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Original poster

Would you/have you moved house with a newborn?

61 replies

biggest · 13/05/2010 08:45

We have been offered a great deal on selling our 2 bed flat and are about to take the plunge and sell. DC2 is due at end of July, but I don't want to change hospitals so I am not moving until baby arrives.
The thought of the upheaval scares me witless as recovery from having DS was shocking!
But we do need more space and DH needs to live closer to work, so considering trying to move around a month after due date.
There are so many unknowns of course - if I were to have a cs, or baby is late, or we can't find anywhere to live (eek!), that I am flip flapping and bugging DH who just wants to get on with it.
Any advice?

OP posts:
migola · 13/05/2010 13:53

Moved when DC2 was 5-6 weeks old. Wasn't great timing but it was fine. I would definitely recommend paying someone to help though if you can.

Alouiseg · 13/05/2010 14:01

Did it when ds2 was 2 weeks old. You'll get so much help it's worth going for it. Newborn babies are much easier to park in a pram for a couple of hours than a 6 month old. Good luck.

helyg · 13/05/2010 14:03

DD was 2 months old when we moved last. I also had a 22 month old and a 3.5 year old. It was hell.

But the house is lovely and it was worth it

hellymelly · 13/05/2010 14:11

We moved when dd was 6m old,nearly 7m.It was hard as she was waking 5 times a night too,and I had a two year old as well, so I was completely exhausted and the run up to the actual move was really stressful added to which my DH fell over with DD in the sling and she cut her face quite deeply the day before we were due to move.I think it has taken me a long time to settle in here (she was 3 this week)and part of that has been due to sheer exhaustion.I do echo Alouiseg in that a tiny baby is easier than a 6m old though.The other thing was that my older DD was three a few weeks after we moved and everyone had said she would barely register the move and settle in really quickly but in fact it took ages and she was very upset and missed "home" very much,so I would prep your older child as much as poss and be prepared for some unsettled behaviour.We moved from a boat to a house,and from central London to West Wales though so the change was enormous,you may be staying close to where you are now? that would be less stressful I imagine.Anyway Good luck!

CantSupinate · 13/05/2010 14:12

Moved with 2 toddlers and a 6 week old, it was fine, insisted that DH take a week off to help unpack and adapt, though!

101damnations · 13/05/2010 23:11

Yes,moved with a 3wk old and a 21 month old.It was no harder than moving when I was childless to be honest.Although shifting wardrobes up stairs 3 wks after giving birth is not to be recommended.

fruitstick · 14/05/2010 10:46

Moved when DS2 was 6 weeks and DS1 was 3.

My theory is that moving is one of those things where the stress fills the available space. I think I found it far more stressful before we had children as I had more time and energy to think about it (kind of like wedding planning).

To be honest, it was fine. We paid the removal men to pack for us which was the best money I have ever spent in my life. Don't even try to think about packing yourself. also use the website iammoving.com which allows you to change all your bills etc really easily.

The main casualty in the whole process was DS1.
He had to cope with new baby, new house, new nursery, new friends etc all in a very short period of time and it was hell for a month or 2. When I look at the chips in the paintwork where he spent weeks trashing his room a bedtime, I do have guilt that we did it to him,

But arguably he would have been like that anyway .

mumblechum · 14/05/2010 10:48

We moved from Liverpool to N Yorks when ds2 was 7 weeks and ds1 was nearly 3.

Twas no big deal tbh. Got Pickfords to do all the packing /unpacking. I camped out at the Marriot for a couple of days (dh was abroad) & moved in once the boxes were unpacked.

ouchitreallyhurts · 14/05/2010 18:16

we moved 100 miles when dd2 was a week old and dd1 was 18 months. most stressful part had to be that dd2 decided to not come on time!! she was a week overdue and we were trying everything to hurry her up.

castlesintheair · 14/05/2010 18:19

Moved when DS was 4 weeks old and also when I was 7.5 months pg with DD2 and had DS then (4) and DD1 (2) in tow. Had no help except the removal men. 'Twas not pretty either time. I do not recommend!

MrsJohnDeere · 14/05/2010 18:25

We moved when ds1 was 4 days old (I was still in hospital). It was hell! Wouldn't recommend. Far, far easier to do it before the baby comes if you possibly can (I also moved at 4 months pg and 7 months pg with ds1 - those moves were fine) .

Depends on the baby though. I couldn't put ds1 down for 12 weeks, so couldn't unpack or settle in at all. Not so bad if you have one of those babies that sleeps all the time.

InmyheadIminParis · 14/05/2010 18:37

I agree with most of the above. We moved (house and country) when DS was 6 weeks old.

It was a truely horrendous experience (not the actual moving day/week, but the lead up and fall-out). If you can possibly move before the birth - do it!

Abubu · 16/05/2010 17:12

Can't comment yet as I haven't done it - but will be doing it in about 2 weeks time with 3 yo tiwns and a 5 week old baby.

Should be an interesting day... .
We haven't even started packing yet!

iamfabregasted · 16/05/2010 17:27

I did it when DC4 was exactly a week.

Packed house myself - had quick discharge to enable me to do so!

No help from (now X) H

I still remember the midwife coming on the day after the move and seeing me sitting in the middle of all the boxes.

Best advice I can give is don't sweat the small stuff.

mamatomany · 16/05/2010 17:34

We always seemed to move everytime we had a new baby, it's fine, but if you can afford a packing service its a £100 well spent.

sarah293 · 16/05/2010 17:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

VirtualPA · 16/05/2010 17:47

We are moving in 2 weeks. I am now in my 3rd trimester. Its hard work but do-able!

It makes it harder for me TBF because I run my own business so I cant just take maternity leave (if i want things to go well)

cazzybabs · 16/05/2010 17:49

yes when dd2 was 2 weeks

mybabywakesupsinging · 16/05/2010 18:04

We moved when ds1 was 2 and ds2 3 months.
Ds1 got properly poorly the day before we moved to add to the fun.
I would strongly agree with anyone who said use a packing service - they were 1000 x faster then I would have been with ds1 helping.
Also my parents came to visit after we moved and Dad kindly mended all the kitchen shelves and put safety catches on the doors for us. Took him an afternoon, would have taken us ages.
We had ds1's room all ready for him - big boy bed with Thomas train duvet - once he was well enough to notice, that (and the garden) cushioned the shock of moving rather a lot.

pippylongstockings · 16/05/2010 19:25

I agree with the comment that the stress and worry fills your available space - We moved with a 18 month old and I was 8 and a half months pregnant - not ideal but hey it got me out of any lifting! I just scrubbed the skirting boards!!!!

You will cope - it may not be the best ever move but once you have a child in tow what is easy ? You are already a master of adapt and survive you will now just adapt those skills in a new surroundings......... good luck enjoy the new family home!

FanjolinaJolie · 16/05/2010 19:33

I moved when DC2 was 6 weeks from Germany back to the UK. It was difficult and tiring but we managed it OK.

If I'd had any choice in the matter I'd have moved at 8 or 8.5 months pg though as I'd rather have been moved before the baby came.

Although that may not even be an option for you if conveyancing takes 8 weeks or more.

It will be OK, you know. A hellish week but then it's over.

FanjolinaJolie · 16/05/2010 19:34

And echo the above, pay the extra to have a full pack and unpack.

InmyheadIminParis · 16/05/2010 19:36

Ooops. Or even 'truly'

tortoisefairy · 16/05/2010 19:46

ds2 arrived the day we completed, 3 weeks early!

It was fine as because he was prem I had to stay in hospital for 10 days so my husband had to move us.

Ha ha ha..karma that is

I just walked into the new house all unpacked etc. Admittedly my mum and dad helped out massively......

You will be fine but i would prefer to do it before new one arrives....

fromheretomaternity · 16/05/2010 19:48

We moved before DS was born - I was about 35 weeks. My advice is to pay someone to pack up all your stuff professionally rather than do it yourself. It made the most enormous difference, and frankly compared with the cost of moving house, a few hundred quid is nothing for the bliss of having someone else do all the hard work for you.

Didn't regret moving for a minute - moved from a flat to a house, and it has been soooo good having the extra space.