period<\/em> is going to involve a whole lot of crying, so I\u2019m sure that comes as no surprise. And sleep training one baby in a room with another is going to mean some wake-ups on the part of the older child.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBut ask yourself, is it better to cause an interruption in this child\u2019s sleep for a week or so in order to get the whole family sleeping through the night, or should we ride out a few years of nightly wake-ups instead? I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll agree it\u2019s an easy answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So once you\u2019ve decided to go ahead with the process, it\u2019s time to examine how you can minimize the impact it\u2019s going to have on your toddler, and on that note, I do have some great tips for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First off, if possible, start the program in your own room. Put baby in a bassinet next to your bed and, if possible, separate the room by hanging a curtain or a blanket between your bed and the bassinet. It\u2019s not going to look terribly stylish, but it will keep baby from being able to see you, which is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once baby has learned some skills and seems to be able to fall asleep independently, then you can move her into your toddler\u2019s room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, unless you\u2019re extraordinarily lucky, this is going to be met with a little resistance, both from baby and their sibling. It\u2019s a change to the routine and that\u2019s usually going to make bedtime a little harder for your little ones, so try to plan this transition for a weekend, or better yet, a week when you\u2019re not facing a lot of other obligations. (Preschool, birthday parties, etc.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take the time to explain to your toddler what\u2019s going on, and let them know that when baby wakes up crying, you\u2019ll be in shortly to take care of things. The more they understand what\u2019s going on, the less they\u2019ll be agitated by their new roommates nighttime shenanigans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As for naps, I recommend you keep your little ones separated. Put one in the bedroom and put the other in a Pack n\u2019 Play in another room. The fact is, naps are the toughest part of the program, and you\u2019re probably better off just making an accommodation in this situation in order to ensure they both get the sleep they need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One last thing to add on this topic… I know some parents tend to take this approach despite having an extra bedroom because they want to hold on to the spare room for their in-laws or other visitors who might need to spend the night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the extra bedroom is an option, I strongly suggest you use it. Sleep training when siblings share a room isn\u2019t impossible, but it does add an extra layer of difficulty to the process, and you\u2019re much better off moving one child into the other\u2019s room on those occasions when you have company than trying to get them both sleeping in the same room on a permanent basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In short, it\u2019s difficult, but it\u2019s far from impossible, and it\u2019s a much better option than not<\/em> teaching your little ones to fall asleep independently. I can assure you that the outcome will be worth the challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n