Laundry in Apartment Building

[Anonymous]

I live in an apartment building with the laundry down the hall. Does anyone in this situation run down the hall and throw in laundry while DS in sleeping in the crib? There is not a doorman, but the front door is locked and we are on an upper floor. I can unlock the door to my apartment so I can't get locked out, but if I forget and do get locked out, keys are in lock-boxes in the basement. Would you do it? Is it any different than a baby sleeping on the 3rd floor of a house and going to the basement to do laundry? Yes, I can do it at night when DH is home, but you are fighting for limited machines with everyone else doing laundry at night, and it takes almost 3 hours to do one load of laundry because we have energy efficient washers (56 minutes for a hot wash, 1 hour and 47 minutes for drying!).

[Anonymous]

I would be fine with running down the hall during naps, but maybe less fine with running to basement machines from an upper floor in a large building.

Wasn't this a vigorous debate on Urbanbaby a few years ago?

[Anonymous]

I would never take this chance! Living in a house you can carry the baby monitor on your belt. Can you do it from your apartment>?

[Anonymous]

why are u asking us ? personally i think its fine , no need to over think things.

[Anonymous]

I think it is fine too! But I'd probably feel better locking the apartment door behind me and brining a key and a monitor. It's not like you are staying in there the whole 3 hours.

[Anonymous]

i would do it. i've gone down to the basement a few times actually, but i always call my sister and talk to her the entire time. she knows what to do if the call drops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i would do it. i've gone down to the basement a few times actually, but i always call my sister and talk to her the entire time. she knows what to do if the call drops.

Gosh, I didn't even think of that. Good idea.

[Anonymous]

so the sister has to be at ur disposition whenever u feel like doing laundry?

[Anonymous]

Depends on your comfort level. Some people would accuse you of neglect, others wouldn't bat an eye. Would you feel embarrassed or defensive if others knew?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would never take this chance! Living in a house you can carry the baby monitor on your belt. Can you do it from your apartment>?

Usually. It depends on the distance and construction of the building. Was that a serious question?

[Anonymous]

Yes I would.

[Anonymous]

I definitely would. Since you can't get locked out and especially since it is on the same floor I really don't see the problem.

Where we ae now we have our laundry in the basement and can get locked out, plus DS is out of the crib and into a bed, so I don't do laundry while he is napping anymore. What I usually do is put laundry in at night right before the room closes. I move it to the dryer in the morning and usually pick it up before DH leaves. I fold it during nap time then kick back. Nap time is mama's mental health time.

For the PP who talks on the phone while doing laundry, doesn't that make you less alert to your surroundings? It could really cut both ways. I think of it like jogging, where they advise you not to wear an Ipod or talk on the phone.

[Anonymous]

OP, I was in the same situation, and when DC was small, I was so paranoid that I had DH do the laundry on weekends
Now DC is four, he either accompanies me down the hall, or stays in the flat (where I make sure to shut the bathroom and kitchen door). DC is very well-behaved and knows the rules so I am not worried.
Now, as we are trying to conceive DC#2, I think I would throw caution to the winds and do the laundry while DC#2 was sleeping. Bringing the monitor with me, I suppose. Maybe purchase a "tent" for the crib, so that DC doesn't fall out of the crib.

[Anonymous]

With the proper precautions, I would definitely do this with my 20 month old. When she was younger, I would probably have just pre-sorted in the Apt, and thrown her on my back in the Ergo to actually get it in the wash. The ability to actually get things done while keeping an awake baby happy is part of why I love my Ergo so much.

[Anonymous]

I did this whenever I had to do laundry while we still lived in an apartment (first 6 months of DD's life) and never thought twice about it as long as she was asleep in her crib. Did not bring a monitor. Just walked down the hall and put in some laundry. While the baby slept safely in her crib. Really not a big deal.