both of my kids started off in a pack n play in my room when coming home from the hospital. It made the most sense to have them close by for all the nightly feedings since I was breastfeeding. I was a typical new mom wanting to have my babies close and always checking on their breathing.

Even though I loved having my babies close by, after a while, I was ready to get my room and sleep back by transitioning them into their own rooms. Any transition can be a mix of emotions for you as the parent and your baby. Having been through this transition myself twice (so far), I have come up with some ways that can help you ease this transition too.

**Keep in mind that there is no one size fits all for every parent, baby, or situation. What works for one person may not work for another. These are just some ideas based on my own personal experience of what I have found that can help ease the transition from your room to the baby’s own room.

Find the Right Time

If you aren’t sure how to tell if it is the right time for you and your baby to transition from your room to their own ask yourself some simple questions. Will you and/or your baby sleep better in separate rooms? Is your baby sleeping through the night? Are there fewer nighttime feedings? Are you just ready to have your room and solo time back with your partner?

For me, I was ready to transition my kids at around 6 months each time. With my daughter, I transitioned her at 6 months because I wasn’t sleeping well anymore. Any little noise or movement she made would wake me up. I initially wanted to wait until she was sleeping through the night and not nursing as much but I finally hit a point where I needed to transition her for my sanity and sleep.

With my son, I was ready to transition him at 6 months as well. He was a much better nighttime sleeper and I wanted to be able to sleep better again, but due to a temporary living situation, I wasn’t able to transition him into his own room until he was about 9 months old.

Transition Slowly

There is no one size fits all for transitioning your baby from your room to their own room. Every family, child, and situation is different. Some babies may be ready earlier and some later. The same goes for you as the parent. Wait until you are ready. You have to do what works best for you and your baby. I had two different transition stories with my babies. Take whatever time you need to transition and just take it one step at a time.

Make Their Room Familiar

Start with making their new room familiar and comfortable for your baby. When I began transitioning my daughter into her room I started with having her do playtime in there. I let her play and do tummy time with her toys on the floor. I would also put her in her crib for some playtime to get her comfortable with being in her crib. By getting her used to being in her room and in her crib for playtime, she grew more familiar and comfortable with the environment.

Start with Naps

Once your baby is comfortable in their room, move on to having them sleep in their crib in their own room for naps. As I transitioned my daughter I would put her in her room to nap during the day but she still slept in my room at night until we got her into a good routine with naps and being comfortable sleeping in her room by herself.

Include Comfort Items

Does your baby have a favorite blanket, pacifier, or another comfort item they cling to? Include that item in the transition to help ease the process. My daughter always had to have her pacifier so I made sure she had it every nap and bedtime during the transition. I also bought her a My Little Pony doll that glowed a soft light and played music to help distract her and it became her favorite item she always had to have at bedtime.

Invest in a Good Baby Monitor

The most important thing I made sure to get before starting my baby’s transition was a good video monitor. As a new mom, I always checked on my babies while they slept to make sure they were still breathing. I wanted something to help ease my fears and not have to go into their room while they napped to check on them constantly. By having a video monitor I was able to check on them without disrupting or waking them up by entering their room. It has been a game-changer for me and my comfort when moving babies into their own rooms.

Be Patient

For many parents transitioning your baby into their own room goes hand in hand with a form of sleep training. In both of my cases when I transitioned my babies into their own rooms, I also sleep trained them. That is a lot of change all at once for both you and your child. It can be stressful and hard. Be patient. It will take time.

Staying consistent is a huge help with transitioning. When your baby knows what to expect it puts them more at ease. You don’t have to rush it. Take the time you need and give yourself grace. It may not be easy to transition your baby into their own room but I promise it is worth it once you come out on the other side.

If you are in the middle of a room transition with your baby, you are not alone. All parents have been there or will be there one day too. I have been through two very different and difficult room transitions and sleep training with my two babies. Even when it’s tough and you feel like you can’t, you CAN do this!