Anyone else live in a top floor flat with a baby?

[MrsC]

Looking likely that we'll still be in our flat by the time baby arrives in January - we're on the top floor of a lovely Victorian conversion and although we love the flat worrying about the logistics of having a baby there! Wondering if anyone else is in this situo and how did you cope with getting pram etc up and down staires? Did you opt for light weight prams like I Candy cherry etc to make easier? Also with no outdoor space (not that we'll need it in the freezing winter months!) did you find that there is enough to keep you and baby occupied outdoors, had a look at previous threads and seems to be a lots of mother & baby groups in the area?

Thanks!

Nikki

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I was in that situation. Fortunately my neighbours agreed that I could keep the pram (collapsed) in the hall. Could you have a word with yours?

[KatsuQueen]

Hi, we live in a top floor flat in a Victorian conversion too and it's fine! Minikatsu was born in late January and during the first month, I hardly ventured out. Just made the flat nice and cosy, and spent my days and nights breastfeeding, watching lots of TV and just generally veg-ging out in a baby-haze.

We have a Bugaboo Bee because it was the lightest buggy that faces both ways. (There may be lighter ones on the market now.) There is no room in the downstairs hallway for the buggy folded up, so every time I go out with the buggy I have to haul it downstairs leaving the baby in a safe place, open it up and then go back upstairs for him. Then everything in reverse, when I get home. I did worry about the buggy being nicked, but it's only out there for two minutes and touch wood, it's been OK so far.

Until very recently I used to take him out in a baby carrier (Baby Bjorn) most of the time. That was OK for visiting friends and up and down the Lane, but not so good when you are out for a coffee because there's no where to put him. He is too heavy for the carrier now, so it's buggy all the time.

It's not ideal but definitely do-able. It is a pain when it's raining. And I do look enviously at friends who can just wheel their buggies in the front door, they have all their toys blankets etc in the boot while I have to carry stuff up and down the stairs.

I think the hardest thing is feeling that I can;t invite other mums round for coffees because I can't expect them to haul their big buggies up and down the very tight stairs.

We have a shared garden but to be honest, I'm not much of a garden person. I preferred to go the parks, then I could have a nice ice cream too.

Good luck and if you have any specific questions, feel free to send me a PM.

[Citrovie]

We've been in a 1 bed top floor flat since before my pregnancy - our now 14 month old was born there and we're still there (obviously planning to move before Citro2 arrives as we won't physically fit). It's not ideal but you can definitely make it work. We didn't have a very compact pram but did make sure to buy one where the carrycot/seat bit was detachable so we could carry our sleeping baby upstairs while worrying about the frame later. As for fresh air, the parks are nearby so that's not a worry. An own garden is our big dream but you CAN do without. When the baby is under 6 months you don't need that much entertainment - having them watch you cook, fold the laundry etc is fun enough for them but maybe not for you! The Peckham Rye one o'clock club is brilliant from a rather young age, even before they're sitting there's a soft play area (go and have a look Tue-Fri 1pm-3:30pm) although I didn't discover it until my little one was 8 months old. And there's the NCT groups (did you sign up for the antenatal classes? It's really worth it for the friendships and support during the first 6+ months - our group is still together and it's a great opportunity to get out of the house and have your baby (and yourself!) interact with others). When they're a bit bigger, the playground in Dulwich park is great too.

Feel free to PM me about details too. We're still in this small flat with our baby in our room but we're doing quite fine actually. She sleeps very well and I love to hear her snore :))

Edited to add that the detachable carrycot shouldn't be underestimated. It's the difference between having to keep walking for another 45 minutes when your baby has finally fallen asleep outside (which is no issue when you can park the whole pram in your own ground floor corridor) and just carrying her upstairs in her carrycot and putting her on the living room floor while you run down to fetch the frame.

[rachelbrady]

We are in a first floor flat with 2 under 2. It was difficult when I was pregnant with the 2nd but I managed. I too dream of a garden but the parks around here are just soooo good that I feel extreamly lucky with our lot.

[MrsC]

Thanks for all advice and you're all right, although garden would be lovely and is the goal, parks etc round here are amazing so no excuse for me to stay in doors! The not being able to invite other Mum's round and the shopping thing is a pain but not the end of the world and good to know we're not the only ones!

Neighbours are going to let us keep the collapsed pram in the hall so I'll just have to take the car seat/cary cot upstaires which will keep me fit at least!

Thanks for advice - sure I'll be asking for some more soon as new to all of this baby stuff....!

[reetpetite]

If you have a car thats at home during the day can you not leave the pushchair in the boot , a friend of mine did this and then carried baby upstairs and she lived on the 4th floor with no lift.

[Sqiggles]

I agree, keep the pushchair in the boot of the car (assuming you have one - or might even be worth buying an old banger just for that purpose!)

[Smiler]

Hi all,

We have an upper-floor flat with no garden, has been no problem, have an 18 month old. Left pram folded downstairs. Only issue has been stairs, there are loads of them in the flat and was worried about her falling down them, was hard to keep an eye on her when she first became mobile. She quickly became a real stair expert though!

Re. not having a garden, we just get out to the park as much as possible, would be nice, but at least with no garden you don't have to do gardening!

[josiebee]

I've lived in flats when both my kids were babies - with my son I used a baby carrier really a lot - which was a really good solution - with my daughter she didn't take to it nor did my back - I had a Maclaren Techno Classic which I carried up and down two flights (second floor council flat - no hall) for ages - this was a real pain in the back - but my toned arm muscles would beat Michelle Obama's!