2 children in a 1 bedroom flat - insane or do-able? - and would a midwife/HV find issue with it?

[PogoBob]

Sold our tiny 2 bed house much quicker than expect just before Christmas. Didn't have time to find another house so DH, 18mo DD and I rented a large one bed flat from a friend to give us some breathing space. Rent is cheap (genuine reason) and there is no limit to how long we can stay.

We're ttc DC#2 and financially - DH is a SAHD - it would make life so much easier if we could stay here until after I finish maternity leave. Has anyne managed 2 children in a 1 bedroom flat - we co-sleep with DD anyhow so have shared a bedroom with her since birth!

The bedroom is big enough to fit a double bed, 2 cots (if DD ever slept in a cot!!), our wardrobes etc. and the living room/kitchen is an open plan room that 15' x 30' plus and we've plenty of storage cupboards etc. To be honest, in terms of floorspace the flat is bigger than our old house.

My concern is assuming I fall pregnant midwives/HV will be visiting me at home, is 2 children and 2 adults in a 1 bed flat something they'd flag up as an issue or am I just being neurotic over-cautious??

TIA

I can't see why they'd have a problem with it. To be honest, unless you give them a guided tour of the flat, how will they know/care that it is a 1 bed anyway?

Why would they flag it up as an issue? And what do you think they would do about it?

A friend of mine had two LO's in a one bedroom house. It is a small one too, but they seem to manage.

Told you I was being neurotic!!

Not sure what I expect them to do, just remember the midwive who visited my at home when I was pregnant with DD mentioning they liked to come to the house to make sure it was suitable for a baby - never did get to the bottom of what she meant by that comment and it's stuck with me

Yes, I agree - they won't even know it's a one bed will they? I have 3 DCs and have, therefore, had 3 lots of HV/midwives visit over the years. Not one has ever entered a room other than the lounge & I have never been asked how many bedrooms we have.

Even if they did ask or the subject did come up, I doubt they would see a problem in it with such young children. It's not like you propose still sharing a bedroom when the DCs are teenagers is it?

Pogo - I think suitable basically means not a Kim & Aggie style health and safety nightmare or a clearly blatant drug den .

Suitable for a baby = not a crack house or used for dog fighting.

By the way, if you were in a council flat they wouldn't even count you as overcrowded as they'd say you could use the living room as a bedroom.

I have never had a midwife come round to make sure the house was "suitable" I doubt they will even check! with young kids and a large room i wouldn't see the issue as you said you can fit the 2 cots in so what could they complain about

Thanks all - will try and stop worrying and just focus on actually getting pregnant with this second child [shocked]

Well, my DP, DD and I are currently living in a tiny 2 room flat. 2 rooms being a small living room and a smaller kitchen. We have a double highbed and DD's cot is underneath. And we have a huge dog too. The HV hasn't even blinked at the arrangement - guessing she sees worse! I think a HV looks for overly dirty, damp or cold houses. I doubt size is really a problem. And as others have said, they only ever see a lounge anyway.

It will be fine, as long as clean and healthy and kids have a bed to sleep in I really wouldn't worry (and I used to work for you know who)

Suitable = not on an open sewer, not a crack den, etc. They couldn't care less about overall size. Don't worry!