Need advice please ...

[littlemisspiggy]

I would be interested to hear from MNers.
we areexpecting baby #2 in May and can't decide the best way to organise living/sleeping space.I grew up as a single child living with my mum so there were no space issues for me draw comparisons from. We live in a 3 bedroom house arranged on three floors. Ground floor = kitchen, toilet & office. 1st floor = living room bedroom 3 (small)and ensuite and 2nd floor= master bedroom and ensuite and large 2nd bedroom (currently ds- age 3's room).
Apart from the first few weeks when we'll have new baby with us we can't decide whether to have ds 1 downstairs in bed 3 (small) make bed 2 a nursery and spare double bedroom for occasional visiting family or keep ds 1 in his current room and have baby in with him (could disturb his sleeping)and eventually have bunk beds - by the way, we don't know the sex of baby yet. Or put baby in bedroom 3(a bit of a treck down in the middle of the night for feeds etc)?
Sorry to sound dithery but I just can't make up my mind as there seem to be pros and cons to all options and time will run out soon.
I'd be grateful to hear how you managed space when 2nd child arrived and do you have any helpful suggestions?
Thanks.

We have a 2-bed house and a DS who will be 21mo when DB's born in January.

We're planning to have the baby in our room for at least the first six months (which is the recommendation these days - not sure if you know that, it might make it easier for you?), then put them in together, regardless of what gender DB is. I shared a room with my younger brother till I was 7.

In your situation, I'd do the big room on your floor as a nursery for both of them as and when you transfer DB - and wait till the baby's not having night feeds to put them in together.

Thanks hunkermunker - what was the age gap between you and your brother.
Gut feeling tells me its right they should have the biggest room to play in etc. Our ensuite (small) tends to get used as a family bathroom and I think it'll be in for a battering with 2 kids. Also doesn't do much for DH's and my privacy. I guess it's no big deal if we use downstairs bathroom to bath kids and then transfer them upstairs for bed.
Sorry if this is boring but it's helping me to think out loud IYKWIM.

I'd definitely keep the baby in with you till s/he's sleeping through (or at least sleeping reliably for a reasonable period of time) and then move both children in together into the big bedroom on your floor. My dds (now 3 and 5) share a room and have done since we moved to this house 2 years ago. They love it, and actually get quite upset if for some reason they have to sleep separately. In fact, they quite often end up in the same bed! I plan to keep them in together till they get to about secondary school age. I've never had problems with one disturbing the other in the night, even though dd2 wakes up quite frequently in the night. Oh, and I didn't have any resentment from dd1 when I moved dd2 in with her. Possibly this was because we were moving to a new house, so it was all different anyway. But she always saw it as a fun thing for them to be in together. I think you probably need to 'sell' it to your ds as the 'fun' option - they'll be able to play together when mummy and daddy are still asleep, that kind of thing... Good luck.

I'm exactly 2 and a half years older. We loved sharing a room.

Thanks. Iwonder if DS will get 'impatient' with db as there will be 3.5 years age gap so will be at least 18months to 2years before he can expect to play properly together. Or will that not be an issue?

Stayed with some friends a couple of weeks ago and they have two dds who are exactly three years apart and who share a room with no problems. All you can do is try it. If it doesn't work out, you might have to reconsider later...