Bringing up baby in a one bedroomed flat, can it be done?

[OMGBFP]

We are in no position to move now and probably won't be for at least 2 years from when the baby is born if we save like mad. We are private renting so we can't make any structural changes to make life easier - not that we could really do much anyway due to space.

He seems to think the council will just give us a 2 bedroomed place as soon as we apply because we'll be "soooo overcrowded" yes it'll be tight but from what I have read we won't be classed as overcrowded and will be told to use the lounge as a bedroom.

I am having a massive meltdown at the thought of it all and it's overshadowing my excitement at being a Mum.

Has anyone done this? can it be done? where will I put everything??

tell me your stories of living in a very small flat with a baby please

Yes, we did it until DS was one, and now we're living in his parent's spare room -with the 20 month old still bunked in with us. It's fine - how much time do you really spend in your bedroom not asleep anyhow?

I am sure you will be fine. Congrats on being pregnant.
How big is the lounge? Babies don't need much room in themselves but all the bits of equipment do. Newborns are OK in a Moses basket at first. Get everything to fold up as much as poss.
You will need extra drying space - maybe a fold away airer? If not then try for a tumble drier that does not need a vent -I think they are called condenser driers. Even if you use disposable nappies there is still mounds of washing at first. It all gets better as time wears on.

Of course it can be done and is done lots.

Before baby arrives, have a declutter and ensure you have as much storage in place as possible. Get a small umbrella fold style buggy. If you have a car seat, try to keep it in the boot of the car. Dont go crazy buying stuff like baby baths/ napy bins etc as you dont really need them. When the baby is old enough, you'll can go out for most of the day so the flat wont seem so small/claustrophic. Of course, Baby rooms in with you - if you want you could create a baby corner in your bedroom with cot/baby stuff in it and use a sheet to section it off.

Of course it can be done.

Baby won't know different they are not that bright y'know. As long as you have room for a cot in the bedroom you can all share. Plan storage in advance, underbed is good.

N.B. Underbed storage should not be used for baby

My friend is and it's fine. Her DS is 6 months old. If anything it's easier to keep the place tidy because there isn't the space for clutter.

Lots of rich famous people say they were kept in a drawer at first because they did not have room for a cot. Not underbed though

Much hugs that this is upsetting things so much .

Plenty of people live in 1 rooms flats with a small child, or have the child in a cot/toddler bed beside their bed because they don't have a separate room for the baby.

re "where do you put all the stuff" watch what you buy/are given- don't let relatives indulge you with rocking swings play pens etc that you don't need and wont use for more than a few weeks.

Work towards moving in a year or 2.

"underbed storage should not be used for baby"

I totally agree!

We slept DD2 on the floor on a blanket at a friends house when we stayed over. We were woken in the night to "bang ..wah.....bang....wah" she'd rolled under the bed (no we didn't know she could roll!) and couldn't get out. We had the devil of a job!

It's just the hormones making me think OMG I think! it really is a small flat, compounded by the fact it's upstairs with no outside area. I don't think we are quite at the stage of having to put baby in a drawer yet, but maybe as it gets older it can go under the bed and we'll pretend it's a bunk?!

I did wonder if we could swap over the bedroom and lounge as it's a little roomier for a full sized cot (only got room for a carry cot/crib I think) but then as you say you only go into the bedroom at night so what's the point? for now at least. Plus I don't think our sofas would fit into the bedroom and the TV point etc would make life hard with wires everywhere

I'm going to have to be so ruthless about getting in only the bare minimum of clothing as we haven't enough room for all our things as it is! I've pared my stuff down to as low as I can bear, OH is slightly more reluctant a hoarder

You will want baby in with you anyway babe.. and it varies how long with each family. My friend still has her 2 year old in with her - in his cot. It's not for everyone, but it's their choice and it's right for them.

Babies barely need anything!

A Moses basket is all they really need..
You can change baby on your bed (which we have always done, despite them having a changing table)
You don't need a special baby bath.. just bath them in the main bath. You can buy special sponges for them to lie on.
They don't need to hang up their clothes in their own wardrobe.. just dedicate a draw for baby's clothes (that's what we did)
Get a nice rattan basket for nappies/wipes/nappy bags/bottom cream etc - and put it on your dressingtable or chest of drawers.

Bish bosh, that's bedroom sorted.

I have friends who sleep downstairs on the sofa bed, so their two girls (8 yrs and 3 yrs) can have separate bedrooms. It works for them.

You will be absolutely fine! I was lucky and didn't have a sicky baby (some babies throw their milk up, alot - hence the washing!) - so I didn't do masses more washing.

You will manage. It might get more challenging as your baby starts to crawl (around 9 months) and walk (9-16 months). But, don't worry about then.. just deal with the today. Most babies sleep in their parent's room for the first 6 months of their lives, if not longer. If your partner is working, and having to wake early for work.. then, maybe get a sofa bed downstairs, or blow up bed, so he can sleep downstairs for those first few weeks after baby is born. As it's pointless you both being tired. We did for the first 4 weeks.. just until we got into a better night-time routine.

Please enjoy being pregnant, and don't let this issue take over. It really isn't worth letting it overshadow this happy time. Yes, you will move one day, and have a plan with your partner to move ... but, until then, you will be absolutely fine. Ikea have the most amazing space saving ideas for all over the house, including for babies room.. and alot of their bedroom 'scenes' have a cot next to the double bed. It is normal for babies to sleep in their parent's room.

xxxxx

Totally agree with Theas - do not allow anyone to buy you anything for the baby as you inevitably get given loads of 'large' items, most of which in my experience were totally useless.

In your position I would declutter as much as possible, make sure you have plenty of storage. Underbed drawers are a great idea and you can get under cot drawers as well.

When baby is around 6 months and starts getting more toys and bits, I would then hand bedroom over to baby and get a sofa bed in the lounge for Dp and me.

2yrs will fly by though. Good luck.

We were renting a fairly small two bed flat in London when DD was born.

She slept with us anyway and we didn't even get her in her cot much, let alone in her own bedroom - which DH practically had as his den (with second telly in and computer games LOL !)

It was absolutely fine space wise for that first year, before we moved here to a new city with DHs work.

Enjoy looking forward to your baby - they don't need space just love ! The closer she/he can be to you the better from her/his POV !

My brother and his girlfriend had DS in a one bedroom flat until he was 3... and it was fine! Hardly any real storage space either...

They kept the buggy in the boot of the car, sorted the kitchen so there was a spare cupboard for bottles / milk / baby food / bibs etc. Got a highchair that folded up and went beside the fridge.

He had a cot bed in the corner of the room and they put storage boxes on sliders underneath it for his clothes.

The coffee table in the living room was actually a footstool / opening thing that as he got older they kept most of the toys in. All bigger toys like his smark trike and walkers did clutter up the hall, but everywhere else was super neat and its so worth it for a baby!!

Be excited!! I have three beds and kept my baby in with me for a year then cried when DH made me move her ;)

Of course it can be done.
Be careful what you buy as it all needs storage, dd2's clothes were in plastic storage boxes under her cot as we didn't have enough room. Buggies could be left in the car if it is near, as you are upstairs you will have to work out how to get a sleeping baby in pram upstairs. May be easier to take baby out and carry them upstairs. Or get a really good stretchy wrap or a babyhawk so you don't need a pram.

We now have dd2 and dd3 in our room with us, a bed, a double bed, a cot and 4 lots of drawers. It is very cramped and we have to be super organised but you are only in the bedroom to sleep in.

Do you have a lot of hall space? In my first 1 bed flat the hall was massive

We had a one bed flat with our oldest and we loved it. We did have to change the sofa to a sofa bed, though, so we had an alternative. We had a fold up buggy, which went behind the door. The cot went right beside the bed - I just climbed over OH to get into bed. We cleared away a bookcase and put all the baby clothes in it. Two cupboards in the kitchen were dedicated to baby bottles, food etc. We bought a few toys for her and kept them in a chest, which we used as a coffee table.

Don't things for the baby that aren't essential. Buy very few toys yourself - you will get given loads. Buy a buggy that takes a car seat, and then once the baby is old enough to go in a buggy without a car seat, keep the car seat in the car. Don't buy numerous walkers, baby gyms etc. A playpen in the corner of the living room was very useful for us, though.

We got so used to living close to each other that we were almost reluctant to move to a two bedroom flat when we were pregnant with twins. Three babies in a one bedroom flat would not work.

We are in a one bedroom flat and DD is 18 months now. We co-sleep and the open plan living room is basically her playroom.
We don't mind at all, in fact I think I can probably fit in one more baby before we have to move!
I had a big purge of stuff before she was born.
I got rid of the coffee table so there was more floor space.
I have always changed her on the floor,on a changing mat.
IKEA expedit shelves are great, you can fit a ton of stuff in them, I'm just getting some more.
For the clothes she has outgrown I use vacuum bags and stick them under the bed.
I try to put some thought into what toys to get her so they can be put away easily. That only works until my mother arrives with the biggest most pointless toy she can find though.
Babies really don't need much, enjoy being pregnant!

I shared a room with my Mum in our top floor one bed flat till I was 9

Ikea has loads of good ideas for really small flats.

Most of it comes down to using the vertical space as much as you can. Eg, cabin bed in your room so you can have a desk underneath. Put loads of shelves and wall cabinets up (including hard to reach places like above doors) where you can store items you don't use so much - like winter clothes when it's summer. Use tall bookcases with double sided access as a room divider.

do you need two sofas? might be worth seeing if a friend will look after one for you for a while. The extra floor space will be very valuable once your baby learns to crawl and then walk...

We are in a 1 bed flat. Have been trying to move for a while but Dd is 3 and it is fine. You get used to it and you find solutions. Dd doesn't know any different and our rush to move is mainly fed by getting Dd a school place.

We were in a one bed house till DD was 5 months - it was absolutely fine. Then when she was 10 months we had to move into my parents spare room, again - it was fine!

OP, it's do-able and you will be fine. OH is deluded funny to think the council will want to whisk you out of there as quickly as they can Separate bedrooms for each member of the family isn't a human right yet!!

A good declutter, get rid of non essential 'bitty' furniture, bedside cot, sling, etc will help keep life simple, which really, we could all do with :)

So what is the verdict on the house

Sorry wrong thread but still apt. Are you more comfortable now with everyone saying you will be fine?

I am yes :)

I'm worrying still about storage, this is a Victorian flat with lots of eaves, and useless nooks and crannies and odd bits jutting into the room at floor level which make wardrobes a no-no, the only free walls to use for shleving are massively out, no idea how to rectify that!

Am resigned to living out of those awful looking plastic stacking crate things, the under bed is full of them already so no room there.

We'll manage!