To ask you to help me work out how a baby will work in our one bed flat (diagram)

[HackneyP]

DH and I have found out we are expecting a baby due end of May. We live in a one bed housing association flat (third floor) in central London and will likely need to stay here for a while after the baby is born.

Logistically I need some help on making our flat work! (See attached diagram- not to scale!)

Bedroom is a small double. Our bed takes up 3/4 of the room.

Very small bathroom, shower over the bath.

Large front room/ living room.

Large kitchen.

I don't know where we could put a cot/ changing table/ pram etc. Everything we get will need to be relatively compact. I did think about us sleeping in the front room and getting a big sofa bed and making our bedroom the baby's room with a cot and changing table (it would work for this) but then there's nowhere for either of us to go of one wants to sleep early and I still want the place to look decent enough for visitors (wishful thinking).

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Tbh I could have managed without a pram (just a sling), but that depends on your own fitness (not just now but after the birth, which may change) and the size of your baby.

We had one of these for changing and it worked well

Congratulations

I wouldn't get loft bed, initially at least. It would be a pita to be climbing up and down during the night, imagine if you have a c-section or stitches?
Switching living room and bedroom might work, but I think you need living space more than bedroom space when dcs are tiny. Bedrooms are purely for sleeping in when they are small.
We never had a changing table, used a mat on the floor or the top of a chest of drawers.
Definitely get ideas from pinterest and even the ikea website has some ideas for sharing a bedroom with baby.

A really good reason for NOT making your living room a permanent bedroom is that when your baby is 6 months they'll start to crawl, and then your choices are to play all the time in the "bedroom" as the small living room will be too small. I'd get depressed by that! Also if you want to invite friends with babies a similar age round, you'd need to host in your bedroom.

So as I said, I'd go for comfortable IKEA sofa bed, leaving your living room otherwise as is, and add a single in baby's bedroom for options of early nights etc.

Thank you all so much! Going to have a thorough read tonight and come back to you with my plan for approval

I agree with others about swapping the living room and bedroom! Or getting a sofa bed in the living room and one of you sleeping in there with baby. I'm speaking from experience as we live in a one bed with a baby AND 3 year old 😳 Our living room has a sofa bed which we pull out every night and one of us sleeps on it with baby in cot next to it, and one sleeps in bedroom with 3 year old.. then we swap the next night! Thankfully moving at end of the year.

The living room will be the new best friend to all 3 of you!! That's what I had to do! Congratulations too btw

I would wait to buy your pram and hope the baby jogger tour lux comes out before the baby is born.

It probably will be for quite a long time as in my borough (greenwich) and many London boroughs this wouldn't be classed as a priority move and you would be in the lowest band. Just to add no way could I manage with just a sling I was wondering how people do the other day. Way too much of a pain.

We had twins in a one bedroom flat for about a year. We had bed against the wall and used cot for dtwins in the bedroom. Wardrobe and chest of drawers was moved into the living room against wall behind sofa. Pushchair kept in hall under coats. It was tight but we coped. You dont need a changing table.

We have this situation. Luckily soon to move but our DD is 11 months. All you need babywise is a cot I'd say and me and DP now sleep on a sofabed in the living room because that means DD sleeps through the night and we actually sleep 😂
You could possibly make the bedroom the babies room? But with your wardrobe, chest etc but get rid of the double bed and try and sofa bed? Honestly it's the only thing that worked for us but only because DD won't sleep if we're in the room.
If you cosleep it means you have to hold baby for every nap which isn't really convenient. I'd Defo recommend trying to get a cot or Moses basket.

Babies don't take up much space at all. I was in a similar situation with our first and used to just keep the pushchair in the car.

That's really not true for cosleeping. I don't hold my baby at all when she naps

Congratulations!

• use sling initially and then folding umbrella pushchair for transport.
• Moses basket or carrycot, or one of those sidecar cots that attach to the side of your bed.
• change baby on a towel on the bed or floor. No need for table.
• You will need a car seat and they are a pain to store. Maybe put a heavy duty hook on the wall so you can hang it
• Put hook on wall over bath to hang baby bath (if you want one)
• minimal wardrobe for the baby. A few babygros and job done.
• No need for toys, babies are just as happy with, e.g. wooden spoon and a saucepan. Get books from library.

I would also swap living room and bedroom around. Then either get a cot, or swap your bed for a kingsize and use something like a sleepyhead (portable baby bed) which you can have in your bed. You can then put all your clothes etc in the bigger bedroom and have a cosy living room. I would also say- from experience, have a sofabed or comfy sofa so one of you can escape if sleep deprivation becomes an issue and you need to do shifts.

If you cosleep it means you have to hold baby for every nap which isn't really convenient

Think you're confusing co sleeping with baby wearing.

I used a baby hammock that hung next to my side of the bed - good until baby can sit up. By then you will have worked out how a lot of things work, what you want/need etc.

Then I co-slept.

You don't need changing table, probably not even a cot etc - be very very careful with what you buy. You don't need most of the stuff everyone sets out to buy for babies, you really don't.

I lived (live) in small space with DC - I found it really useful to look to other cultures for inspiratio and ideas - ie Japan.

If you do go with sofa bed idea (I do this) you need to ensure you get one where the bed is designed for daily use!! Mine is from Muji. It's an excellent bed designed for daily use. As a sofa it is OK - I miss proper sofa more than I miss proper bed.

www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?Sec=19&Sub=82&PID=5266

hammock www.amazon.co.uk/DuneDesign-suspended-spreader-carabiners-supported/dp/B01MZBNZFI?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=mumsnetforum-21

I would use a sling instead of a pram (stretchy wrap or close caboo to start then a buckle carrier)

I wouldn't bother with a changing table.

I've seen a highchair called 'supaflat' which would save a lot of space but it's pricey.

Co sleep or use a small co sleeping crib.

When the baby is older I would use kallax furniture for toy storage.

If you can fit a small wardrobe in that would fit all of the baby's clothes, blankets etc 🙂

I don't think IKEA sofa beds are designed for using every day. It is really important to get good sleep.

Oh I remember doing this.

If you can get a cot squeezed in your room I would have keep everything as it is. If you will be staying home with the baby you won't want your whole life squeezed into a small bedroom. But still get a sofabed and make sure you put it away in the morning. It was really useful having two sleeping areas. At first the baby is obviously feeding through the night and it helped that DH could have a decent night and take over in the morning. When I was no longer bfing and the baby was older it was still good as we could both be comfortable when the baby had bad nights, so one of us would sleep in with the baby and one have a decent night's sleep. Good luck!

philandteds.com/uk/Products/Feed/Lobster#.WcTvGrKGPcs

Great highchair if you have a table and its portable too

The next to me cot is up at pillow end (where a bedside table might be) so you'll still be able to get out of bed and around the room.

You don't need a changing table, just a mat. Foam or roll up.

I would make sofa bed last resort. Even good ones aren't that comfy every night.

Swapping rooms is great idea. I could easily fit all nappies, wipes etc clothes and jackets blankets in my babies wardrobe. it's a small one with hanging rail, then two shelves and a drawer at the bottom. If you could squeeze it in somewhere night be useful.

I keep changing mat under couch even though I have a changing table! Rarely use it though.

Wouldn't bother with baby bath either if storage is tight it's nice but not essential, though u could store in bath if you want one. Just make sure u buy a narrow one.

Good sofa beds are fine. Think of all the people all over the world who sleep on the floor, futons etc- I'm sure they're not all inflicted with bad backs. There's loads of decent sofa beds around. 'Not for everyday use' is probably more to do with his long it will last not because it'll give you a bad back.