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Original poster

One bedroom flat with baby, is it realistic?

80 replies

SunnySideUp2020 · 14/09/2020 13:14

Clueless FTM looking for opinions or experiences of living in a flat with only big bedroom with a baby!

DP and I are looking for flats at the moment, it would be to stay until the baby is 10 months to a year. Due in April hopefully!

I liked one of the flats but it only had one bedroom. It's spacious and has a nice separate dressing room and a utility room but none possible to convert in baby room as no ventilation and small spaces tbh.

I know that baby is supposed to sleep in our bedroom anyway so what do people think?

Is it ok or the worst idea?

Thanks x

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LesLavandes · 14/09/2020 13:21

You need a 2 bedroom apartment

nettytree · 14/09/2020 13:24

I had a baby and a 3 year old in a one bed flat. We had a large bedroom so fitted in a small single and a cot in. Stayed there 5 more years, and had a bunk bed then. Glad we weren't there for the lock down tho.

Nicelunch25 · 14/09/2020 13:27

I did it until my son was 10 months and it was fine. Worst bit was buggy and stairs.

happymummy12345 · 14/09/2020 13:30

I knew I'd want our baby to stay in our room for as long as possible and he was in with us until he was nearly a year and a half old. So in that respect it would work, if you don't mind having the baby in with you. The only thing I would say is about space for storage, eg baby clothes, and other things. A spare room may provide extra storage space.

Mintjulia · 14/09/2020 13:30

Yes, easily.

One small baby does not need a separate room. Or a people carrier for that matter. Put the cot in a corner of your bedroom, and a play pen with some toys in the corner of the living room.

I managed it with a 2year old for a year. No problem at all.

PlinkPlink · 14/09/2020 13:33

Yeah no probs!

We all co-slept in our first place. So we all slept in one bedroom. Easy peasy.

kirinm · 14/09/2020 13:36

I have a 2 year old and our flat is a 1-bed - we have been able to convert it too so soon it'll be a two bed. But she has been in with us since day 1. It's a bit annoying in that we have to be very conscious not to make any noise to wake her, but it is fine. Especially if it only likely to be short-term.

BabyLlamaZen · 14/09/2020 13:37

I really, really wouldn't.

BabyLlamaZen · 14/09/2020 13:38

It's the space op. You will go crazy! Especially with other potential lockdowns. It's hard enough when you have loads of rooms.

Original poster
SunnySideUp2020 · 14/09/2020 13:39

Thank you so much for the replies!
@happymummy12345 there is a separate small room with built in storage all around like a big walk in dressing so no problem for storage...

I was more concerned with where to put a changing table?
Bathroom?

OP posts:
Newchapter2020 · 14/09/2020 13:39

No problem! My friend and her boyfriend had bought a flat and then fell pregnant unexpectedly, they're only now selling it and the baby is around 20 months, so it's definitely fine

BabyLlamaZen · 14/09/2020 13:39

There will be nights your oh will want to sleep somewhere else to get an ounce of sleep.

formerbabe · 14/09/2020 13:40

It's fine...especially if the flat is spacious

ShellsAndSunrises · 14/09/2020 13:42

We live in a spacious one bed flat and I wouldn't want to have a baby here too. You'd cope if you had to, but that's quite different to choosing to.

You'll both struggle with sleep and space, especially if you're limited on getting out and about because of the circumstances, and although we'd have a few places that we could put a changing table/baby things, it'd make it feel less spacious and drive you more insane.

It sometimes feels small with just the two of us here and it's bigger than a lot of flats... I wouldn't choose to do it.

welshladywhois40 · 14/09/2020 13:43

If the biggest concern is the changing table - easily solved. Don't have one. We never did. When my son shared with us we used to throw the changing Matt on the bed and do it and had a basket with supplies handy (nappies, wet wipes, creams etc.

Once he was in his own room I changed him on top of a chest of drawers. When you are changing a baby you never leave them unattended so the location is where ever suits you

AriettyHomily · 14/09/2020 13:44

I wouldn't chose it but it's certainly doable. I'd take a ground floor one bed over a two bed third floor with no loft for example.

Oh, and you really don't need a changing table!

Original poster
SunnySideUp2020 · 14/09/2020 13:45

The flat itself is spacious and has a big living room, a decent bathroom ensuite to the bedroom, separate toilet, and a utility room with washer dryer and shelves and a large balcony. The building has 11 flats and has a massive private garden with kids playground and grass and trees all around downstairs. Which i think is a massive plus especially if there were to be covid issues just to be able to go outside.

I just don't know if it will work 😐

OP posts:
allfurcoatnoknickers · 14/09/2020 13:45

I live in NYC, and having your baby in with you is the norm. DS shared with us for 13 months until we were able to move to a bigger apartment. It was a total nonissue.

Namechange0h8 · 14/09/2020 13:48

@LesLavandes

You need a 2 bedroom apartment
No you don't. Its perfectly manageable, even more so if it's short term
RiftGibbon · 14/09/2020 13:49

I lived in a one-bedroom flat with one DC until they were 3. It was a very spacious bedroom and the lounge was big enough for one of us to sleep in that if necessary.
Have a friend living in a one-bed with two DCs at the moment. Parents have sofabed in the lounge whilst kids share the bedroom.
If you're planning to move before the DC is 2, its really not a big deal.

celerystix · 14/09/2020 13:52

100% manageable! Especially as it's only short term.

I have 2 DC in 2 bedroom apartment. Lockdown was utter fucking hell but the rest of the time it's grand, no issues.

Anxiousmess01 · 14/09/2020 13:53

Yes you’ll be fine. And you don’t need a changing table - anyone I knew (and me) never used them!

sleepyhead · 14/09/2020 13:57

I had a baby (and latterly a small child and another baby although we'd never intended to stay that long) in a decent sized 1 bed flat. It was fine.

The biggest downsides were:

  • What other people thought (we were fine all being in the one bedroom, but lots of people think it's beyond the pale)
  • Dh & I not having our own private space, but it just meant that we used the living room as our private space in the evenings. You get creative.
  • I never got to make a nursery, but meh.

The upsides were:

  • Cheapness
  • I actually have very fond memories of that family bedroom. We were all together and it was actually pretty lovely sometimes lying there listening to your whole family sleep.

We were quite lucky that ds1 was a pretty bomb-proof baby - you didn't have to tiptoe around getting ready for bed, once he was asleep he was out for the count which meant we could have beside lights on and read etc without having to worry about waking him.

You'll be fine.

Terrace58 · 14/09/2020 14:02

One bedroom is not a problem. We had our house for sale when dd was born, so we didn’t set up a nursery anyway. Baby needs to be with you and baby items can be tucked anywhere.

The one thing we found helpful was a 2nd adult bed. So if you can, at least get a sofa that is decent for the occasional night.

Oly4 · 14/09/2020 14:02

Yes! All our kids have been in our room until over the age of one anyway. They don’t sleep so end up with you.

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