To think we can live in a one bed flat with a baby?

[PostieGal]

I'm 19 weeks pregnant with our first baby, we live in a spacious one bed flat, OH thinks we need to move to a two bed flat before baby arrives (it would be a struggle financially to do it now). I think we have plenty of space to stay put for about 12 months because baby would be sleeping in our room anyway for the first 9 months or so. His concern is his sleeping pattern (paramedic - all kinds of day/evening/night shifts etc). I say at least I'll be home on mat leave for those 9 months so can look after baby in the living room, or take him/her out while OH is sleeping.

Am I being naive to think this could work? Surely plenty of people live in one bed houses/flats when they have their first baby? We are in Hertfordshire - London commuter belt. He works in north London.

We lived in a small 1 bad flat. 2 kids 2 adults till oldest was 7. It was set up like those mini homes. Keep what you use, convert lounge into bedroom at night. Then we moved and suddenly the house is filled with clutter. I miss living in a small house. More space gives you more opportunity to collect junk.

My friend does this and it works well. I'm not sure it would have worked for me though as my dd is such as noisy sleepe.r As a new born - she cried in her sleep, snuffled, squeaked etc... We also disturbed her of we snored, rolled over ... Any tiny sound 🙄. I think we all shared a room for one night before my husband and I took it in turns to sleep in the spare room so we could get some rest.

At 18 months she is still the same and I dread going to visit my in-laws as they like us to stay - there is only one spare room. We make our excuses as often as we can as none of us get any sleep 😴

With a shift worker in the house I think you need a 2 bed.

We lived in a 1 bed (large) flat until DC1 was almost two and I was heavily pregnant with DC2.

It was fine, although DP and I were both on the same sleep patterns. Ive never used bedrooms much in the daytime anyway though... in any of our flats / houses.

Currently in a one bed, partner regularly sleeps on a roll out mattress in living room. We have a garden, separate living room and dining/kitchen and a one year old. It's fine. I'd rather have the two living space rooms than another bedroom. We are looking to move into a house by the time the baby is two though.

My friend and her fiance did this with 2 children and only moved to a 3 bed when the children were 5 and 6. They gave the children the bedroom and invested in a v comfy sofabed.
I've asked for more tips as now DH and I have a spacious one bed and I'm also 19 weeks pregnant.
We are lucky that we also have a lot of storage in terms of built in cupboards and even a loft so I'm confident we can do it.
Our long term plan when this baby is 5ish is to move from London and live where my family are where you can get a lot more house for your money!
Until then, we will be fine I'm sure as you will be. We will make it work because it has to work

Absolutely fine. My DC all stayed in my room until at least 12 months, my youngest is still in my room at 18 months- we just feel more comfortable with that.

Loads of people I know have had babies in one bed flats, well into toddlerhood in fact. You don’t need to fill the house with masses of bulky (mostly plastic) baby shit.

We’re due our second in the autumn in a two bed cottage (it’s TINY). Not worried at all.

You might find it's easier to get the mortgage now than when the baby is 1 and you are having to disclose you are going to be working less hours / childcare costs etc. I wouldn't even tell them I was 19 weeks pregnant as it's very early.

It sounds like you have a spacious 1 bed which is preferable to a cramped 2 bed in my opinion. Spacious living area is more important with a child than somewhere separate for it to sleep. I would look at getting an additional small cot for daytime naps that is kept in your living area. Ikea do cheap ones and they go for next to nothing on gumtree etc.

We had a 2 bed flat and I’m so glad it took that long to get pregnant we moved to a house.

If you have the option of more space take it