Toddler bedroom on lower floor

[EloisaJane]

Hi All,

Really looking for some advice on what to do about sleeping arrangements as this is driving me crazy. We live in a 2 bed flat and have 1 DS who is 2.8 years.
Our flat is in a 3 story building and we occupy the 1st and 2nd floor. We never intended to stay here for any longer than a year after he was born but we can't move for various reasons. It is a lovely spacious flat but not really practical for a young family but we need to make the most of it.

The 1st floor has the hallway, open plan lounge/kitchen and one double bedroom and bathroom and the 2nd floor has a huge master bedroom with ensuite (this bedroom is the same size as the whole downstairs but in the eaves)
At the moment DS sleeps down one end of our room in a cot with his furniture and we are down the other end with our furniture. The downstairs bedroom is a spare room for guests.
We feel like he's getting to an age where he really needs his own room. We are thinking of turning the downstairs room into his bedroom but then he would be on a different floor to us and also a lower floor which worries me (not the ground floor at least and the building is quite secure) DH is adamant no-one could break in but it still worries me.
Also if he wakes up if gives him free reign downstairs. Could put locks on doors?

The other option is keep him sleeping in our room and just use the downstairs room as a playroom and decorate it for him so he feels it's his space.

Also we are planning another baby next year. That baby will stay in our room. If we all sleep in the same room the baby will keep waking DS up which seems silly when we have a room downstairs.
Help!!
We've considered turning the upstairs bedroom into 2 rooms but it's all higgledy piggledy ceilings and it would be expensive, so we want to avoid that if we can. We're not even sure the freeholder would allow this.
Just looking for advice really.

Thanks!!

Sorry but I would probably keep him in my room and put a divide of some sort from you and not go on to have another child until we could move. I am probably just paranoid, but I really couldn't have him on another floor.
There are probably loads who do, but just personally I wouldn't be able to settle.

Use the downstairs bedroom. Put a stairgate across the door so he doesn't have free run of your downstairs, and - if it worries you, you can use a monitor (probably don't need one, but if it gives you reassurance...).

We have our bedroom in the loft and our 3 sleep on the floor below us and it’s not a problem. We have a stairgate on the door of the 21 month olds bedroom.

Potteringalong - this might be a stupid question but I'm assuming the room with the stair gate has no door or its always open?
My only concern is his room would be right by the hallway that leads to the living room. Not the end of the world as we could still shut the living room door to reduce noise and could use a monitor at night. Hmmm thanks all for tips.

In terms of waiting till we move it's really not an option. DH has just gone self employed and we would need 2 to 3 years till we could get a mortgage on somewhere else. I don't want to wait 2 to 3 years to have a second baby and the flat is plenty big enough. I think my other option is keep toddler with us till baby is born and then I sleep downstairs with new baby and DH upstairs with toddler.
I can work round things but just trying to find the best solution. It's reassuring that other people make it work and the stair gate idea is good.

Dd is on a separate floor to us, and has been since we moved into this house when she was nearly 2.
We just used a monitor, and had a stair gate on her door. We also wouldn't fully shut her door at night, so we could hear her anyway.
It was fine, she's 9 now and we've long since got rid of the monitor and stair gate, and she sleeps with her door shut now.

Theonewiththecat is your dd on a higher floor or lower floor?

Could you make upstairs a lovely bedroom/playroom for first and potentially second dc? A stair gate across the top of the stairs?
You and dh take smaller double downstairs a and if necessary keep a wardrobe in dc room.

that has the added benefit of once child/children are in bed downstairs is adult area for having a meal etc.

Lots of families in Europe raise children in appartements and do just fine

Use the downstairs bedroom. Put a stairgate across the door so he doesn't have free run of your downstairs, and - if it worries you, you can use a monitor (probably don't need one, but if it gives you reassurance...).

This ^

Just make the most of the space you’ve got! I grew up in a 4 storey house. The way the house was laid out meant that children slept in the basement, and the master bedroom was on the 2nd floor (ie 3 floors up). We had a very rudimentary intercom. No stair gates in case we wanted to come upstairs.

We had DD in a lower floor bedroom in our old flat. We live in London and nearly everyone we know either does this or has all their bedrooms on the ground floor. Even people in houses often have the master suite at the top of the house? I say just go for it. If you keep the living room door shut and maybe add a little bolt at the top? He'll need access to the bathroom at night v soon so probably no need for a stair gate.

Jellybean - we were thinking of this. It would be an amazing room for them to have together.
Our main issue with this is when the baby is small we would be squashing 2 adults and a baby into a small double while toddler DS lives like a king upstairs
So we would need to have our furniture upstairs to make it work. That isn't the end of the world though and could def be an option.
I think it would be the best option if we end up staying here long term as they would have a lovely shared room and could divide it easily.

I am definitely of the opinion that we make the best of what we've got. We had the worst year of our lives this year and things are starting to settle down, I don't want the fact we can't move to make us unhappy. Like other posters have said, people raise families in all kinds of situations, we are lucky to have a nice flat.

Bear - good point about needing the toilet! Hadn't thought of that as potty training is a non starter at the moment. Yes a lock on the living room door would give him access to the bathroom, very true! Thanks

My DS has been on a different floor since he was 6 months old. We have a gate in his doorway and still use a monitor. He's 3 now.

@EloisaJane
Dd is on the middle floor, so when she is in bed we are either below her in the living room, or above her when we are in bed. 😀

Our ds has been on floor below us since he was 2. Stairgate on his door was fine. However, in your specific circs I'd be tempted to try and put both dc on top floor.

Our daughter has been on the middle floor of our house and us on the top floor since she was about 2. It's fine. We had a gate on her door for a while to stop her wandering out and falling down the stairs.