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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Advice pls! Newborn in 1 bed house!!!?

21 replies

LucyKirk92 · 21/02/2022 11:14

Hey, new here! 👋 first post too! ⭐️ just looking for some reassurance as likely over worrying.

I’m 7 weeks pregnant. Husband send I don’t have nearly enough saved for a deposit on a house, will likely take us 15 months - that doesn’t include maternity pay so earning much less. We don’t quality for any funding :-( life hasn’t quite gone as planned, let’s just say.

We are in a rented 1 bed house. I know baby will be in with us for 6 months plus. We may realistically be there for 2 years.

Has anyone been in this situation, as in less than ideal, not home owners, 1 bed, limited space. Is it doable? Do baby’s need more space? Will it make life harder for us? Did baby sleep with you beyond 6 months?

Also, I’m so excited about being pregnant & having a child so although life hasn’t gone to plan, this is the best news ever!!! Just want to make sure baby is going to be OK 💖

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

bogoblin · 21/02/2022 11:17

Congratulations! Babies don't need much space. They need love and comfort and safety!

Mine is nearly 1.5 and he is still in with us, probably will be for a while. No problems. You work with what you have

Butteryflakycrust83 · 21/02/2022 11:21

Totally doable - my 18 month old is still in with us. On bad nights I boot husband to the sofa.
It will stop you buying too much crap (which is what happened when we moved and got a nursery room) and look at how you can be more effective with storage space.
I would go to Ikea and have a wander around (and also get meatballs. Because...meatballs).

WorkEvent · 21/02/2022 11:22

Both of mine have sleep in with us until about a year because I’m lazy. We live in a tiny two bed cottage and our second bedroom is an attic conversion so wasn’t moving them until I was fairly confident I wouldn’t be running upstairs every hour. We now have a 1 year old and 3 year old sharing a room. Space is very limited in our house but it’s fine. Plenty of my friends have stayed in one bed flats for years.

NoSquirrels · 21/02/2022 11:22

You’ll be fine!

Save up really hard right now - as you say it will be harder once baby is here.

Secondhand everything - they use it all for such a short time - and if you’re short on space don’t buy absolutely everything, wait until you know you need it and will use it.

Babies are pretty small! It’s their stuff that takes up room but you have control over that.

They like sleeping in with you so one bedroom isn’t a problem at all.

Congratulations!

Original poster

LucyKirk92 · 21/02/2022 11:31

@NoSquirrels

You’ll be fine!

Save up really hard right now - as you say it will be harder once baby is here.

Secondhand everything - they use it all for such a short time - and if you’re short on space don’t buy absolutely everything, wait until you know you need it and will use it.

Babies are pretty small! It’s their stuff that takes up room but you have control over that.

They like sleeping in with you so one bedroom isn’t a problem at all.

Congratulations!

Thank you! This is massively reassuring. Im glad to hear that people have their babies in with them even beyond a year as this is what I will have to do and worried this was seen to be wrong. I second your second hand comment - Facebook market place is amazing! People giving things away for free. Will definitely take advantage of this as newborn stuff is expensive, but it doesn't need to be. I feel more confident we can still have a fun and happy home, even if it will be small and ...cosey

OP posts:

Garman · 21/02/2022 11:36

How would it be seen to be wrong to have your baby in with you past 6 months, it's entirely up to you anyway? Ours have all stayed in with us until they were 2 or 3 years and will usually still be coming in often at night for years after that!

grey12 · 21/02/2022 11:39

All our kids slept in our bed until 2yo I think that's a good age to move to their own room

Twizbe · 21/02/2022 11:40

Totally doable.

Are you likely to buy in the same area or will you have to move further out? If you have to move areas I'd think about moving to a 2 bed now and renting in your end location.

Firstly, it will give you more room and a move of location might bring down your rent too.

Secondly, it's better for you to be in your long term location when you have baby. You won't then be leaving any friends you make on leave.

A friend of mine was living in central London when she had her baby. Witching 6 months all but 1 of her NCT group had either moved to the suburbs or returned to their home countries.

badalmond · 21/02/2022 11:42

We're soon going to be 5 in a two bed, and also spent six months in a studio with DH and two year old DD followed by a year in a one bed with a three year old and a newborn. It was honestly fine. It just means you don't spend loads on nursery furniture and buy the smallest furniture possible second hand.

Given the choice, both DD and DS would have stayed in our room until they were at least 6.

Original poster

LucyKirk92 · 21/02/2022 11:49

@Twizbe

Totally doable.

Are you likely to buy in the same area or will you have to move further out? If you have to move areas I'd think about moving to a 2 bed now and renting in your end location.

Firstly, it will give you more room and a move of location might bring down your rent too.

Secondly, it's better for you to be in your long term location when you have baby. You won't then be leaving any friends you make on leave.

A friend of mine was living in central London when she had her baby. Witching 6 months all but 1 of her NCT group had either moved to the suburbs or returned to their home countries.

That's a really good point! Thankfully we are renting where we want to end up buying. It's just a bit of an expensive area (where isn't!nowadays!). But your points are something we would have to consider before looking out-with the area.

OP posts:

Cornettoninja · 21/02/2022 11:56

My dd was in with me till around 5, she had a room but wouldn’t stay in there! She’s now six and in her class one has only just gone into their own room due to living circumstances and another is definitely still in with her parents with a view to sharing with her sibling ‘one day’. That’s just from the parents I’ve spoken to with enough of a relationship to get into things like that, I dare say there are more but it’s just not talked about. Honestly - don’t over think it!

I would recommend looking at have a mattress that can be rolled up or put away in your living room so that you and your partner have the option of escaping/doing shifts out of the bedroom if needed. It’s cheaper than knackering your sofa if you find it’s a regular thing to get some uninterrupted sleep!

Somerandomgirl · 21/02/2022 14:16

Hun do u assume everyones got big houses xxx i wish lol!
Baby sleeps in your room anyway. And think about the couples who live in shared houses with babies, basically in one room. You'll be fine, just change your mindset that u need to live big,specially when u cant afford it... xxx

Original poster

LucyKirk92 · 21/02/2022 14:36

@Somerandomgirl

Hun do u assume everyones got big houses xxx i wish lol! Baby sleeps in your room anyway. And think about the couples who live in shared houses with babies, basically in one room. You'll be fine, just change your mindset that u need to live big,specially when u cant afford it... xxx

So true! Think we just feel a bit 'behind' in life as our friends who are in their 30's have just bought a 5 bed house for the two of them! My friend questioned how we will manage in a one bed. Planted a seed of doubt. I have been very bad for comparing lately, especially with being so hormonal so these replies have really made me feel that we are actually normal, nothing wrong with our situation

OP posts:

RandomQuest · 21/02/2022 14:50

Just my experience but I personally would have really struggled with a 1 bed. Stuff wise I’d be fine because we had a teeny tiny 2 bed when our first was small and you learn quickly what you do and don’t need. It’s just that I was lucky to get really good sleepers but found that they absolutely needed to be in their own dark and quiet rooms. We just got back from a holiday where our 12MO was in a cot in our room and declared never again because we kept waking each other up. That said, if circumstances dictated we had to be in a 1 bed then we’d figure something out like a sofa bed in the living room for us.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and remember comparison is the thief of joy!!

babyjellyfish · 21/02/2022 16:44

Congratulations OP.

My baby is 10 months old and we would like him to sleep in his room but he really doesn't want to!

Babies don't need their own room for the first couple of years. It's more likely to be the parents who want their own space again!

Thesearmsofmine · 21/02/2022 16:48

We lived in a tiny one bed flat and hen dc1 was born. It was fine! Tbh even when we had moved and had the space, our dc stayed in our room for much longer than 6 months anyway.

Gnomechange · 21/02/2022 17:17

My 20 month is still in with us, this is totally fine. I echo posters who remind you that you don’t need to buy everything. However, you may want to think about investing in clever storage items, any space can be used for storage! Think under the stairs, under bed, hallways, chest of drawers inside closets etc.

whysoserious123 · 21/02/2022 17:19

Congratulations! Don't give it another thought, I don't know many parents who hit the 6 month mark and put baby in another room.

greenbirds · 21/02/2022 17:21

It will be fine! Our youngest shared our bedroom until he was 4, as we didn't have any spare bedroom space; it wasn't ideal but it wasn't a problem either and he doesn't even remember. We were quite sad when we moved house and finally had a bedroom to ourselves again!

I totally agree with previous posters that babies really don't need loads of stuff and what you do need can mainly be bought quite cheaply, helping you to save up for a home.

Congratulations and hope it all goes well for you!

Somerandomgirl · 21/02/2022 21:20

Try not to compare xx some have more than u , some have less , and more doesnt equal happiness. All will come with time, have patience, we had to wait 2 years after baby was born to move to 2 bed house x and honestly that 1 extra toom...the kids room..just acts like a playroom as the kid is always after me, so whats the difference xxx

BobbleWobble1 · 22/02/2022 09:00

I don't think it's a problem. You will make the space you have work. We moved our first out at 6 months (HV made out this was what we were supposed to do). Honestly it was stupid as 8 month regression hit and it was so much worse. Won't be moving this baby until I'm fairly confident I won't be up and down all night.

Definitely take advantage of Facebook for free/second hand baby items and only get what you need. Babies don't really need that much. Hand on/sell when you're done with it.

One thing I would definitely suggest is a sofa bed or similar for the living room so one of you can get a break from the sleepless nights and can tag team when needed.

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