Even if your baby is sharing a family bed with you, you will probably want him to have his own room or to have a place in his older sibling's room. Even if he may not sleep there for several years, as he grows older it's good for him to know there's a place he can think of as his, where he can sleep when he gets older. On a more practical level, you'll need a place to put a chest of drawers or other piece of furniture in which to keep his clothes, a closet in which to keep clothes that hang, a toy chest or other suitable furniture in which to store toys, and perhaps other furniture and belongings as well.

What else should be in Baby's room besides his crib or bassinet? You may also want to set his room up as the safest play area in the house, perhaps setting his swing up in his room rather than in the living room, or situating his playpen there, or simply letting him play in his room when he's old enough to crawl around on the floor. He'll have toys that are meant for spreading out, pushing around with small hands, or otherwise best suited to floor play, and you may elect to have him do much of that in his room.