Well, in the last month my belly has really popped out and I am noticeably pregnant now. Many people have asked me if we are now looking for a new place to live for the coming of the baby, and the answer is a definite no. We just recently got a reduction on our rent and renewed our lease at our current condo. Since so many people asked me whether or not I am moving it seems that people expect new parents to get a new place. However, is it really necessary to move a larger place for the sake of a new baby?
My husband and I already live in a two bedroom condo so if we wanted to give the baby his own room we could vacate our office, but I think it is pretty unnecessary. First of all, the baby is not going to be walking around right after he is born and he will spend most of his time sleeping. We have enough room in our bedroom for a good sized crib and we plan to just keep the baby in our room. Since the baby is going to need attention during the night so it seems silly to put him in a separate room. Most books I have read recommend that the baby sleep in the same room as the parents for at least a few months. I think that makes a lot of sense. Most babies do not start walking until they are almost one year old, and even then it seems that they do not need a whole bedroom to themselves.
Personally I did not really get my own room until I was in high school, and it was not really a big deal to me. Basically, I think it is kind of pointless to give the baby his own room because he will not be able to appreciate it until he is older anyway. I know that many expecting moms are into creating a beautiful and cute little nursery for their little ones, but I am really not into that. I think that is mostly for the enjoyment of the adults rather than the baby who is going to be half blind and sleeping 20 hours a day.
At this point we are not quite sure where we will be in a year or two. It is possible that we might move out of the area so there is no point in dealing with a move and the birth of a new baby. I think many people feel the need to get more space for a baby but in actuality they do not need the space since a baby is pretty tiny and immobile. Eventually the kid might get old enough to need his own bed and room, but it is going to take at least a couple years, and waiting to upgrade saves money.
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6 comments ↓
THANK GOD. Someone with a voice of reason
I wrote a post called “A small space doesn’t mean you put your life on hold and WHINE“, and some people thought I was being quite nasty because I was attacking a girl for wanting more space with her husband before having a baby
Er… all I could think was: WTF? Babies don’t care until they’re 3 or 4 and old enough to understand the idea of privacy and space.
So I didn’t understand why that woman couldn’t just relax in her condo, have a baby and just see where life goes.
THANK YOU.
Yes, it is good to keep baby’s crib in the same room with parents, in the first 6 months.
But after 6 months, you should consider moving her to a separate room.
Reason 1, the baby can generate different noise when sleeping. It would affect parents’ sleeping.
Reason 2, parents don’t have the same sleeping schedule with the baby. So it will be hard to do anything in the same room when the baby is sleeping.
Reason 3, even when the parents are sleeping, they can generate different noise to awake the baby…
When the baby is 6-month-old, she is developing “separation anxiety”, it will be difficult to move her out, when she doesn’t want to separate from parents.
I am in total agreement with you. There is no need to place oneself in financial strain to get a bigger space for a baby. Some new parents will follow the advice of others instead of looking at the reality of life.
I enjoyed reading your article.
Completely agreed with Ben!
Cosleeping is the way to go. I could list all sorts of reasons, but my best one is: They tell you to never, ever leave your baby unattended – and then they tell you to abandon it in another room?
See also:
Mother Nature: Maternal Instincts and How They Shape the Human Species by Sarah Hrdy (*best science of motherhood book EVER!*)
What’s Going on in There? : How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life by Lise Eliot
Why Love Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby’s Brain by Sue Gerhardt
The Scientist in the Crib: What Early Learning Tells Us About the Mind by Alison Gopnik
Our Babies, Ourselves: How Biology and Culture Shape the Way We Parent by Meredith Small
Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman
The Vital Touch: How Intimate Contact With Your Baby Leads To Happier, Healthier Development by Sharon Heller
From Neurons to Neighborhoods : The Science of Early Childhood Development by Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development
The baby really needs no space until she starts crawling around. We survived fine in a large ONE bedroom apartment with our baby for a good 17 months and have just moved to a bigger townhouse a few weeks ago. Even though we now have three bedrooms, our baby still sleeps in our (gigantic) room and I don’t see anything wrong with that.
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