Room-sharing is the practice of having your baby sleep in the same room as you. This is recommended for at least the first 6 months of your baby's life and for every sleep, day or night. 

Having your baby sleep in a room where you are present has been shown to reduce the chances of Sudden Infant Death (SIDS) occurring. Of course there are many factors that play a part in increasing or decreasing the chance of SIDS - all of which can be read about from The Lullaby Trust, however, this is one that I often find is forgotten or perhaps seen as more of a burden than others. Babies are frequently, at ages much below 6 months, put down in their cot in their own separate bedroom for 'naps' and then again at bedtime. As baby monitors have developed and become more and more advanced, it is much easier to feel that it is just as safe to put baby in a different room and use the monitor to keep an eye on them (I mean, surely that's why they were designed!)...However, it is still always the safest option to have them in the room with you. 

Of course, you can go to the loo, make cups of tea, cook and watch your evening shows. I am certainly not suggesting that you sit in a dark, black-out blinded room for hours of the day and early evening at a time. In fact, during the day, it can often be helpful for your little one to nap in an environment with daylight and everyday noises, to help their circadian rhythm adjust. While, at night, hopefully their body (and yours if you're breastfeeding) will naturally be more ready for sleep, while you enjoy your latest Netflix obsession. If not, and your little one needs more of a peaceful night-time environment, perhaps consider shifting their routine so that their 'bedtime' coincides more with yours. While this does mean they may be awake enjoying Netflix and dinner with you, it also means you don't have to stress that they're not sleeping when they 'should' at 7pm. 

It's often easiest to achieve room-sharing by having a few options of safe sleep spaces, available as options wherever you are in the house. For as long as a portable bassinet-style sleep space allows for their size and weight, you can use this, and move this, from room to room across the day, giving your baby a familiar and safe sleep space to doze in while you do your thing. You could even simply use a cot mattress (without the cot) as a floor-bed type set-up in your living space.

By knowing this information, you can now stop panicking about finishing off the nursery before your baby is born, or worrying that you still haven't bought everything for your new-born's nursery. You've got 6 months! Minimum! For now, enjoy your tiny room-mate (even if he is a little bit noisy and disruptive).