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Original poster

Would you move with a newborn?

27 replies

Mashedupbanana · 03/08/2014 22:03

We are expecting a second baby and in the process of buying a house. We were hoping it would complete before the baby arrived but I'm now 35 weeks and its likely to happen around due date or just after.

We are first time buyers and heard this week that we can stay for a couple more years in our rental house if we like (we were previously going to have to leave).

Long term buying this house is probably a good idea. However there are some issues from the survey which we need to resolve and lots of decisions to be made (carpets, decorating etc). I'm not sure I will be able to cope with it all just weeks after giving birth and we have a 3 year old too.

The thought of staying put is very tempting as it would alleviate all the stress but is that a bit short sighted?
What would you do?

OP posts:
TreTops · 03/08/2014 22:15

We moved when dd2 was six days old (dd1 was just 3) it was fine dh had a few weeks off afterwards.

The worst bit was the packing as dh didn't have much time off before dd was born and that was hard heavily pregnant. If you can afford someone to pack you up it would be well worth it.

I would think moving with a newborn would be easier than a toddler/older baby so I would personally say go for it but it doesn't sound like you love the house and like where you are renting so maybe that would be the better decision for you.

thatstoast · 03/08/2014 22:18

We moved when DS was 3 months. Put the offer in just before he was born. Don't underestimate how long it all takes and you could always ask for a later completion date and see if the vendor is happy with that.

BornOfFrustration · 03/08/2014 22:19

We moved with a 3 month old. When I say "we" I mean I sat in my mum and dad's house all day with the baby while DH sorted everything out. Twas nice and easy for me.

burnishedsilver · 03/08/2014 22:22

I'd do it if I really wanted the house and was desperate to move. Otherwise no, I wouldn't bring all that stress on myself.

Original poster
Mashedupbanana · 03/08/2014 22:22

Good to hear that you did it and lived to tell the tale!
Perhaps the anticipation is actually worse than the move itself too.

OP posts:
Only1scoop · 03/08/2014 22:25

I had my dd and moved in to our brand new house two days later from the hospital....

We were told it would be ready a whole month before....soooo stressfull.

Remember getting home from hospital and having to pin up sheets with drawing pins for curtains....Confused

Good luck

babblingsofbecks · 03/08/2014 22:27

We moved when DD was 11 weeks, a big 120 mile move. It was stressful but we are glad we did it.

curiousgeorgie · 03/08/2014 22:28

I moved at 9 months pregnant, I liked it! Like super nesting Wink

InsertUsernameHere · 03/08/2014 22:45

Moved once with a 6 week old, once with a 6 month old. It was fine. Enrol some help and make sure that you don't do any heavy lifting. Paying soneone to pack
Would be especially worthwhile. On the plus side people might be extra helpful, and you'll be home for all the faffy moving jobs (phoning utilities, change of addresses). Also having a small baby is a great time to meet neighbours!!

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 03/08/2014 22:51

Last time we moved when I was 37 weeks pg. This time we'll probably have a 3-4 week old (& a three year old). It's not what I'd choose to do, but for us it beats the alternatives...

fanjobiscuits · 03/08/2014 22:54

I would do it. It won't get easier plus there may be delays.

ElphabaTheGreen · 03/08/2014 23:02

I did a 100+ mile move with a six week old, post-EMCS. No bother, really, as all they do is feed and sleep, and give you a great excuse to remain parked on your arse while everyone else does the work Grin One thing that really helped, though, was we paid extra for a removalist who provided all the boxes and did the packing for us (we did the unpacking). No idea how we would have done it otherwise.

OldLadyKnowsSomething · 03/08/2014 23:36

I moved (within the same city) with a baby about 6-7 weeks old, from our "first flat" to our second, where we stayed for 11 years until DH's job changed and we had to move across country. I've never been that bothered about decor and we only had to buy one carpet, and we didn't own all that much, so the move was accomplished with a hired van and a couple of friends. We also used sheets as curtains for a while! Grin

Would be a different story these days!

Brabra · 04/08/2014 05:44

I moved with an 11 week old. 5000 miles away. The baby was a doddle, far easier than the toddler and the pets! Get professional movers in, it isn't necessarily all that expensive and is well worth the money.

Panicmode1 · 04/08/2014 06:40

We did it twice. Once with a newborn and once with a newborn, a two year old and 3 year old! It was fine - but we did get packers in, otherwise there is no way we would have managed.

cathpip · 04/08/2014 06:43

My sister moved when her pfb was 3 weeks old, she had a section and they did the move and packing themselves. They are just about to move again and she is 35 weeks pregnant with twins and pfb is 13 months old. I have suggested removers this time, but no they are doing the whole lot by themselves again. (She is a little stressed this time)!

MotherOfInsomniacToddlers · 04/08/2014 06:54

If you want to do it then its completely possible. We found out dh had a promotion when dc2 was 10 days old, we relocated 300 miles with a 15 month old and a newborn and no actual house to move in to, not going to lie it was stressful but only for a little while Grin

MotherOfInsomniacToddlers · 04/08/2014 06:58

And from my experience we got a lot more help from friends moving with small people, I had a team of friends helping with whatever they could. No one offered when we didn't have children! Grin

PossumPoo · 04/08/2014 08:29

We did but we had no help and it was horrendous. If I had a choice I wouldn't do it. But obviously sometimes there isn't a choice.

MerryInthechelseahotel · 04/08/2014 08:39

I know this is going back many many many years but my mum and dad set sail to go and live in Uganda when my dsis was 6 weeks old and they had 3 other little pre school ones too!

I've moved too with a baby and it was hard work but I had only small amount of help and no dh!

NotAnotherNewNappy · 04/08/2014 09:04

Easier to move with a newborn (who stays where you put her) than with a toddler (who will be into everything). If you don't move now, when it sounds like you're in a good financial position, you may well regret it later.

Get some professional help, to make things easier (cleaners, movers etc). Or give family/friends jobs to do.

MummytoMog · 04/08/2014 09:11

I moved with a three month old - was fine. I packed gradually into our spare room, had movers and my MiL came to help with the baby (as DH was working that day) while I supervised. BF came to to help supervise and PiL oversaw the packing and unpacking of the garden stuff. Worked quite well and it was fairly easy to unpack around naps.

HortenMarket · 04/08/2014 09:12

I think that if you stayed it wouldn't be long before you got itchy feet and wanted to buy anyway, but you would be back at starting to look etc etc which is a bind. Go for it. Moving is stressful anyway but you will get it over and done with and as others have said also likely to get a lot of help with the move.

Clawdy · 04/08/2014 10:04

DS2 was born the night we moved in. Bit of a nightmare as the neighbours were obviouslycomplete strangers and the house was so alien when I came back from hospital. Also DS1 was four,and very upset about the move anyway,too many changes for him. Having said that, a few months later we were pretty happy!

zzzzz · 04/08/2014 10:10

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