Style of house best for baby

[emma3499]

Hi! This is my first post here! My fiancee and I are planning to start trying for a baby this summer. We are also planning on moving into a new house from an apartment. I am a bit over anxious about the thought of staying home alone with a baby. A thought that is crossing my mind while we house shop is...with this house be baby friendly? Sleep friendly? Toddler friendly?

Does anyone have any thoughts on what style of house is best for baby/toddler/sleeping life?

A story and a half?
Bungalow?
Two story?
Finished basement?

I know everyone is different...I like the idea of a bungalow because stairs seem scary having a little one around (although I guess you could use a baby gate).

Anything that you think is super convenient and I should look for in terms of having a baby in a home?

THANK YOU!

 

[Pandora0814]

My husband and I have a 2 story house with a basement (older house). This is our temporary house (2 BR house) until we can find a different one. We have 3 gates throughout the whole house. One blocks off the basement, another blocks off the kitchen and the last blocks the stairs to the second floor.

For an older house, its pretty good our 11 months old. We’ve been at this house since he was born.

I think any house will work, it’s just up to you to baby proof it on how you see fit.

I do know that our next house will be a ranch style house, more for my convenience. I don’t like going down to the basement to wash clothes and I hate running upstairs to change the baby’s diaper or clothes.

 

[RaspberryK]

We have a three storey house and it works fine for us but can seem like a lot of stairs.
Ds sleeps on the floor above us and we have never had a problem with it. Others might feel like it's far away though.
It's all going to be personal preference but I'd love a nice open plan downstairs but a seperate utility room.
If not open plan then a kitchen diner, and seperate lounge rather than a lounge diner.
I'd avoid carpet downstairs, it's easier to clean up tiles and wood floor.
It's good to have a bedroom that has plenty of room for a cot, or a nursery that has room for a single bed.
a safe enclosed garden area with french windows leading out to it would be ideal for when children start to play out there unattended.
I don't like bungalows, I like the bedrooms to be upstairs private, quiet, and away from the through traffic of visitors etc.
Stairs are just something that you have to teach them to do safely, stopping access when necessary.
I've never been big on "baby proofing", we have never had locks on the doors or fridge or socket covers. Neither do we use stair Gates.
Xx

 

[bucherwurm]

I see benefits for both a one story and a 2. With a one story everything is on the same level and presumably, easy to access, but it could be harder for privacy, and guests might be able to see into bedrooms. Sound may also travel to all the bedrooms, so if someone is up late watching TV, the others may be able to hear it well. With two, you can have privacy upstairs in bedrooms from guests, or for alone time, etc, but things will take more effort, like running upstairs when the baby cries. But it will keep you in shape!

 

[Eleanor ace]

We have a 3 storey and it is fine. However if/when we have a 3rd one of the kids will have their bedroom on the middle floor, where the lounge is. Which means that from 6.30pm onwards we'll need to be quieter than we would normally be which is a bit of a pain. I imagine it would feel the same with a bungalow so I'd avoid one for that reason. I'm not sure what a storey and a half or finished basement is (I think my brain has given up today). Baby proofing isn't too bad and you'd need to do it regardless of the style of house you have- things like putting cleaning stuff out of reach- having an extra floor or two just means having stair gates, if you use them.

 

[kksy9b]

Agree with the everyone else...there isn't a "best" style if house because you'll make it work regardless. Our washer and dryer are in the basement and it is a pain to have to go down there for laundry. We are building next year and the laundry room will be on the same floor as the bedrooms. It is amazing how much laundry a LO creates and would be a lot easier to watch over them and still get things done with it all on one floor.

 

[Foogirl]

The only thing I would avoid if possible is too many steps to the front door. Having to bring a pram into a house up a load of steps is no fun.

Also look for one with plenty storage space. You'll need it!

 

[Eleanor ace]

The only thing I would avoid if possible is too many steps to the front door. Having to bring a pram into a house up a load of steps is no fun.

Also look for one with plenty storage space. You'll need it!

Ooh yes these are both very good points!