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Sleep arrangements

12 replies

Loonaandalf · 28/08/2024 08:42

Hi,

Wasn’t sure where to post this so hoping I get some responses here. I am 22 weeks pregnant so starting to really think about sleep arrangements/ things we need.

We live in a top floor of a house (maisonette) and when you walk in our front door you have our stairs right in your face and a tiny area for coats etc. We recently bought a buggy that just about fits in this tiny hallway at the bottom of the stairs. I had been thinking that if I go on a walk with the baby and they fell asleep, I would leave them at the bottom of the stairs until they wake up. It’s recently dawned on me that this may not count as baby sleeping in the same room as me (important for first 6 months) as the rest of the maisonette is upstairs. With all doors open, I would definitely hear them cry but I wouldn’t be able to check on them visually very easily unless I used a portable baby monitor.

Has anyone lived in a similar set up with a new baby and had this dilemma? The seat of our buggy detaches easily enough so I could carry them up in it but again, not sure if leaving them to sleep in a detached buggy seat is safe either although I would have that in the same room as me. I’d imagine I’d probably wake the baby trying to carry them up as well which wouldn’t be ideal.

Another option is use a sling which I am planning to get when baby is born. The thing is I’m assuming the buggy will just be nice to use sometimes especially as baby gets heavy and I know some babies fall asleep and stay asleep longer in a buggy which would be a mother’s dream, I’m assuming.

Another new mum dilemma I’m having is whether to buy a bassinet for day time naps. I was going to just use the crib we bought and leave it in our bedroom for day and night sleep, it’s the Gaia co sleep one that converts to a bigger crib/ bed when they’re older. We live in a v small place and if I leave the living room and bedroom door open it’s pretty much like being in the same room especially if baby’s crib is close to the door. Again I could use a monitor to be extra safe.

Has anyone done this or is it just better to get a bassinet as well? I’d imagine when baby sleeps, I’ll be up doing things and moving between living room, kitchen to clean etc so I don’t see the difference in baby being in bassinet in living room or bedroom in their crib. Or am I being naive?

It’s not open plan, so all rooms are separate but small and close to each other, (as in our living room door the touches our bedroom door and the kitchen is only about 200 metres from there).
With doors open you can hear everything. I’ll likely get one of those breathing baby monitors anyway.

Sorry long anxious mum-to-be post. It just seems the list of things to buy is getting bigger and we are trying to be minimal to avoid too much clutter and unnecessary spending.
Appreciate any help with this.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
BloodyAdultDC · 28/08/2024 08:47

My dc are teens now and I balk at the don't leave them to sleep alone for 6 months advice but your post is alarming to me if you're considering leaving baby to sleep alone, downstairs, out of sight, in a communal hallway. Find another solution for this situation.

Cheap moses basket will be fine for daytime naps.

theduchessofspork · 28/08/2024 09:16

No you need to bring them upstairs - just take them out and bring them in, they’ll go to sleep again if tired, if they wake up at all.
Try though to into a regular routine of naps rather than it be random - it makes like a lot easier on you.

Put them into the bedroom for naps and just go check on them regularly. Sleeping in one place also helps build good sleep habits.

InTheRainOnATrain · 28/08/2024 09:30

No I wouldn’t leave them at the bottom of the stairs. Does the pram have a detachable bassinet you can carry baby up in? We had a 3rd floor walk up when DD was a baby and they’re quite transferable when they’re small and when she got older I would stay home or stay out over nap time but the timing was predictable by that point so it was easy to plan. I’d be fine with baby sleeping in the bedroom with all the doors open if it’s as small as you say it is though.

Talipesmum · 28/08/2024 09:33

BloodyAdultDC · 28/08/2024 08:47

My dc are teens now and I balk at the don't leave them to sleep alone for 6 months advice but your post is alarming to me if you're considering leaving baby to sleep alone, downstairs, out of sight, in a communal hallway. Find another solution for this situation.

Cheap moses basket will be fine for daytime naps.

I don’t think it’s a communal hallway with a maisonette- you have your own front door which opens onto a set of stairs going up to the top floor.

I’m not sure OP. Maybe a baby monitor in the hallway? Or carry the bassinet upstairs.

Loonaandalf · 28/08/2024 09:44

BloodyAdultDC · 28/08/2024 08:47

My dc are teens now and I balk at the don't leave them to sleep alone for 6 months advice but your post is alarming to me if you're considering leaving baby to sleep alone, downstairs, out of sight, in a communal hallway. Find another solution for this situation.

Cheap moses basket will be fine for daytime naps.

It’s not a communal hallway, it’s part of our maisonette.

OP posts:
Loonaandalf · 28/08/2024 09:49

theduchessofspork · 28/08/2024 09:16

No you need to bring them upstairs - just take them out and bring them in, they’ll go to sleep again if tired, if they wake up at all.
Try though to into a regular routine of naps rather than it be random - it makes like a lot easier on you.

Put them into the bedroom for naps and just go check on them regularly. Sleeping in one place also helps build good sleep habits.

Thanks, I used to nanny babies from around 6/ 7 months and mostly parents told me baby wouldn’t sleep in cot and needed to be in a sling or walking in a buggy so this is why I’m wondering about this. Napping indoors would be ideal but at some point I’ll need to leave the house and they’ll fall asleep usually right? I have dogs as well so was going to use a sling for dog waljs. It’s more if I’m going to the shop: library and baby falls asleep. From 6 months onwards they’ll be fine there but under that maybe not.

OP posts:
Loonaandalf · 28/08/2024 09:52

theduchessofspork · 28/08/2024 09:16

No you need to bring them upstairs - just take them out and bring them in, they’ll go to sleep again if tired, if they wake up at all.
Try though to into a regular routine of naps rather than it be random - it makes like a lot easier on you.

Put them into the bedroom for naps and just go check on them regularly. Sleeping in one place also helps build good sleep habits.

Also any tips for regular routine naps would be appreciated, any of my friends I talk to who have babies say there is no rhyme or reason for the first few months and from nannying b young babies, it was the same. You’d get them into a routine then they’d change.

OP posts:
Loonaandalf · 28/08/2024 09:56

InTheRainOnATrain · 28/08/2024 09:30

No I wouldn’t leave them at the bottom of the stairs. Does the pram have a detachable bassinet you can carry baby up in? We had a 3rd floor walk up when DD was a baby and they’re quite transferable when they’re small and when she got older I would stay home or stay out over nap time but the timing was predictable by that point so it was easy to plan. I’d be fine with baby sleeping in the bedroom with all the doors open if it’s as small as you say it is though.

Yes the bassinet is detachable but I’m pretty sure the instructions said the bassinet isn’t suitable for regular naps.. will need to check that again. I also don’t think it has a handle the way a Moses basket would have but can’t remember, got it second hand and is now in attic so can check this.

OP posts:
FoxtrotOscarKindaDay · 28/08/2024 09:57

When you go out leave the moses basket at the bottom of the stairs so if baby is asleep when you get back you can transfer into that and take upstairs or take baby upstairs in detachable car seat part of pram if that's what you have.

My pushchair didn't fit inside the maisonette bottom of stairs unless it was folded (or the door stayed open) but it had a detachable car seat.

Horror of horrors I took baby upstairs in it, left him in the hallway at the top of the stairs and went back to fold up frame which was sometimes left outside in the rain! I had 3 lots of steps outside to get to the front door in the first place if he slept through that he wasn't waking up anytime soon.

Loonaandalf · 28/08/2024 09:58

Talipesmum · 28/08/2024 09:33

I don’t think it’s a communal hallway with a maisonette- you have your own front door which opens onto a set of stairs going up to the top floor.

I’m not sure OP. Maybe a baby monitor in the hallway? Or carry the bassinet upstairs.

yeah I think I probably will carry it up tbh and maybe baby monitor when they’re older if asleep there. Who knows, maybe my baby will sleep in crib better than buggy so might not matter.

OP posts:
Loonaandalf · 28/08/2024 10:06

FoxtrotOscarKindaDay · 28/08/2024 09:57

When you go out leave the moses basket at the bottom of the stairs so if baby is asleep when you get back you can transfer into that and take upstairs or take baby upstairs in detachable car seat part of pram if that's what you have.

My pushchair didn't fit inside the maisonette bottom of stairs unless it was folded (or the door stayed open) but it had a detachable car seat.

Horror of horrors I took baby upstairs in it, left him in the hallway at the top of the stairs and went back to fold up frame which was sometimes left outside in the rain! I had 3 lots of steps outside to get to the front door in the first place if he slept through that he wasn't waking up anytime soon.

It’s a travel system and quite lightweight for what it is so this could work, I can definitely detach it, I am clumsy and have zero upper body strength so that should be interesting. Just thinking of it now there’s a huge, giant sized heater from floor to ceiling in hallway, DH kindly reminded me that babies can’t be near heaters while asleep (learned from one of his dad books) so I guess that is a no go then. Suddenly everything in our place seems dangerous now 😅

OP posts:
FoxtrotOscarKindaDay · 28/08/2024 16:54

Loonaandalf · 28/08/2024 10:06

It’s a travel system and quite lightweight for what it is so this could work, I can definitely detach it, I am clumsy and have zero upper body strength so that should be interesting. Just thinking of it now there’s a huge, giant sized heater from floor to ceiling in hallway, DH kindly reminded me that babies can’t be near heaters while asleep (learned from one of his dad books) so I guess that is a no go then. Suddenly everything in our place seems dangerous now 😅

Edited

That's the beauty of stairs, you can put it down every couple of steps if you need to. Just wait til you are getting a couple of bags of shopping and a sleeping baby upstairs, you become your own relay system! Not to mention discovering muscles that you didn't even know existed until they hurt.

Avoiding the heater is a good plan, try not to see everything as an axe murderer though. It's normal to worry, it's also normal to work it out as you go along. Don't forget to enjoy the experience too 🌼

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