To wonder if it's possible to have a baby in a tiny property?

[TinyTigress]

Currently living with in laws and looking to move out asap. We've been looking for ages and can't get anywhere. The only rentals we can find are mostly one beds with small bedrooms and we've also managed to view a two bedroom but again the bedrooms were both tiny. Even upping our original budget by £2/300 hasn't helped, properties just go so quickly and we can't really afford any more on the rent given we also want to start TTC soon.

Is it actually possible to have a baby in a tiny flat? We just want to find somewhere we can fit double bed, next to me and some storage in the room but that doesn't seem possible in the current rental market. Obviously won't be TTC until we find somewhere but it's so hard at the moment.

of course its possible very possible but I would never recommend it to anyone

you are having trouble "affording" a rental now what will happen when babie/s arrive??

We're not struggling to afford it now, it's that once we add in childcare costs, we wouldn't be able afford to go up much higher but it's not helping increasing the budget anyway. We'd be looking at a further £300 or so to get a decent place. We're in the South East and rentals + childcare costs are mental.

A baby is fine, it’s once they start getting older and accumulating more things and needing more space you might find it harder. But little babies need very little.

Of course it’s possible, plenty of people do. What ages are you? If ages aren’t a concern I’d be very tempted to stay with in Laws, save as much as you can and try and buy-shared ownership might be a quicker option as you don’t need as much deposit

Throughout the world and history millions have raised (and indeed are still raising) entire families in a single room so of course it's possible. Whether its desirable for you is another matter.

I would really recommend a 2 bed, for the sake of your sleep after the baby turns 6 months.

If you're looking for somewhere with space for a next to me, I think you will struggle very quickly.

Families live in all sorts of homes around the world.
Baby in a cotbed will last until preschool years if they aren't too tall then you can buy bunk beds that have a double at the bottom and a single above so that would be ok once your child hits around 6 - 10. But they'll really need their own room after that

It is completely manageable with one child in a small flat if you are willing to make sacrifices on your own personal space and to be strict on minimising clutter and getting out and about everyday, the risk in is if you have more children unplanned.

What's the long term plan? Would you want to buy? What age are you? Could you delay TTC for a year or so and save like mad? Fair play to you for considering the costs and practicalities in advance though, lots don't.

I kept babies in my room and coslept for 3/4 years. Even though you are looking at 2 beds might not be what you were nd up needing.

agree though one bed needs space for double, next to me type cot and storage if you can get that.

I had first baby in one bed then moved when he was 2

Of course it is.

Literally billions of people do this every day. And millions do it in the UK.

Hopefully you have earning capacity that will allow you to upsize in the years to come, as your child grows. You have to start somewhere.

Well small spaces are fine. But you are going to need something that fits at least a cot bed/ toddler bed (70x140), as a next to me thing only lasts until 4-6 months (when they can sit up it is dangerous). So you would have to move again with 6 month old.

I would move out of the area

Are your incomes low enough that once your baby was 12 months old you would be eligible for financial help to rent a 2 bed?

As others have said … of course it is fine … millions around the world are in 1 bedrooms/ same rooms.

Better both parents happy than stressed with finances or stressed staying with in laws. But save up as childcare costs are a killer

We had a small 2 bed with our first was a baby. Bit of a different situation as we were living abroad so just wanted something easy and money wasn’t an issue so we just didn’t spend that much time there. It was very doable though, babies don’t need much stuff and we had all space for all the essentials.
I couldn’t have done a 1 bed though. None of us slept well with baby in our room and couldn’t wait to move them out! It also gave us storage for toys when they got older and avoided the living room looking like a creche.

People have more children in worse conditions, so you absolutely can have a child in a small flat!

How old are you? Can you put it off for a couple of years whilst you save a bit more?
9

Of course it's possible. I was brought up in a bedsit with shared bathroom and kitchen for the first few years of my life, so a flat with 2 bedrooms will be fine.

I dont get these next to me things. We had moses baskets on stands and then moved them into their cots in the other room at 6 months. If they were ill or needy occasionally they came into our bed in a sleepyhead or similar sort of thing to avoid being squashed. What's the idea around a next to me cot thing? I wouldn't find somewhere to rent that specifically had room for one of those unless it was really important in some way. Can in laws help with childcare or childcare costs? Can you put off TTC and save like mad to buy somewhere small? Or live with in laws and baby for a year or two? Rent is such wasted money.

Not low enough for help but possibility of wage going up. I work for NHS and capable of being next band up but no jobs available at the moment. Am constantly looking at tbh that would solve a lot of the financial issue. Our other option is to stay with in laws until next pay progression and save like crazy during that time. I could in theory look at working privately but then I'd lose the good maternity pay (swings and roundabouts really on that front) but definitely option when DC a bit older.

The plan if we went for a 1 bed is to move when their 6 months or so but then that puts pressure on us to find somewhere again which as we're discovering, is proving difficult. So the ideal really would be a 2 bed, I'm not overly keen on a 1 bed.

Ages are 34 (me), 37 (him) so ideally don't want to delay too long but obviously do have a bit of time before we need to seriously worry.

Try to stay put until you can buy.

Renting with kids is horrid & gets worse.

Next to me are great to save your sanity and your sleep! It's not really recommended to put the baby on the bed next to you, they are a life saver.

I would look very carefully at my finances if you are struggling now, maternity leave and the cost of a child won't improve them.

You can live in a small space, it's just uncomfortable and unpractical. You need storage for the travel system and everything else.

It's also a lot more work when they grow up, when some mums just open the door and leave the kids in the garden, you have to drop everything to take yours to the park.

The older they get, the more space you need. You can manage, but do you really want to always struggle?

it's true. Once they are settled at school, having to relocate is an absolute nightmare. If you think finding a property is bad now, imagine when you try to find one in the school catchment, and your finances are A LOT smaller - kids cost a fortune.

Just to clarify as a few people saying the same thing. We are not struggling financially at the moment but know we would be when we start paying childcare if we upped our rent to the higher amount. No issues on mat leave as NHS so enhanced pay, it's just when childcare kicks in (in laws helping with childcare one day but still need to cover the rest).

Buying isn't an option, mortgages here and within an hour or so of us are even crazier.

Sounds like we may be better off holding off and saving up / waiting until something bigger comes up.

At age 34 I would start trying now to be honest. You might find the perfect flat etc etc and then the landlord ups rent/decides to sell up - you can't control these things.

With regards to childcare, they are introducing all sorts of different funding so you'll get help for at least 15 hours of fees (not brilliant but better than nothing!)

If you work for the NHS, can you seriously consider a career and house move to a cheaper area? Most areas in the North or Midlands, have much more affordable property to rent or buy and, as a family, you'd have a higher standard of living.

Maybe your partner can do some remote work/travel in the short term and look for a job in the new area?