Is this possible? Having a baby in a one bed flat

[BoredOfWaiting]

DH and I live in central London. We have a very good deal on rent in zone two and have a beautiful one bed flat and we have a secure tenancy. We couldn't afford to rent a two bed flat in this area we would have to move much further out which neither of us really want to do. If we were to move further out we would look at buying somewhere in a cheaper area which we could do but probably not for another couple of years as we have more saving to do.

We really want to start trying for a baby. Do you think it would be madness to have a baby in a one bed flat?

The layout is this:
Small hallway
Huge front room we currently have a sofa bed in the corner here as well as a desk and everything else
Decent sized kitchen with dining table
Small bathroom
Small bedroom (not big enough for cot)

Would appreciate any advice!

[Sparrowlegs248]

I think.plenty of people do or have to do this. I have a friend in Brighton who has her 3 yr old son in a one bed. The baby will sleep wherever you are for the first 6 months anyway (so in the living room in the day etc) and you could either all sleep in the living room, or Co sleep in your bedroom.

[SoftSheen]

I think it would be fine for 2-3 years, especially if you are willing to co-sleep. Once the baby approaches school age, or you decide to have a second child, you may find you need more space.

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

Can you switch the living room and bedroom around? So you have the larger room for the three of you, and still have a separate room for living in.

[Tarla]

We had our first while living in a one bed flat. Baby slept in a moses basket for the first few months and with a bit of rearranging we managed to get a cot into the bedroom.

Could you rearrange things so that the small bedroom becomes your sitting room and the huge front room is instead a bedroom? It would depend on which doors lead where, it wasn't an option for us because there was an archway in the living room leading into the kitchen but if they're all separate rooms in your flat it could work. Or have the baby in your room in a crib or a travel cot (smaller than a full sized cot) and then once he/she grows out of it you could either give baby your room and you move to the sofa bed or put a cot into the front room and the baby could sleep there however this would limit you on an evening as the baby would be asleep in the place you'd normally watch TV, etc. Co-sleeping would be an option but this will depend on whether you want the baby in your bed every night.

[rainyinnovember]

I don't see why not, with a baby.

I do think after about 7/8 months it might get really difficult though in terms of noise (I have a shouty baby) and them wanting to move about and STUFF.

[user1472419718]

For the first few years it would probably be fine, as others have suggested making the large front room your bedroom is a good idea. You may want to move somewhere bigger in a couple of years as the child would need more space.

You would probably need additional drying space for baby clothes (although they are quite small you would get though alot of them). Unless you have a tumble drier, would they all fit on the clothes horse/ indoor washing line that you currently have, and would you have space in your small bathroom for more drying space?

Also as the baby would need frequent nappy changes, if you are several floors up, this would be extra effort to get the nappies out to the communal bins (unless you are doing cloth nappies in which case you would have even more laundry)

[PeachBellini123]

We're doing this! The experts recommend babies sleep in the same room as you for at least 6 months (I think) so even if we had a bigger place the baby would still be in with us.

I think our plan is that we can do this for most a year and a half before we'll need more room but for now our flat and location suit us.

[StayAChild]

Do you have access to any outdoor space OP? That would be the deal breaker for me. I'm sure your flat is adequate for a baby for a while, but even the smallest amount of outside space is invaluable with a baby/toddler.
They love to be outside and it's not always convenient to take them out to a park.

[CecilyP]

Of course it's not madness. And better to stay somewhere you like for as long as possible. The only real problem is your small bedroom. You could co-sleep or could you move some other furniture out to the living room to make room for a cot? If you want to stay longer term you could give the Bedroom and sleep in the living room - your choice and probably worth doing till you find something else you really like.

[Hellmouth]

My current situation is me, my sister, my partner and our DS, plus two cats, in a 2 bed flat. Thankfully, DP, DS and I are moving into a 2 bed house next week!

So, it has kind of been like living in a one bed flat and i personally would not recommend it.

Babies come with a lot of stuff. Well, mine does. There is currently a moses basket, play chair and playmat in the living room. That, plus nappies and a changing mat. There is not room for this stuff in the bedroom, so it stays in the living room, which is starting to feel cramped.

DS is only 4 months old, so does not require much, but think about when your baby is older and the toys and stuff they might have. Will there be room for all of that in your 1 bed flat. ..

Also, just to mention, I live in London zone 5 and the fast train takes 20 minutes to get into London, so moving further out does not have to be the end of the world :)

[Bagina]

I think most of the world probably lives like this; but lack of space becomes a problem really, really quickly when you have children ime.

[AntiHop]

We share a room with our 2 year old. I'd love to move somewhere bigger but we can't afford it. Can you fit a cot in the bedroom if you move all your other furniture out except the bed?

[listsandbudgets]

My friend was in exactly the situation you describe until her Dd was 7.

Initially they all shared bedroom. When her Dd was old enough to need own room she split living room with tall book cases leaving an area for double bed and large wardrobe. The rest of room was used as general living space and her Dd got the small bedroom.

Would that be a possibility

[PetalMettle]

We live in London zone 2 and for the first seven months had a one bed flat. We had baby In with us during that time and then we converted our living room so he had his own bedroom. A smaller living room works fine, I think it just makes you go out more - and being in London there's loads of good stuff to go to. The only thing I would say is that I think he sleeps better now he's in his own room and it also means my dh gets uninterrupted sleep. Obviously you can't put a wall up, but it might be worth getting a room divider for the living room and then beyond 6 months you can put him in there at night and watch tv or whatever in your original bedroom.
The other thing that's been a huge benefit for us is a washer dryer as the first three months we had washing constantly up

[witsender]

Artandco has a one bed with two kids from memory, maybe she will come along soon.

[rainyinnovember]

Well, I don't like speaking about posters in their absence but Art almost certainly will be along, so - I think her 'one bedroom flat' is a bit misleading as I'm sure she's said before they have dinner parties for eight people in it.

I own a 1BF (BTL) and there is no way you could have a walking child in it, really.

[listsandbudgets]

Oh and meant to add that for drying she had a drier on a pulley system so it was up by the ceiling rather than taking up valuable floor space

[GruffaloPants]

DD slept in with us in our admittedly large bedroom til she was 3. The second bedroom wasn't really in use.

I'd suggest changing your bedroom to be a small sitting room, and making the biggest room the shared bedroom. I think you could sustain that until age 3/4. For longer you could make the larger room a beds it and give your baby (or twins?!) the bedroom.

Could the kitchen be a kitchen/sitting room? My best friend growing up had that arrangement in an average size dining kitchen.

[PetalMettle]

I think the other thing to think about is would you be going back to work? My son has been in nursery since he was a year so it's not like day after day being in the same place.
But London is fantastic for little ones - I've taken him to several museums and Southend

[ecuse]

We had our DD in a one bed flat in zone 2, intended to move when she was about 6 months but due to multiple purchases falling through took us until she was 2.

Was fine at first, especially before she was mobile. I won't lie, it was wearing a bit thin by the end. But then my dh was also working out of home, running a business from our only living room so... not ideal!

We managed, though. No harm you trying it out. If you move now when you don't really want to your heart won't be in it and you'll resent it. If you have a baby and are fine in a 1 bed then hooray. If you find yourself going slightly potty then you'll move to the suburbs with a happier heart

[PetalMettle]

The other thing I would say is that I hope it's not the case for you but ttc is not always a quick thing so you don't want to move and be resenting being stuck in the burbs while your period comes each month

[Oysterbabe]

It wouldn't work with the current arrangement. When your baby is small you can just move it around the house in a moses basket no problem. Before too long you'll want to put it to bed while you stay up so will need a cot in a separate room.
As pp suggest, making the bedroom the living room is a good plan.
You can probably make it work in the short term and when it gets too much then move.

[MeadowHay]

Downstairs in our block we have a family of four (two parents, a junior school aged child, and a toddler) in a one bed flat, and a family of five in a one bed flat (two parents, reception aged child, toddler, and baby)!! They all manage (although I'm not sure how ) and their one bed flats are considerably smaller than what you describe as well. I'm sure you will be just fine, go for it.

[YelloDraw]

I think her 'one bedroom flat' is a bit misleading as I'm sure she's said before they have dinner parties for eight people in it

Huh? 1 bed flat means 1 bedroom. It doesn't give any information on the square footage.

Bringing up a baby in 450sq foot? No thanks. 700sq foot like our 1 bed? (Which we host dinner parties for 12...) Totally doable.

[Oysterbabe]

I host dinner parties for 17 in my one bed flat. I win *


*I don't have a one bed flat or host dinner parties.