Argument with my DM over baby items

Oh but i suggest good research into pushchairs, my big one was too heavy for 16 steps so quickly switched to a lie flat umbrella buggy, they don’t look all fancy but so easy to use, especially as buses had steps back then too. I then bought the double version when dd2 was born, managed 2 dc, double buggy, shopping and 16 steps until we moved when dc2 was 6 months old

You can have a lot less and all will be fine! You get told you need this that and the other and tbh half of it is a waste of money! Enjoy your little one without all the clutter that goes with it.

And yep DS never fell down the front stairs, because we never left him unattended with the front door open! Much less risk than a house with internal stairs I would have thought.

We lived in an upstairs flat when our daughter was born, I had a section and Oh My God was it a pain in the arse... the pain going up those stairs for the first few times was awful, but thankfully didn't last long. The situation with the pram, however, was SO challenging, particularly if hubby was at work, I would have to put the pram up at the bottom of the stairs, outside was better if the weather was OK, then put my daughter in last of all before setting off. Then coming back in was child out first (I had to run upstairs and pop her in her cot so she couldn't escape anywhere, and yes we had stairgate but Ijust needed to make sure) then go and fold the pram, bring bags in etc.
That was hard enough but once she started playing etc we had no garden and so we decided to move.
Whilst it was hard it was doable, and only you can make the decision on whether it will bother you or not, but moving house can take a lot of time so the sooner you decide to move the better, if that's what you want.
Good luck and congratulations!

For me a consideration is whether you have a drive (very unlikely in a terrace) or can guarantee parking very close to your house? Otherwise the suggestions of storing the pram in the car aren’t that practical. You’ll still have to transport baby, shopping, etc into the house by yourself.

People including me managed just fine in tiny flats, even bedsits. Tell her to mind her own business (politely she does mean well) and ignore all those long “must have” baby item lists, you really don’t need 80% of it. You may find once you have a toddler you will want to move but that’s a longways off.

@SummerFeverVenice

Are you really suggesting that the NHS data should be used to compel parents of babies and toddlers to live somewhere where they will never encounter any indoor or outdoor steps during the pre-school years?

The majority of posters presumably live in houses with stairs so where do they fall in terms of risk? (pun intended!)

Are you normally quite risk averse and a bit of a worrier? Sounds like you might have some kind of anxiety disorder? What does your family think?

DS and DiL keep their pushchair in the car. Never brought it into the house because no space and no way to get it round the back either.

Leave baby in cot/playpen/safe place in the house. Go to car, get buggy out. Pick up baby from safe place and put baby in buggy. Go for walk! It's not difficult - just some planning and organising and dare I say some common sense!

When they start to walk you teach them how to negotiate steps and stairs and you don't leave them to run out of the front door themselves. Who would do that anyway?

Congratulations by the way OP! Don't let your DM rain on your parade. Your baby - your rules!

Ignore your mum and the other bonkers posters.

My two adult DC both live in flats with steps and both have young children and they manage perfectly fine. One of my DIL’s is an NHS Consultant and I doubt she’d take unnecessary risks with her two.

We had steep steps, and bought a combination foldable lightweight pram/pushchair (you could assemble it as either). I would lift it out first then put baby in and on return take baby in first then get the pram. It was never a problem, but I didn't use the pram for long distances really so it didn't need to be a Rolls Royce. Most trips were by car then pram/pushchair around the shops, etc.

OP the steps will probably irritate you especially if it's raining but it will be just that- an irritation.
My house has no parking outside- I have to cross a road with a 3.5 year old and a 1 year old who can't walk. Annoying, but I get by.
My point is- you'll manage. If you love where you live, you'll make it work x

Another vote for the Babyzen Yoyo pram. It is expensive but it is worth every penny. It’s genuinely beautiful and a life saver for public transport and small hallways. Can’t recommend highly enough.

Moving house is expensive and stressful, and you sound happy there.

But more important to ask your mum is if she’s going to be angry with you every time you make a parenting choice she doesn’t agree with…

We lived in a a terrace house with steps when we had our first... we coped fine- he's still alive so....

We lived in a two bedroom first floor flat until DS was 8. No lift, no garden. Absolutely fine. We were sad to leave.

We also didn’t bother with a changing table, a foam mat on the floor was absolutely fine (and no risk of him rolling off).

There’s a hundred ways toddlers can fall over and hit their heads - they can do it on a flat surface on the corner of the pavement for goodness sakes.

Risks on steps and anything else can be managed. You’re balancing everything that is great about your house and area with some inconveniences that you’ll learn to get around. If you decide it’s not worth it then you can always move then.

We lived in a tiny flat with a baby and minimal furniture l, and later a bigger flat with steep stairs to navigate for a toddler and it was fine. We used a combination of carriers and strollers. I loved carriers - so easy and convenient and still use them every day with my 1yo.

Goodness people are crazy about the what ifs. people have managed for years. I lived in a flat on the 2nd floor, no lift, I dealt with it when we had our child and didnt move until dc was around 2 as we wanted a garden.

Just tell her you cant think about the hassle of moving right now, but will if it turns out you don't manage.
So much easier than getting into an argument about something that no one knows for sure as yet. You might be fine with it. You might find you'd rather move.

We did this too. McLaren XT that lies flat and really easy to handle and fold up. We have steps up to our door and I could manage by gently ‘bumping’ up the stairs backwards on the back wheels. No problems.

You will be absolutely fine. I lived in a flat with a huge flight of stairs and a baby that only napped out walking. I would get home, take the bassinet off the wheels and carry baby upstairs whilst the wheels went straight in my car boot. Easy!

Remember baby needs to lie flat in a pram until 6 months….then you can get a buggy that’s more in a sitting position….I wouldn’t get a house where I couldn’t wheel the pram straight in….you will be waking them from walks to pit the pram back in the car….then hoisting baby and bags up stair into house….too much of a faff for me…especially when it’s pissing down…but I’m sure you’ve thought it all thru

We live in a small flat OP and our pram lives in the car. Probably a bit more of a faff than it coming into the home, but it’s not stopped us doing anything at any time.

What on earth are some people imagining with the steps... This is what the steps to a typical terraced house are like... Hardly lethal...

I have never heard such nonsense... The idea that a terraced house is not safe.

And how patronizing to talk about 'learning the hard way'.

Many, many people live in far less ideal homes than a sole occupancy terraced home. There must be hundreds of thousands of them in the UK.
I grew up in one and both my siblings owned/ do own one. They are lovely solid homes.

I'm curious as to what type of home you feel is 'safe' ... A bungalow?

You just buy a pram that suits your needs. I loved in a tiny home with my first. I just had a travel system with a neat frame/car seat combo when he was tiny, and changed to buggy as soon as he was big enough.

Honesty, get a grip.

I lived in a flat with 2 sets of steep stairs up to the door when dc was newborn. I won't lie sometimes it was really difficult eg coming home with shopping and baby asleep in pram. My pram mainly lived in the car there was no room in flat for it but it did get easier once dc was out of the flat pram and switched to buggy. Your mum is just concerned but expressing it in the wrong way