How to Sleep with a Toddler and a Newborn in 1 Bedroom

When we traveled, my kids all slept in one room. My children slept through me getting up for feeds. I went in when baby was just stirring. Or as Fanged Bunny suggests, keep the infant with you for the first few months. I had a bassinet next to my bed the first few months. I co-slept with my last baby when night feedings were frequent.

The newborn doesn't need much room. In some countries they give new mothers cardboard boxes for the baby to first sleep in. (Seriously). If your toddler sleeps soundly no need to worry about the night wakings and feedings. If not, consider moving yourself and baby to the living room for the first six months or so then revisit the whole thing.

Best wishes for a healthy pregnancy and easy delivery.

So all three of you are sleeping in one room?

I first read this as just the toddler and new born sharing a room.

Does toddler have his own bed or are you co-sleeping? Do you plan on cosleeping with newborn? I think it would be hard to cosleep with two young children? Does toddler still think of the crib as his?

How much room is in the bedroom our boys shared a small bedroom so we put the older one in a toddler bed because it fit in the room the best.

I think it's important for moms to get restful sleep. Can you move to another room or on a couch/pull out bed. I found it hard to sleep with all the noises newborns make (they are quite noises for being so little).

I tried to keep the boys separate at nap time, and newborn usually slept with me until he had longer sleeping periods at night. Then the boys shared a room. When we moved into a bigger house, and they had the option to have their own room, they opted out and still share one today.

But I have not had myself and kids in one room longer then a vacation stay. But you do the best you can with what you have.

Can you please clarify the sleeping situation?

Been there, done that. We had the toddler bed on one side of our bed and the cradle on the other side. And everyone survived. The baby did not wake the toddler and the toddler did not wake the baby. Do not let anyone give you grief about this, it is perfectly okay and everyone will be fine. The best part is in the morning when your toddler climbs into bed with you and your new little one, they will be magical together. He felt it was his duty to tell his little sister all about everything and could entertain her for hours. They are still best friends at 21 and 23.

Not sure how big your room is but how about keeping a bassinet (on wheels can be helpful so you can move baby throughout the house when needed) by your side of the bed. That way you can easily get up to feed your little one. Keep your toddler's bed away from the baby side of the room but away from windows/sliders if possible as they can be drafty and toddler may be colder down low by the floor. The best situation is either taking the infant out of the room to feed so as not to wake the rest of the room. Or better yet, sleep out in the living room with the baby for 6 months putting baby's bassinet next to your recliner.

I just made sure to remove things like stuffed animals and blankets that my toddler might try to "give" to his brother by throwing them in his crib, other than that there really wasn't much that needed to be done. But, I did keep the baby in my room (in a bassinet next to my bed) for the first 3 months until he no longer needed night feedings, that made it easier for me to feed him as well as kept him from waking his brother when he awoke to be fed/changed.

It would help if you told us that you have no choice but to all sleep in one bedroom...

We slept better having our babies close to us at night. We co-slept in a king size bed, often with two kids at a time. The key is to make the space safe, infants can't have anything around them that could suffocate them, specifics can be found on co-sleeping websites. Toddlers can sleep anywhere.

take one side of the crib off and push it up to your side of the bed and hope one of them sleeps in it. good luck.