Transitioning to sleep in their own room is essentially the first separation a child experiences. The process can be psychologically challenging for both the parents and the baby. Here's how to make it easier.
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Choose the right time. Every family is different and should do what is best for them. But that being said, in 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations stated that a child should sleep in their parent's room until one year of age. However, in 2022, this position was revised, recommending that infants stay in the parent's bedroom until six months [1]. Some studies suggest that the optimal time for separation is between four and six months [2]. During this period, infants have longer breaks between feedings and may start sleeping through the night [3]. When sleeping in a separate room, babies quickly learn to calm themselves down, go back to sleep after waking up at night, and get better sleep overall [2].
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Establish a bedtime routine. A sequence of actions that leads to putting your baby down on their crib can be quite helpful. Your routine could consist of a bath, putting on pajamas, feeding, changing diapers if needed, putting your baby in the crib, and rubbing their belly. You can make up the routine that works best for you, just keep in mind that it can take a whole month to establish the habit. When you notice that the routine is working and your baby falls asleep promptly, then you can transition them to their own room. You simply reproduce the entire routine in your baby’s room instead of your own. For your baby, the only thing that changes is the location, everything else remains the same; which can make for a calm and smooth transition.
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Introduce your baby to their new room in advance. During the month when you will introduce your baby to their new sleep routine, make sure to spend more time together in their room during wake time.
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Be flexible. If your baby wakes up at night while in their own room, cries, and cannot fall back to sleep on their own even after a night feeding, bring them back to your room (for example, in a portable crib). Getting enough sleep at night is more important than insisting on moving them to their room. If this scenario repeats every night, you may want to return your baby to your room and try to transition them again in about a month, starting with the first step.
