Moving Baby to his Own Room

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I’ve only been doing this mom of a baby thing for 6 months now. I’m comfortable in a lot of ways but I still have endless questions about if I’m doing this right. Am I giving him enough tummy time? Are we reading enough books? Will he resent me for how often I take him to Target? And recently, when’s the right time to move my sweet baby to his own room?

I chose a Halo Swivel Bassinet to keep in our room from the day we brought Camden home. It’s been great. He’s been within reach for the all night feedings and diaper changes. And it’s comforting to be able to watch him breathe 2 feet away from me. 

The first night he slept through the night. I wasn’t prepared. I woke up in a panic, laying in a pool of milk from my engorged boobs. Meanwhile, he’s still dreaming away unbothered. Not too long after this became a regular occurrence. He didn’t need me every 2-3 hours at night anymore. So began our new routine of putting Camden to sleep in his bassinet and knowing he wouldn’t be up again until the morning. 

He continued to grow and grow and grow regardless of my pleading to stay my tiny baby. His arms that once were able to stretch out in a starfish were now bent and scratching the mesh sides. That became a part of our new and improved nightly routine – lay Camden down and listen to him scratch the walls of his bed until he fell asleep. 

Our bassinet is recommended for babies up to 5 months or 20lbs. Or if they’re able to pull up, rollover, push up or sit up unassisted. I was not prepared for how fast those months (and pounds) would fly by. The AAP recommends room sharing for a 6 months and ideally up to a year. I wrestled with what to do since his crib wouldn’t fit in our bedroom. Should we buy a pack n’ play for the next few months? Or are we ready to move him to his crib in his room down the hall? 

We decided – his room it is! My husband and I set a date that we would transition him, a weekend night so we could take turns getting up if he needed comforting. I don’t think I slept that night. I became obsessive checking the monitor and listening for any sound at all. 

Meanwhile, Camden was busy having the best sleep of his life. He made it through the whole night just like he did in his bassinet in our room. My baby boy! Turning into a bigger baby boy who is capable of sleeping solo in his room without his Mama reaching over to hold his hand at night. 

It took me about a week to stop checking the monitor every few minutes and try to watch for breathing patterns through the screen. It became a nice change. 

I realized, I needed this. I miss him being beside me. But it was time. Outside of him outgrowing his bassinet, he’s been skipping night feeds and learned how to put himself to sleep on his own. I can now get out of bed without the fear of creaking the bed and waking him. My husband and I can watch a show with the volume turned up a little bit. We can discuss our days without whispering. I can get up and get ready for the day before I retrieve him so Mama has some time to herself and is ready to dedicate the rest of her time to her sweet boy.

It honestly reminds me of what it’s like to have a goldfish. I know this sounds lame – Taylor why are you comparing your son to a goldfish? A. I’m a Pisces. B. He’s a water sign. C. Is it that different from mer-people? Getting off topic here. But it made me think of that. Goldfish can grow considerably larger when they’re not in a tiny bowl. I watched my tiny baby grow into a bigger baby who can touch the sides of his bed when his arms are out. And now he can’t extend his arms to the sides unless they’re slightly bent. So now my tiny baby who turned into a bigger baby will be growing into an even bigger baby in his crib. I’ll still be there watching him sleep. Like I’m sure I will be for years to come.

I always loved the book “Love You Forever” then it tore me up when I learned the origin as an adult. And now I’m back to being in love with it and inspired to climb through my grown son’s window and hold my baby boy. 

When did you take the leap of moving your child to their own room? Was it more or less challenging than you anticipated? Comment below or tag us on Instagram! @millennimoms