# Studio/Loft Apt with a baby!!????



## BrooklynActor (Jul 23, 2008)

Hey All,

So I know this sounds crazy but I wanted advice for what's to come and if I'm crazy for my original thinking. So my DP and I are moving in together. We are expected a baby in March 2009! We live in NYC which for those of you who don't know is REALLY expensive to live in! Apartments are just out of this world! $1800 and you get a hole in the wall! Seriously! So today we found a massive beautiful loft like studio. I mean it's big, bigger than any of the 1 bedroom we've seen. It's gorgeous and modern and safe! Has plenty of room for a full living room, bedroom area, kitchen is massive! it's great! Lot's of light. and basically in our budget. It's now 1AM and I woke up in a panic realizing "wait, we're having a baby!














doesn't the baby need their own room!? isn't the smallest sound going to wake him/her up? the baby will always be there! What about having friends over? or simply watching TV? or may I even say... s-x with my DP!? I don't want to be walking on egg shells every moment I'm in my apartment! Am I right? what do you all think out there? is there any way of making this work? those of you with babies, could you ever see yourself in a loft like apartment? Am I correct that it just wouldn't work???? What's the consensus out there????







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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

It would work for us. We try to get baby used to sleeping with noise. Our babies never have their own rooms and always sleep with us.

-Angela


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## ChetMC (Aug 27, 2005)

It would be fine for us too. We've always gone about our regular business while the baby slept. Now I do try to keep the older kids from screaming right next to DS's ear, or from jumping on the bed next to him while he's napping... that's partly for my own sanity though.

We co-sleep. Our oldest didn't get her own room until she was 4. She's fine.

I actually preferred having a smaller house with a baby, and even then I often had the baby sleep on the floor near where I was. No need for a baby monitor!

I actually know somebody who insisted on complete quiet while their baby was sleeping, and now nobody is allowed to flush the toilet while the baby is napping because it will wakes her up. Our kids always got used to the regular noise level in the house.


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## EviesMom (Nov 30, 2004)

I've done it. For a rental, I think you'd be fine, particularly the first year. Beyond that, it just depends on the child and their sleep habits.

We're in what was a 540 square foot studio with a loft bedroom. It was fine, and the baby was used to the noise level and not prone to waking up from TV noise or friends over. We didn't have parties in our apartment when she was asleep, but we went to gatherings at friends houses and she'd sleep in the carrier or the stroller no problem. We had a friend or two over to play games or watch a movie and that was all fine.

I didn't want to be far from her when we had sex either, just new parent jitters, so we would make a bed on the floor while she was asleep, have sex, and get back in the real bed. As she got bigger, we used the living room while she was in the bedroom.

DD also is a night owl though, and was fine with going to bed at 10 or 11pm when we did and getting up at 10am. DS wouldn't do as well, he's an early bird by nature.

By the time DD was 2, we really wanted a different set up. We own, so we're still in that apartment, but we closed off the loft, put in real stairs, and put in a small bedroom downstairs (literally the size of the queen bed, with a window) for DH and I. DD has a bed upstairs, but she climbs in with us and DS in the morning. Up and down are probably 650 or so total. The main problem now is storage for stuff like strollers, bikes, etc.


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## godusjourney (Apr 11, 2006)

I'd do it. Dh and I lived in the basement of our bookstore for a couple years while dd was small. Kept her area nap-like feeling (no bright lights, cozy blanket), and turned on a loud fan next to her, and she was fine. Then we lived in a basement apartment that was more or less a studio (no door on the bedroom - used to be the family room of a house). That is where ds was born, and we lived happily in that space for a year. Now we live in a house and ds doesn't take as many naps anymore, but if he falls asleep in the car, I just bring him in and lay him on the couch. Even with a medium noise level he'll stay konked out for an hour.

Of course, we co-slept and still part-time co-sleep, so that made it easy for us to be okay sharing a sleeping space that was small.

HTH!


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Congratulations! I'm subscribing, mainly because it fascinates me to hear about New York City life.

I'd love to live in a studio with my dh, and our 8yo and 3yo girls!

We still co-sleep with both girls. Our oldest has a playroom where she sleeps when she has girlfriends over to spend the night. If we were in a studio, we could put up a partition and the slumber-parties could take place in the living room area.

During a slumber-party, we probably wouldn't try sex in a studio.







For one thing, dd and her friends are usually up talking and playing into the wee hours of the morning, well after dh and I have gone to sleep.

(If you're thinking we probably couldn't sleep through a slumber party in a studio -- well, we have a super-loud fan, which would enable the girls to have some private conversation that we parents truly could not hear, and would also drown out the noise for dh and me.







)

But as for sex on regular nights when it's just the family at home -- no problem! Once both girls are asleep, we're fine with making love in dh's bed (dh sleeps in a double-bed, which is pushed against the king the girls and I share).


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## Kiera09 (Sep 2, 2008)

If your baby ends up being a light sleeper - you can always get a white noise machine to use during naps and bedtime.


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## BrooklynActor (Jul 23, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Kiera09* 
If your baby ends up being a light sleeper - you can always get a white noise machine to use during naps and bedtime.

Great suggestion! Just looked up white noise machines! Sounds Great! Had never heard of it! Very cool! THANKS!!!


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## crazydiamond (May 31, 2005)

It would work for us, too.

When DD was a baby, she slept through anything. She shared our room until age 1, at which point she moved to her own room. But, that was for other reasons and not for noise or anything like that. She'd have happily stayed in our room if she wanted. Now that we have DS, who is 5 mos old, we've found that noise does wake him up. BUT, the kid is a terrible sleeper and always has been -- so while noise does wake him, so does a draft, an itch, and who knows what else. He takes exactly 1 nap a day and it lasts for 20 minutes. If you have a kid like him, it won't be the studio that's the problem, not anymore than having his own room or larger place to live.

So, I say take the loft! If your family keeps growing you may find it unsuitable at some point, but I say cross that bridge when you get there. The place you describe sounds just fine for a young baby/child.


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## St. Margaret (May 19, 2006)

Totally. I'd love it b/c I would always be able to see my baby. And vice-versa-- you can be in any area and s/he will know you are near. You can always hang up curtains around a little reading nook if you need down the line, for a little mental privacy.

It's good for babies to be used to sleeping around noises. And you just need a safe cosleeping arrangement.

We watch movies in bed in the evening (and daytime during naps) with DD asleep attached to my boob. Sometimes I worry about her hearing scary noises from the TV in her sleep, but it's serious mental health time for DH and me to sit and "do" something together, even when I have to be in bed to help DD sleep (she's crazy high needs when it comes to sleeping).

I think the loft sounds like it would suit new baby life very well! Flexible and easy to keep track of... yeah!


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## Altair (May 1, 2005)

just an update...

we found an amazing apartment in a much better area with a 1 BD. So, we'll still be sharing a room with baby, but we'll make a play space for her in the living room also so she has some space to herself. I figure we can live there 3 years (she'd be 2.5 by then) easily.

here's the place...









http://www.ahbrooklyn.com/property.p...laytype=rental

looks like the late night freaking out about apartments paid off!


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## boysmom2 (Jan 24, 2007)

I would totally do it! When DS1 was born, we lived in a tiny one bedroom and it worked out fine. We have never made a point of being quiet around sleeping babies and now my kiddos are great sleepers. My sister however keeps her house perfectly quiet when my nephew sleeps and that poor kid can't function when they have anyone over.

Hang out here and learn as much as you can about all the different ways the parents on here do things. When you think about what most people do (or that advertisers would have you think they do) to prepare for and deal with a baby, yeah, it seems crazy to try to live in a studio. But, there's actually very little that you truly NEED for a baby and a lot of ways to make it work.

Good luck!


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

So Altair and BrooklynActor -- are you guys the same person???

Altair -- congrats on finding a situation you like!


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## Altair (May 1, 2005)

No, not the same person, but we share the same baby.


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## mamabeca (Oct 3, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mammal_mama* 
So Altair and BrooklynActor -- are you guys the same person???

That confused me too!

I'd totally do a studio if it were big, though I might get dp to build a little lofty up, someplace to go and read w/out dc if he were home w/dc. Nice to have another 'room' even if it isn't w/a door. kwim?

That apt. in park slope looks wonderful! Gah - tacqueria in park slope is the BEST!!!


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## mammal_mama (Aug 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Altair* 
No, not the same person, but we share the same baby.









Oh, how cool that you've both joined MDC!


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## Altair (May 1, 2005)

I've been on MDC for years, probably at least 5-6, BrooklynActor just joined when we found out the news.


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## mrspineau (Jan 15, 2008)

I would do it. our son has his own room but until recently he slept in a bassinet in our room. he sleeps through vacuuming, tv, visitors,barking dog, etc etc. if i were you i would be more concerned about space for when he gets older and does need his own space for his toys or his bed if you are not planning to cosleep. i guess it just depends on how long you plan on staying there. good luck!


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