Steep stairs with a baby

[Ceridwyn82]

We are moving house and found a house (terraced victorian, 2-up-2-down type) that is lovely and fits our criteria but has a drawback of a very very steep staircase - the type you have to go down slowly turned semi sideways and always gripping bannister. We have a 3 month old baby so I am really put off by the thought of having to navigate these multiple times a day whilst carrying a baby which is firstly inconvenient and also the danger of falling. Not sure if it’s a case of we will just get used to it or if will always be so inconvenient that ruins the enjoyment of the house. Particularly worried as we are actually moving to escape a staircase! (Different issue though - we live on 4th floor with no lift so been carrying a baby up and down for 3 months and no pram access). Anyone faced similar dilemma/issue?

Is there space to change them at some point? That would put me off a bit to be honest.

You'll get used to it. A huge percentage of our housing stock is Victorian and other people manage.

We have two flights of steep stairs and not found it a problem at all.

I lived in a similar house when both of my children were babies. It even had steep steps between some of the downstairs rooms.

After a while, it just becomes normal. I was worried before DC1 was born about how we'd manage, but it really wasn't an issue. It means they're both really confident with steeper stairs even though we no longer live in that house.

I think you adapt the way you move. Out stairs are pretty steep and I hardly ever notice them now. ne of my guests slipped on them as she was not used to them though!

My sister has brought up three children in a very similar house, I hated carrying the babies up and down the stairs but she said that she just got used to it, no one has ever fallen on them. She has kept the top stairgate in place for much longer than you normally would, as she is worried about the children falling at night when they are half asleep.

We had two children in a house with steep stairs. I didn't enjoy carrying the babies down them particularly, but otherwise it was fine. We taught our children to bump down on their bottoms when they were little, and installed a low bannister for them the hold onto when they got bigger.

I think it is understandable to be put off, steep stairs are more dangerous than less steep stairs, that is why the building regs got changed!

I think you can do things like Thingsthatgo mentions above to make it better.

We have a very steep Victorian staircase which turns as you go up. I had similar reservations but managed fine with my two babies. We’ve all slipped on them from time to time but certainly wouldn’t stop me buying a house x