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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

1 bed flat

23 replies

SnowWhite26 · 21/06/2015 09:10

Hi.
I just wanted to hear if anybody else was or has been in a similar boat.I am 6 minths preg and we were buying a 2 bed flat that h as recently fallen through.We have decuded to stay in our quite big 1 bed rented flat for now.its got a garden and quite a big livibg room.We are planning to stay here for at least first 6-7 months then see.most ppl have said it sounds good but im worried that baby will get to reliant on being in same room as us.Also i have been told babies are really noisy when they sleep.Another thibg is atm mo i am planning on going bk part time to work and we hope we will be able to get a mortage on my dh full wage and my p.t wage.Its a mindfield.I am trying not to worry but just wondered if theres any similar stories.
Thanks x

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Rosenwyn1985 · 21/06/2015 09:49

I'm not a home owner so can't help with that. The recommendation is that the baby is in with you for the first six months anyway to help prevent sids. As we were going away when our first was 8 months we chose to keep him with us until we got back (we were going to all share a room away so thought chopping and changing would be bad). We had a couple of nights of upset at bed when little one went to his own room but otherwise was smooth sailing. I think babies are generally pretty adaptable so on that front I wouldn't be worried!

dangerrabbit · 21/06/2015 09:51

DD1 was born when we were living in a 1 bed flat and it worked ok for us. We had moved elsewhere by the time she was 1 tho.

Number3cometome · 21/06/2015 09:54

I lived in a one bed flat with my ex and son until he was 3. Was no problem at all.

eurochick · 21/06/2015 09:56

It's recommended to have the baby in with you for the first six months anyway, to minimise SIDS risk.

slightlyconfused85 · 21/06/2015 10:12

We did until dd was 9 months. Was fine- she was in with us until 5mo and then when we started disturbing her sleep we would transfer her to a travel cot in the lounge when we went to bed. Don't sweat it, loads of people do it

hibbledibble · 21/06/2015 10:20

We lived in a one bed flat till dd was 3. It really isn't a big deal.

In other parts of Europe it is normal for a family of four to live in a one bed flat.

Baby should be in your room anyway for first 6 months as per SIDS advice. It also makes it a lot easier re night feeds. I find it very strange when people pack off their little babies on their own into a room. Enjoy the closeness.

harrietm87 · 21/06/2015 10:46

Hello. Just to say I'm in a one bed flat too and planning to ttc early 2016. We won't be able to afford somewhere bigger for a few years so depending on when we conceive the baby could be in with us for up to 2 years. I think it will be fine, even though our bedroom is tiny! Search on here and there are loads of threads on this topic - seems to be quite common. Good luck!

mousmous · 21/06/2015 10:50

it will be fine.
we have been in a one bed flat until dc was a year old. we were lucky that there was a store room in the communal hall to store the pram.

Shootingstar2289 · 21/06/2015 15:08

A baby should be in your room for the first 6 months so it's not a problem at all in my opinion..

I lived in a one bedroom flat until my son was three!! As I could not afford anything bigger in my area so eventually moved to a cheaper area to live! It was fine :)

Artandco · 21/06/2015 15:12

We live in a one bed flat. Children are now 4 and 5 , we don't find it a problem at all and love our flat.

WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 21/06/2015 15:12

We live in a 3 bed house and DD was in with us for 8 months anyway! 6 months is the recommendation. We kept her in a bit longer as she was still up a lot in the night and I'd rather not traipse into another room. She's 19 months now and has slept happily in her own room since 8 months.

karbonfootprint · 21/06/2015 15:14

Lived in a one bed flat until DS1 was 3YO. No problem.

PotteringAlong · 21/06/2015 15:18

You could live in the biggest house in the world and they should still be in with you for 6 months anyway.

goodnessgraciousgouda · 21/06/2015 15:31

OP - Presumably you are worrying a bit about your partner managing to sleep in the same room as the baby, when they will almost certainly have to be going back to work whilst you are still on maternity leave.

We are also in a one bed flat. Our plan is for me and baby to sleep in the sitting room, and for DH to sleep in the bedroom - or vice versa, it doesn't really matter. That way he can get some sleep - it's not really fair on him to have to work full time and deal with no sleep at the same time. We have a sofa that converts into a really comfortable bed.

When I start working again (after 6 months) baby will either be in their own room (we plan to move), or we will take turns to sleep in the same room as the baby and deal with the night wakings.

As for the part time working, you would have to look into the cost of child care to see if it would be worthwhile.

Artandco · 21/06/2015 15:51

Goodness - erm surely having a baby you sign up for potential sleepless nights? Both of you? Regardless of who's doing what the next day.

WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 21/06/2015 17:56

Yeah, DH never went in the spare room when DD was tiny. I was EBF but he helped with nappy changes/settling her back to sleep etc. sleepless nights are part and parcel of having a baby.

Original poster

SnowWhite26 · 21/06/2015 18:51

Thanks everyone. :)made me feel much more relaxed.im aware of sleepless nights I just was worried bout the crampness etc.. we will make the best of the situation x

OP posts:

goodnessgraciousgouda · 21/06/2015 20:17

artandco - So you mean that no couples should make any effort whatsoever to enable the parent who is working full time, to get some sleep?

Considering how small the flat is, he'll probably get woken up quite often, but hopefully with some high quality ear plugs and a bit of sound proofing it shouldn't be too bad. I personally think one would have to be a pretty shitty person to say "hey I am on maternity leave and can sleep tomorrow at a few intervals if needs be, but you have to be prepared to be up all night as well despite your work commitments"

WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 21/06/2015 20:18

Goodness it depends on your baby as to whether you'll be able to sleep the next day. Mine would only nap in a moving car or moving pram until she was 8 months old. I could hardly sleep when she was sleeping.

BearFoxBear · 21/06/2015 20:22

We're in a one bed with ds who has just turned one. We have a boxroom which is ds's bedroom, and that makes a big difference. It's absolutely fine size wise though, in fact we've decided to stay here for another year while we save more to move.

My tips are to get space saving items and declutter as much as you can before the baby arrives. We had an amazing folding baby bath that sits in the kitchen sink, a great mamas & papas mat that sat on the coffee table and we now use on the floor (did away with the need for a changing table) etc. You just need to be smart with what you buy. And tidy before you go to bed at night, it makes a huge difference!

Artandco · 21/06/2015 20:54

Goodness - but if you have a baby who wakes regularly at night there's a high chance they won't nap alone in day so the mother wouldn't get to nap either if walking around with baby in sling for example.

Surely it's better you both just go to bed early say 9pm, wake 6/7am for work. Still giving you both 6 ish hours sleep allowing for 3 hrs awake. Between you you can work a routine to help baby sleep better so sleepless nights don't last as long.

In our family we co sleep as saves space, but also meant very little crying or baby awake long at night as baby just fed and went back to sleep 99% of the time. We still do with both and eldest is 5. They do have own bunk beds now but they sleep better in our bed ie until 9am at weekends compared to 5/6am if we make them sleep alone.

Op- like others have said, in many many it's perfectly normal to share same room with children and often parents and grandparents their whole life as only one room house let alone one bedroom.

newbian · 22/06/2015 02:09

DH and I were both raised from birth in one bed flats for our first few years, we were discussing it just a few days ago. Neither of us had issues with sleeping alone as older children. We have more space luckily but our baby will sleep in our room for six months as per guidance.

eurochick · 22/06/2015 05:18

Lol at napping on maternity leave. I managed it once in six months b

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