Moving your baby or toddler out of your bedroom

Babies should sleep in the same room as their parents for the first 6 months. This is because they are safest if you are close and can respond to them if they need you.

As your baby gets older, you might start thinking about moving them out of your bedroom. When and how you do this will come down to the needs of your family and when you feel ready.

Before you move your baby or toddler to a new room, think about:

• where your child will sleep
• what affect the move will have on your child
• how it will affect the rest of your family

Night-time wakes

If your baby or toddler is waking often in the night to feed, it might make feeding easier if you keep them in the same room for now.

If you have other children

Think about if your baby or toddler will have their own room or if they will share with a sibling. Think about whether your baby or toddler will have their own room or not. If they will share with a sibling, decide on a time for the move that will work for everyone.

Changes at home

If you’re making other changes at the same time, such as moving or decorating, this could affect your baby’s sleep. You might want to make one change at a time.

If you co-sleep with your child

If you share a bed with your child, it may help to make changes gradually. You could make the move in steps. For example, you could move them into a separate bed to begin with but keep them in the same room.

The Lullaby Trust has advice on how to co-sleep safely.

Medical or additional needs

If your child has medical or additional needs, think about if this will influence how they cope with moving to a new room.

By 6 months old, your baby is likely to have outgrown their Moses basket or crib, so you will probably need to move them into a cot or cot bed.

Your baby should be in a cot with sides to prevent them rolling out until about the age of 2 or when they can climb out.

Avoid bumpers or soft toys inside the cot until they are about 1 year old to keep a safe clear place to sleep. Make sure there is nothing that dangles near the cot such as electric cables or curtain cords.

Think about:

• the type of sleeping arrangement, such as a cot or a cot bed
• the temperature of the room (it’s recommended you keep it between 16°C and 20°C if possible)
• the distance from your baby’s room to your own and whether you want to use a baby monitor

There are some things you can do to help your child adjust to the changes. This includes:

• spending time in the room they’ll be sleeping in before the move, so they get used to it
• putting your baby down for naps in the new room
• moving their existing bedding and comforters into the new room with them

If another child is in the room with them, prepare them in advance. You might need to change the older child’s sleep routine to make sure bedtimes don’t overlap.

Be aware of your own needs too. Changes to routine can be difficult and often take a couple of weeks or more to settle. Plan for ways that you might be able to get extra support or rest if needed.

If you need more help with your baby’s sleep you can:

• speak to your health visitor
• read advice on helping your baby or toddler to sleep
• read safe sleep advice from The Lullaby Trust