Switching Bedrooms When New Sibling Arrives

Hello E.,

I recommend you move her to her new room way before the baby arrives so she doesn't see it as her being displaced. that way if every so often she still wants to be in the crib... she still can. Also get a baby monitor for her room. do all the fanfare you can to get her all excited about her new bedroom. find stickers of her favorite characters, etc. That's what we did w/ my son. However, he got lonely and when my daughter was about 2 months old we moved her crib upstairs so he wouldn't feel lonely. make sure there's enough light on the stairs so if she wakes up in the middle of the night she can go downstairs safely. good luck and congratulations!

well i kind of went through the same thing recently, we moved into a new house while i was pregnant,and i was convinced i was having a boy so i moved my son into the larger room thinking that he would have to share eventually, well we got the sonogram and i found out i was having a girl, so i really dragged my feet on moving them not knowing how they would react but one day i just did it, and i made a really really big deal on how they were getting new rooms, we even bought them new bedding and kind of re decorated and made it really different just for them and they had no problems they loved it!! so maybe grab her some new curtains or rug something to make the new room her own and different, but i would definatly move her into a toddler bed maybe that would help as well give her a big girl bed with her big girl room! i agree that you need to do this way before the baby comes so she doesnt think that she is being kicked out of her bed and room because of the baby. good luck!!

You've gotten some good advice. Especially about her not thinking she's having to give up her room. Try to move her way before the baby arrives so she won't get that feeling that she's being pushed aside. We transitioned my 4 year old out of her crib way before her baby sister arrived because we didn't want her to think she was getting replaced or having to give up her crib. It worked!

We actually just did the same thing. I'm expecting a baby in April. We moved my oldest (12) upstairs and my 2 year old to my 12 year olds old room, and the baby will go where my 2 year old used to be. We did all of this last month. I must say every one is still trying to get used to the change. Even my 12 year old. He is having some homework issues and has started lying about what he's doing upstairs. We're having to now take away things from him, so that he understands just because your upstairs doesn't mean we aren't going to know what's going on. Now my 2 year old, did great at first. He was so excited. He would still go into his old room after bath time, but then say not my room, babies room. He was sleeping in his big boy bed just great. He is now, having trouble going to sleep on his own, and staying in his bed all night long. It's a hard transition for them. It's been hard on me, because now I am 8 mos. pregnant and am exhausted at night....so I'm not staying consistent with the bedtime routine.
My advice would be to start the transition now, before there is another child in the house to take up your time. THis way she will have plenty of time to get used to her new environment before her family changes.
Good Luck!

What about starting the transition now, so that way when the baby comes she won't have a new room and sibling all at once, and won't associate the sibling with being far away from mommy and daddy. When you go shopping, start furnishing her new room and ask her what she likes - have her choose her own trash can, sheets, lamps, so she feels like a big girl with a part in her new bedroom. If you get a new bed soon, see if she likes to sleep in it prior to the baby coming so she's used to the new room and bed, and won't interrupt your sleep (or the baby's sleep) if she has trouble adjusting. Good luck.

Try to make a HUGE deal out of her being the BIG SISTER room and not about the baby needing her room. Make it sound to her that the whole reason for it is bc she is such a BIG GIRL!! She will notice the baby is in her old room but if you make it a fun and wonderful thing for her, she will hopefeully be too exctited to care the new baby is in her old room. She'll just be glad to be the big girl! Good Luck!!--And Congrats on the one on the way!