Flat on third floor?

[an1997]

So since January I've been flat hunting to move out of my family home. I had found one that location wise was perfect but ended up being turned down from it. I've now found another flat that I love even more, the actual flat is prefect, is well look after, good decor, good size and affordable. However it's on the third floor of a block of flats and I have a 5 month old which I use a pram with that I bought my self so I don't want to not be using it. I've tried using slings but just struggle to get the hang of it and find them more hassle that they are worth. Has anyone experienced having a baby and living high up in flats? Was it really hard? I don't want to not get the flat but I want to be realistic about every day life🙃

3rd floor walk up here with a baby.
I’m guessing you don’t have ground floor storage or a car boot you can use? Personally I hate slings too and besides they’re not really a long term solution as you’ll soon have a toddler! I find it more than do-able but a lightweight stroller that’s easy to carry is a non-negotiable. Our babyzen yo-yo fits the bill as I can one hand fold it and then use the shoulder strap to carry it up the stairs with my hands free to carry DD. We also have a big pram but it’s really impractical so it lives in our basement storage all summer and in the car boot during winter- we live in a more extreme climate than the UK so unfortunately need something that can handle snow. So my advice is that it’s absolutely fine but you should replace your pram if it’s big/heavy and you’ll need to bring it up the stairs. Also online shopping is your friend, no need to add shopping to carry into the mix!

We're in a third floor apartment with a now two year old. We have a great buggy (mountain buggy terrain) that lives upstairs and is taken out daily. I can maneuver the buggy down one handed with DD in the other arm if needed but can't do it in reverse. Most days it's fine but some days getting back with a tired toddler and all the shopping makes me want to cry a wee bit! Our neighbors store theirs in the boot of their car so they don't have to bring it up which isn't an option for us (no car yet as we just moved countries).
On the upside my bum hasn't looked this good for ages with all the stairs😂
The hard part is when DD falls asleep just before we get home as I can't transfer her these days. If there are two of us we can carry it up with her still in but if I'm alone (most days) then I have to gamble on getting her back down for a nap, or accepting she will just be a tired sausage all afternoon. A couple of times I've parked her at the bottom and sat at the bottom of the stairs with a book and a cold drink/coffee to give her at least a short sleep.
You get creative and for us was worth it to be in a lovely apartment with nice outlook and in a great area,

Good luck with your shopping too.

I wouldn’t. No way.

I know what it’s like when you just want to get moved and sorted, but just have a little more patience and something else will turn up.

If you’re still considering it, why not go over and have a go getting up & down with baby & buggy. Then think about when you’re doing it with a much heavier baby & toddler. Not to mention shopping etc

I think it would be fine in the long run. In a few years, things will be different anyway. I know it’s not the same, but we were on holiday in a third floor flat with three year olds. I was really concerned about it not working but it was absolutely fine and I would have been happy to continue in the long run.

On the upside my bum hasn't looked this good for ages with all the stairs - definitely this!!! I dropped a dress size.

Managed fine on top floor (3rd) with a dc +dcat!!
Didn't cope well with downstairs neighbours and their very loud sex life.
Felt like an intruder in their antics it felt so nearby tbh!

Hmmm thank you all for the replies, I'm still not sure. I just love the flat so much I think it may be worth the mission of walking up and down three flights of stairs. Dropping a dress size is also a massive plus!!

Why not go over & take the baby & pram up & down, then imagine you’ve forgotten your bag, go back up and down again...

Honestly, I know people do it, but I can’t imagine anyone with options doing it.

I did it when I was single, no kids, with a bike (in Spain) and I could go out without the bike and I could lock the bike up downstairs briefly if I just needed to collect something or drop shopping off etc, but you can’t do that with a baby. There isn’t a flat nice enough to induce me to do it. The only time I’d consider it was if it was either that or a ‘homeless’ option.

It’s NOT the walking up 3 flights, it’s the pram, the baby (who will get heavier & heavier but will still need carrying), the shopping, every single thing you take in or out of your flat...and a baby. No matter how tired you are, no matter how ill you are, no matter what. Every Single Time you want to leave the flat you have to manoeuvre the pram and carry the baby.

Honestly. You’re mad for consudering it when you have options.

Sorry but without a good lift I'd not do it myself and that's without a baby and all it's stuff, shopping, etc.

Forgot to mention the ONE time I left the buggy downstairs while I put dd in her cot asleep and some feral dc decided to go joy buggying. And then tried to fold it incorrectly bending the chassis.
Bastards!!

A couple with 2 DC (age 2yo and 9mo) just moved out of our flat for this same reason, but we're 5 flights up, narrow stairs with lots of bends.
We have a 7yo and a dog, don't need to carry do much. However, doing the weekly shop has been downgraded to buying little every couple of days, and the IKEA trip we did last week nearly killed us!
But we're central, I can walk to work and ds to school, we have a cracking view. And my arse is on my shoulders