Sleep Training While Room Sharing
- You can sleep train while room sharing—use visual barriers like curtains or screens to create a sense of separation.
- Consistency is key—staying in the room (even on the floor) works better than leaving to sleep elsewhere.
- Most babies show progress in 5–10 nights if you’re consistent; adjust the setup if things stall.
Can I Really Sleep Train in a One-Bedroom Apartment?
Yes, you absolutely can. I get this question all the time, and many families successfully sleep coach while room-sharing. You’ll just need to modify the Sleep Lady Shuffle to fit your space.
But We’re All in the Same Room! Won’t That Confuse My Baby?
It can be confusing for some babies at first—especially if they can see you and wonder, “Why am I over here and you’re over there?” That’s why I often recommend creating a visual barrier if possible. A sheet hung from the ceiling, a tall piece of furniture, or a folding screen can help block the view and give your baby a sense of their own sleep space.
What If My Baby Sees Me and Gets More Upset?
That’s very common in a shared room. If your baby can see you, they may cry harder or longer out of confusion or frustration. I often recommend using a visual barrier like:
- A hanging sheet
- Curtain rod divider
- Room screen
- Even a tall piece of furniture
This creates the feeling of their own space—even in the same room.
We’re So Tired We End Up on the Couch—Are We Failing?
Not at all. You’re tired because you care and you’re trying. But leaving the room each night or giving inconsistent responses makes it harder for your baby to learn the new sleep skill.
Try to create a setup where you can stay in the room and stick to the plan, even if it means a mattress on the floor for a few nights. The more consistent you are, the faster your baby will adapt
How Long Before We See Progress?
If you’re following the plan with consistency—bedtime and night wakings—most families see progress within 5 to 10 nights. Some sensitive or alert babies may take a little longer, and that’s okay. If you’re not seeing any change after two weeks, it might be time to revisit your schedule, room setup, or get support from a coach who has gentle sleep training.
Other Parents Say Ferber Worked—Should I Try That Instead?
I understand the appeal of methods like Ferber, but I believe in gentler approaches that preserve the parent-child bond and allow you to stay present and responsive. The Shuffle gives your baby the chance to learn while still feeling supported. It may take a little longer, but it works—and it feels better for many families.
Would you like me to answer your baby sleep problem in my next video? If so, scroll down and submit your question in the comment section below. I will pick several questions a month to answer and post them here on the blog!
Hi, I’m Kim West, the Sleep Lady. In this video blog, I am going to answer Christina’s question:
“So, how do you sleep coach in a 1-bedroom apartment? What modifications should I make to your method?”
Thank you so much for asking this question, Christina. This is very common question that I get asked frequently. Here’s what you would do:
With The Shuffle, you would keep bedtime the same.
• Sit next to the crib for the first three nights; • then (depending on where the crib is and the relationship to the door) sit next to the door or on your bed;
• then move to the door (depending on the make-up of the room);
• then move to the hallway.
You can follow the same beginning steps for bedtime and do all of the same chair positions with naps.
Where it gets trickier is in the middle of the night:
1. Move the crib as far away as possible from your bed
2. For the first three nights, you are going to get up and then sit next to the crib.
3. In the middle of the night (after the first three nights) when your baby wakes up, reassure him from your bed. You can always do the initial crib side check.
So, if it’s 1:00 a.m. when your baby wakes up, go over to the crib. Make sure they’re okay (check to see if the diaper hasn’t leaked, or that your baby has a fever, or their foot is stuck in the railing, etc.) Once you’ve confirmed that your baby is fine, reassure him quickly and go back to your bed and “shhh shhh” from your bed. If your baby gets really worked up, you can still go over to the crib side, pick him up to comfort (not to hold to sleep) and put him back down in the crib.
That’s the major difference in how to do the Shuffle in a 1-bedroom apartment! Another thing to consider (this works in some apartments and not in others) is that if you feel like your child is looking at you, thinking, ‘Well, geez. How come I’m not allowed to sleep in there anymore? And you’re right there.’ I’ve had parents either get a screen that they can use as a wall or hang a sheet from the ceiling so that it looks like a wall. With these options, you can still do The Shuffle just modified to accommodate for the screen or sheet. Again, you can just do the traditional Shuffle with naps. I hope that helps.
If you have experienced a similar situation, please share! Supporting each other makes parenting so much easier!
