Siblings sharing a room

This guide is general information only and isn't a substitute for medical advice. If you're concerned about your child's health, or they're unwell, please see a doctor.

Whether it's a new baby moving in with an older child or two kids doubling up to free a room, shared rooms are common and usually work well. The trick is to set it up thoughtfully and go in with realistic expectations for the first few weeks.

Get the timing right

For a new baby, remember Red Nose's guidance to keep baby in the same room as their parent or caregiver for at least the first six months, so the move in with a sibling usually comes later. Beyond that, the best time to combine rooms is when the younger child's sleep is reasonably settled, rather than in the middle of sleep training or a regression. Move during a calm stretch, not a chaotic one.

Set it up for success

• Every child, and especially a baby, needs their own separate sleep surface and bedding: sharing a room never means sharing a bed or cot.
• Use low, steady white noise to blur one child's noises for the other (quiet, and away from a baby's cot).
• Consider staggered bedtimes at first, settling one before the other comes in.
• Give each child a defined space of their own within the room, which helps older kids especially.

Manage the early disruption

Expect a settling-in period. There may be some novelty chatting, giggling, or waking each other at first, and that's normal. Stay calm and consistent, keep bedtime boring, and resist making it a big event. Most siblings adjust before long and often end up comforting each other.

If one child consistently wakes the other overnight, you can separate them temporarily while you sort out the underlying sleep issue, then bring them back together once it's resolved. Don't force the share through a period where one child's sleep is genuinely broken.

The upside

Once they've adjusted, many siblings sleep better together, not worse. Company at bedtime can ease separation worries, and sharing a room is often something children genuinely enjoy.

If you're moving a new baby in with an older sibling down the track, prepare the older child in advance by talking it up as something exciting rather than a loss of their space, and involve them in small ways like choosing where things go. A little ownership goes a long way, and an older sibling who feels part of the plan is far less likely to treat the new roommate as an intrusion.

Sources

• Red Nose Australia, Room sharing
• Raising Children Network, Toddler sleep

Last updated: July 2026. Sources include Red Nose Australia and Raising Children Network where cited above. This guide is general information only. For individual concerns, see your GP or child health nurse.