Baby in a one bed flat

continualdiamond

I can totally see where your coming from with this issue. Im 27 in a couple of days, OH 26 and we live in a 2 bed flat. So yes you would think we have the luxury of a spare room, but we don't. In our spare room is our computer, spare bed and the fridge (yes we cannot get a normal size fridge in our kitchen).

We have the computer in the spare room cos it won't go anywhere else and we have a single spare bed cos OH snores so much, most nights one of us comes and sleeps on the single bed.

Also the spare room holds the hot water tank and boiler, which in all honesty really puts me off the idea of it being a nursery.

We haven't really discussed having children a lot, but for me personally i hate the idea of being in this flat and having a baby. We also bought in the end of 2006 on a 100% mortgage and aren't in a position to sell.

I often look a 2 bed houses and dream of being able to sell this place.

So who knows what will happen with us...

ailuro2

swop bedrooms - fit just a double bed in the smaller room with the boiler, buy a cheap laptop to replace the pc, and move the fridge and single bed to the bigger bedroom. Sleep on the sofa when the snoring gets too bad.;)

Not a spare room, just a jigsaw.

Whole famillies used to live in one beroom or two bedroom flats, the mum and dad usually had a bed in the livingroom or kitchen.

Spendless

zimm143 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your views and advice. Scary thought that negative equity could last 7.5 years! I heard in the last downturn the bank let people take their negative equity with them once the market bottomed out. Anyways we can't wait 7.5 years, will be too late :-( I think it's a good point about babies not needing all that stuff, magazines havea lot to answer for.

I've heard that recently but it was never offerred to us or the other 3 couples we know that were also stuck in the negative equity trap. We rented our place out, the others saved till they had enough money to pay off the negative equity. The only place that was suggested to us as 'a way out' was Northern Rock who offered 125% mortgages. They turned us down - fortunately!

nadnad

its strange how in the space of 20-30 years how things have changed. we live in a big detached bungalow with loads of room (we're very lucky i know) its at least twice the size of my "family" home i grew up in. There were 3 kids and my mum and dad and we all managed easily with little or no complaints about space. I now live in this big house with one baby and in all honesty we believe when we have another baby we'll have to convert the attic because we have so much stuff we've no more room downstairs.

Our space downstairs is taken up with computers, home exercise equipment, huge collections of dvds/cds/games/books, my OH also plays guitar and has 3 guitars and amps etc, - when i was little people simply didnt have all this (unnecessary, luxury) stuff.

I guess what i'm trying to say is you work with the space you've got, and generally the more space you have the more junk you accumulate. If you want a baby go for it, like i said before timing is never "perfect" for having kids - as long as you know you want them and they'll be loved then thats as perfect as it gets.

fernliebee

I'd say go for it! As others have said, if we waited for everything to be 'perfect' before having children the human race would die out. Make do with what you have! Good luck with your decision!

Somnium

Would just like to say that me and OH are also trying for a baby atm and we only live in a 1 bed house. We have a large dog and a small postage stamp of a garden! We know we will have to declutter and loose non essential items when little one comes along but for us the trade off is worth it. BTW we rent and cannot afford a bigger place, especially once on mat leave. I agree with what others say, our parents and generations before them coped with smaller places so it is do-able. Good luck x

jo101_2

Hi

I think its completely do-able. I always imagined that when I had kids I would be living in a nice house with enough space but things dont always end up like that. We have found ourselves in various situations since having kids. For 6 months when my son was 8 months old we were renting 1 room in a friends house and when my daughter was born we were living in a tiny 1 bed annexe attached to my brothers house, so there were 4 of us in one bedroom. We now live in a 2 bed with baby number 3 on the way, which I dont consider a squash at all. It has not done any of us any harm and the children are very close and as long as baby's needs are being met it doesn't matter how much room you have. I am a great one for de-cluttering which helps and rotating toys.

Babies fit in very well I think and if you wait till everythings perfect it may be too late to have a baby. I think too much emphasis is put on having a lot of space these days, years ago they just got on with it.

So, go for it I say!

Jo

sismith42

My sister had her 1st son in a one bed flat (though it had a boxroom). All they needed for the first year was a cot and a dresser with a changing table top, then an extra bookshelf for his toys.
They finally moved this autumn (baby 1 was 3 1/2 years old) with baby no 2 was on his way (he arrived 2 weeks ago )

PasturesNew

My friend was still in her parents' bedroom when she was 13, behind the wardrobes.

zimm143

Pasturesnew - really? Guess it didn't do your friend too much harm! if this recession lasts 13 years I think that would be the least of my worries :-) Everyone's comments have been very reassuring. I always imagined we'd paint a nursery and have all this space, but I guess things change. I guess we are luckier then many as we have enough money and I get ok mat leave benefits, maybe I should stop worrying :-)