Many parents opt to continue room sharing well into their baby’s first year of life, either due to personal preference or space constraints. Naturally, many parents also worry that they won’t be successful in sleep training their baby as long as they are sharing a room with them, and I’m happy to say that this couldn’t be farther from the truth! (I did it with my second child, and lived to tell the tale!) Keep reading for a quick rundown about sleep training while room sharing.
Can you sleep train while room sharing?
The majority of the sleep training process happens at bedtime, typically well before parents are ready to get in bed themselves. Begin sleep training for the evening, and once your baby has fallen asleep you guys can sneak in when you’re ready for bed yourselves! When your baby wakes you up out of a deep slumber, you’re probably just wanting to respond as quickly as possible to get everyone back to sleep. Middle of the night wakes may be easier when room sharing IF it’s time for a feeding, but what about the other wakes?
During the sleep training process it is recommended to wait a few minutes at least, to make sure you’re not rushing over to a baby that may be a bit noisy while transitioning sleep cycles, and is perfectly capable of putting themselves back to sleep. It may be harder while you’re in the same room, but try to take a mental note of the time your baby woke up, and pause 5-10 minutes before responding to encourage them to return to sleep without your intervention.
Sleep Environment for Success
Sleep professionals always recommend a super dark room-so dark that you stub your toe on the furniture as you walk out. IF your room is as dark as it should be, there wouldn’t be any risk of the baby waking up and seeing you even if they’re in the same room. If for some reason, you aren’t able to completely block out the light, try setting up some sort of room divider to create a distraction-free sleep space for your child. White noise is also a helpful tool for blocking out extraneous noises during sleep, so I recommend placing the white noise somewhere in between your sleep space and the baby’s sleep space, to create a sound buffer and prevent *your partner’s* light snoring from waking the baby. (don’t worry, I know YOU're not the one that snores! 😉) Some parents may also worry about the room temperature if they like the room to be cooler while they sleep at night. The great news here is that if the room is comfortable for you it’s likely comfortable for the baby as well, and everyone sleeps better in a cooler room (roughly 68-72 F). If you like to channel your inner Elsa and go even colder than that, you can always dress your baby in a warmer sleep sack (higher TOG rating) or use a long sleeved onesie underneath the sleep sack. Check out my blog on what to dress my baby in for sleep!
Other Tips to Consider When Sleep Training while Room Sharing
I think many people overlook their larger walk in closets as a potential sleep space for their baby while room sharing. NO really, I’m not talking about a Harry Potter situation here! If your closet is adequately ventilated, and large enough to accommodate a pack-n-play, you can set up the area to double as your baby’s sleeping area. Just make sure everything is out of reach of their little hands, and that there’s no danger of clothing or other items falling into your baby’s space. The other bonus is that it’s usually perfectly dark in there without any extra work!
If room sharing is holding you back from making your child’s sleep habits more sustainable, don’t let it! We support room sharing families every day. Check out our support packages here!
