For not wanting our friend couple to bring baby over to our house?

Can’t you offer to bring dinner round to their house and wash up after or pay for a takeaway, so they don’t always feel like they’re hosting?

If it's at night I don't blame you

The baby will settle for sleep much better in their own home and your evening can carry on

During the day maybe you could make accommodations and have them for lunch? Maybe in the summer?

As your friends have families this is going to happen again and again. Not sure if you feel like you can ask her specifically to get together without the baby. You may need to accept things change.

Haha you think I'm going to tell you anything about me when you post things like this?

it is weird that you’re even signed up to mumsnet
let alone asking mumsnet this Op

If I say I have children you'll do the "oh your poor children nonsense" and if I say I don't, as predicted above...

You watch them whilst chatting obviously .

I think OP is getting an unfair rap here. People have different homes, some have more ornaments and stuff than others, or wires and plugged in things. If it is your own baby you adapt with it and move things gradually as they become more mobile. I totally understand it would be a lot of hassle to rearrange for friends to visit if you don't have a minimalist type home.

It's surprising what a mobile baby will get into and how much noise is involved if they can't get into what they want. Depending on the baby, of course. Plus uninterrupted adult conversation becomes difficult as many babies need full on attention at all times.

When my kids were grown up, after many years of poverty I started buying nice things for the home knowing they wouldn't get broken. Grandchildren came along and they are the light of my life, but when they visited (they live far away) I had to rearrange the whole living room, leave the bottom of bookcase empty, remove stuff from low level drawers and so on. Even then, at toddler stage, they got into things I wouldn't have imagined. Example I finally treated myself to a nice pepper grinder, it somehow got grabbed from above a level I thought was reachable, and thrown across a room and broke. Knife drawer, above toddler head height but they chose that one drawer to open and put their hand in (spotted in time and still has all their fingers).

Friendship works both ways, I'd just explain in a nice way that you don't think your house is very childproof, cupboards aren't secured to walls or whatever the risks are, and you'd be worried the baby might grab something and maybe get hurt.
Ask would a play pen work or offer to cook them dinner and bring it over if they are fixed on things involving dinner.

However, people do get defensive about their babies, so the friendship may drift....

By 'flooded' I meant the water seeped into the floor and took weeks to dry out. I didn't mean 'flooded' like in a cartoon with baby going sailing down the hall!

OP i think i do actually understand where you're coming from.

When my babies were little I did prefer friends to come to me because I had all the things I needed to sort baby out then put em to bed and enjoy growup time. I found it more stressful bringing travel seat, toys, changing stuff etc and didn't really relax at other ppls homes. Even now I'd prefer to visit homes of other ppl who have kids to entertain my kids, so this all sounds pretty normal.

I did and do love being invited out as a couple and getting my kids babysat so maybe that's an option.

You're coming across very unpleasant.

There are loads of childfree people on this website, AIBU became very popular in particular with childfree people, including myself.

I have no children but have worked in childcare since I was 18. Just because people don't have children, it doesn't mean they don't have any experience. I can probably guarntee I have more than you.

Why not bring dinner for all with you?

The quote marks around the word devastation should have given you a clue that the poster was quoting someone else. But you also could have gone back and actually read the posts too, before you decided to double down on your incorrect view.

This from me too. My home and garden are definitely not child safe because I do a lot of various crafts and DIY. It would take a MASSIVE effort to child proof it and them a massive effort to get everything out again. I could imagine parents walking in clutching the baby, taking one look and walking straight out again and I wouldn't balme them.

This.

If you can’t move your breakables and tolerate their baby for a few hours then I wouldn’t say you are really friends at all. If I was said “friend” and read this post I’d tell you where to stuff your game night.

I would not invite anyone with a baby to my flat, unless they agreed to have their eyes on the baby 100% of the time. It would be dangerous otherwise. Although to be honest, the couple of times when a friend has come with her baby, that's what she did.

I think you should invite your friends and let them realise by themselves that your house is no longer suitable for your dinner parties

I am childfree, but my friends used to bring their young children and babies over often - and stayed for a long weekend. My house was never baby-proofed, but between 4 of us adults we always kept the kids safe. We had fun, and the parents got a bit of a break. Just relax, OP, and invite them over.

Why do you want to know?

This, but also add ‘dinner is on us this time’ and turn up with take out and drinks.

Do you?

Yes, here's yours:

How much devastation can an 11 month old really create in your precious home?

Did you mean destruction?