sleeping logistics in very small urban apartments.

[ithappened]

I could use some suggestions on our sleeping arrangements once the twins come.

1) we live in a very very small apartment (there are no real rooms just an 'alcove' where our bed is. The alcove is the EXACT size of a double bed, so we cannot put anything around the sides of our bed, since the walls are there).

2) Right now our toddler cosleeps between us. This works ok but he is starting to get too big for it to work so we will need to move him to somewhere else in the studio. . .

3) I would like to cosleep with the twins since it makes BFing at night easier, however we cannot figure out how this will work with 2 of them, plus me and DH in a double bed?

4) The only other option as to where we could put another double bed would be in the entrance to the apartment, which is also the kitchen area, 'living room' and bathroom so there would be zero privacy and potentially a lot of noise or awkward for guest who stop by to say hi as there would be no where to sit but a bed.

Any ideas? We have a closet next to the alcove bed wall (which has a window in it, dont ask me why!) which could theoretically be converted into a very very small bunk bed style room for 1-2 kids.. but I cannot see this working until the twins are old enough not to roll out of bed

Has anyone made 3 kids work plus 2 adults in what is essentially a studio apartment?

[ladydodson]

i'd say you're going to be cramped, but im sure you know that! how bout finding a twin or toddler bed or crib and side carring it to the foot of your bed for your toddler? could hubs move to a couch or futon while you're night nursing the twins? my husband is just now coming back to bed and our twins are nearly 1yo.

i'd check out ohdeedo.com and small spaces...also pinterest for ideas. i love the idea of making bunks in the closet!

[rinap]

You might be able to move the toddler to the bunk room (awesome idea) then sleep with the twins: one between you and one between you and the edge of the bed. You might want to get a bed rail to keep that one from falling. (bed rail may go up against the wall, but if there's any chance the baby could fall between the bed and the wall...)

The other thing that could work (we've done it while traveling) is putting a pack and play at the foot of the bed. One baby in that, one baby in the bed, and switch. Or, other times, both babies in the pack and play (then the babies are together).

[musikmama]

Our FIL has made us a custom bunk/loft bed.  He checked out ones at furniture stores, that are $1500+ for cheap particle board.  We wanted stairs, to allow for storage, and then the bottom bunk can be put in later when the "due in April" baby is ready.  It's going in our son's room, which will be shared, and the crib is supposed to fit underneath.  Have you looked at doing a loft bed for you and hubby, and then having the kiddos below, one in a twin and the other in a crib/pack and play? There's a TON of awesome space-saving ideas on Apartment Therapy.  We're definitely lucky my FIL is a woodworker. If you can turn the closet into the sleeping area, a loft bed with room for a pack and play, or bassinet under would be an amazing way to save space. 

[ithappened]

how bout finding a twin or toddler bed or crib and side carring it to the foot of your bed for your toddler?

we have no room at the foot of the bed, there are walls on all sides which literally go to the edge of the mattress otherwise this would be an awesome idea!

Have you looked at doing a loft bed for you and hubby, and then having the kiddos below, one in a twin and the other in a crib/pack and play?

Thats an awesome idea! The hard part with this is the alcove is angled under the roof (actually half the apartment is) so there is almost no height in the bed area (maybe a few feet) Our mattress is already on the floor and barely works as is.

I did check out some of the blogs people recommended (thank you!) I found a great one here for two kids in a closet.. we just need to make it work for 3!! Our challenge is the closet is located under the roof area too, so I am not sure how high we can go up.. but it might be worth trying. The space is really small. I would guess its 9 ft x 3 ft with about 6 of those feet being under the ceiling/roof angle.

We're thinking of having DH sleep on the couch with DS for the first few months and I would take the bed with the twins if there is not enough space for DH in there - its hard to say- DS was such a super active sleeper (and still is) cosleeping with him is.. a challenge :) to put it nicely

[jes h]

Echoing the toddler in the bunks question.

Our son started sleeping in his short loft bed at2.5-as soon as he could handle the ladder. (He was sleeping in the bottom bunk at 2.). His bed is only just over 4 feet tall, the bottom is a thinner mattress on bed slats, so the whole thing is shorter, and a rail goes along the top. Never had any problems with him falling out, and he wiggles all over in bed (Which is why we didn't co-sleep past night nursing!). He loves his bed.

[ithappened]

actually.. one option now that you say that jes h would be to put one mattress on the floor which covers the floor for the twins until they are older- then put DS (who will be almost 3) in a 'high' bed just a few feet about them with some sort of short ladder and a guard rail... ... hmmmm that way we would have to figure out how to stack 3 beds in a low ceiling room.. and it would be cheaper... hmmmmmm...

[jes h]

I know there is info out there that says a mattress on the floor isn't safe, but my understanding is that it is because humidity from a sleeping body builds up over time and encourages mold growth (EWE!)  However, DS's mattress has a waterproof cover, so no moisture is making it through, and we have it on a bed slats from Ikea, so it is lifted about an inch off the floor for some air circulation.

Plus, Montessori parents do it all the time...

I wouldn't think a little one would be able to generate enough moisture to cause real problems... a 240 lb. adult, maybe, but not the little guy.

[ithappened]

yes we have those ikea slats under ours and never have had a mold problem..

[Gena 22]

Love these thoughts! 

My DH and I co-slept with our twins pretty comfortably in a queen for a good long while.  So if you could find a toddler bed space, that could work.  What we briefly considered was a hanging bed that could be lowered for sleeping and raised during the day.  For a young kid you could have them low to the ground, and hanging beds are supposed to foster great sleep.  More realistically, you could turn the closet into a bunk room, and have hubby and toddler sleep there at first.  Then graduate to twins sleeping there when they're older.

Interesting ideas!  Hope you find a solution that works for everyone.

[jes h]

how big is your studio?

We were just at Ikea getting baby room supplies for the twins coming next week.

Whenever I walk around the model apartments I think 'geeze, this is only 425 sq. feet.  WHY did our 660 sq. ft. condo always feel like a pile of baby/living room jumble?!!?'  I have to remind myself that the Ikea apartment was designed around their furniture...

Good luck!

[ithappened]

its about 400 sq ft.

[paperwings86]

Wow mama, you make our 1 bedroom with *just* our 15 month old twins feel like an mansion! 

Have you considered an air mattress that you can put up/take down in the living room for your hubby and older child? We did that for a while. Or a sleeping mat that you can tuck under the sofa? Can you replace your sofa with a sleeper type that fold out?

I'm sure you've read that twins don't require double of everything. 1.5x clothes as a singleton. We had 1 swing (I wish we'd had two but no space), 1 bouncer, 2 exersaucers. We always got hand-me-downs and as soon as the boys out grew things I handed them on to another family. Very hardcore about this. I figure if we ever have another we'll just buy second hand then as well. All of mine and my husband's clothes are in the closest (pants, undies, everything) and the boys share a dresser in our bedroom. I put a pad on top of it when they were tiny and we were doing 80,000 diaper changes a day. 

The key I've found to being in a small space (we have 600sq ft) is being flexible. Is it 'normal' for hubby to sleep on an air mattress in the living room? No, but it worked for us when we needed it to. 

Good luck!

[ithappened]

Can you replace your sofa with a sleeper type that fold out?

we're looking into that- :)

Also once I get back from this 5 week contract job I am doing a MAJOR organizational sorting/cleaning/ of the apartment. I am going to basically donate anything and everything we do not use which I do not feel like is much but its worth trying--  we have a very small storage space in the attack which if we clean out and reorganize we could use to store dry food for example and if I can put up some high shelving in the areas of the apartment which arent roof angled walls (ok just 2 walls but still) I could element the dressers for clothes possible, and that would give us a little more room (although will look horrible)