Hellobee Boards

Login/Register

How close together would you have your kids?

  1. looch

    wonderful pear / 26210 posts

    If I was in the position of having children when I was in my 20s, I probably would have had them in quick succession. My logic for that is that I was able to bounce back physically much faster and I had much more patience than I do now.

  2. mrscobee

    clementine / 903 posts

    @looch: Ha! I'm opposite! I had the option to have kids in my 20s but didn't. I have way way way more patience at age 30 that I ever did at age 25!

  3. travellingbee

    hostess / papaya / 10219 posts

    Mine will be 34 months apart. We were shooting for closer to 2 years apart but now I'm glad for the bigger gap. He's a handful right now. 2 is no joke! Hoping he'll be potty trained and less explosive by then!!

  4. BlueWolverine

    pear / 1510 posts

    I wanted them to be about 2 years apart, but it took forever for DH to decide he actually wanted a second one (DD was 18mo) and we're having issues with secondary infertility. If I do manage to get pregant, they'll be at least three years apart.

  5. Alba4

    nectarine / 2951 posts

    I'm newly pregnant and my kids will be @ 2 years 4 months apart.

  6. Mamasig

    pomegranate / 3565 posts

    @mrscobee: Before kids DH and I decided that we wanted our kids close together. Well my 1st pregnancy was super hard (no complications just huge and EVERYTHING hurt), and I just dreaded being pregnant again. But we stuck with the game plan and my 2nd pregnancy was 100 times easier though I did have complications (GD and low fluid). And like I said before I love age gap (20 months). I got off the pill when DS2 was 9 months, gave myself a couple of months, and bam pregnant by DS1's 1st bday.

    My point is you just never know! I wanted to get the baby stage over with too. I didn't want to be out of the diaper stage and have to go back.

  7. mrscobee

    clementine / 903 posts

    @Mamasig: Yes, you never know. Luckily my pregnancy has been pretty easy thus far (knock on wood), though I have a ways to go. I'm thinking if something is hard for me, I will just try to stick to the plan anyway, but you do never know! Just crossing my fingers that all goes well enough for me to try for that!

  8. NurseDMB

    kiwi / 643 posts

    2 years apart was my minimum. I can't imagine having kids any closer than that, but everyone is different. I think it probably depends on your first kid's temperament, too.

    My DS is 21 months (birthday end of July) and I'm due with DS #2 in October, so they will be a little over 2 years apart. I'm a little scared, not going to lie!

  9. kjpugs

    grapefruit / 4862 posts

    I'm excited to have kids 22 months apart for some reasons, but I am nervous for others. Twins, in many ways, are easier than close together siblings, as they have different needs and abilities. When feeding one infant twin you don't have to worry about the other climbing the cabinets. You don't have to feed one solids and clean up after all their messes (omg the toddler messes.) You don't have to worry about one twin HITTING the other one because they think it's funny to wake up someone by hitting them. (OMG I NEED TO BREAK HER OF THIS.) But, as they get older, I do think having kids closer together is easier, as they can become close and each others' playmates. I would have preferred a little more spacing (more like 2.5-3 years) if I REALLY thought about it but I have back problems, a difficult pregnancy with #1, and it took us a while trying for #1. We were shocked and thrilled to get a BFP on our first month trying for #2. A little closer together than we anticipated in an "ideal" world, but I am excited!

  10. avivoca

    watermelon / 14467 posts

    I always wanted a 2-year age gap, but when H was a year old I was nowhere ready to have another baby. Now I'd like around a 2.5-3-year gap.

  11. skipra

    pomegranate / 3350 posts

    Mine are 20 months apart and I feel like it's hard in different ways from having twins so you can't really compare it. I love the gap but I do kind of feel my first was still too much of a baby when he became a big brother and it forced him to grow up too soon. Our relationship changed a lot and it kind of makes me sad. We will probably try for a third but with a 2-2.5 year gap this time.

  12. jhd

    coconut / 8079 posts

    I always imagined having two close together, especially since I planned to SAH for a few years. LO is 12.5 months and has had some major health concerns so the idea of #2 is not off the table, but DH and I aren't in a place to really discuss it yet.

    I really like to hear everyone's perspectives on this. But it is definitely a "do what is best for you and your family" type of situation!

  13. Mrs.Scientist

    cherry / 211 posts

    I am currently 28 weeks pregnant with LO#2, who will be 18 months younger than LO#1. We ideally wanted an 18-24 month age gap and it ended up happening immediately for us when we decided we'd start NTNP. Like @lawbee11 I am a full-time WOH mother with a pretty demanding career, but I guess I have a different perspective. For me I would rather get the years with all the illnesses out of the way as quick as possible earlier in my career rather than drawing it out over a longer period of time. I figure there will be a lot of times where both are sick at once (which will suck) and for times when one or both LOs are sick enough that they can't go to day care but not that sick (e.g. mystery fevers), we plan to have a handful of on-call babysitters (part-time staff of our day care) to come so neither DH or I have to take time off from work. As far as day care costs, it's going to suck having to pay for two at the same time, but we have been setting aside money specifically to help pay for the cost of LO#2 so it shouldn't be too much of a financial hit for us if we can continue setting aside at the same rate we are now.

    Since LO#2 hasn't arrived yet I don't know how I will feel about caring for two 18 months apart, but I figure no matter what the age gap there will be challenges and I'm mentally preparing for it to be hard. So far being pregnant with a 1 year old hasn't been bad and my second pregnancy has actually been easier thank my first, aside from the MS I had in the first trimester.

    I think it really is a matter of preferences and there is no right or wrong answer. It's just a matter of weighing your perceived pros and cons to different spacing options and doing what you think is best for you mentally and physically, as well as for your family.

  14. jedeve

    pomegranate / 3643 posts

    @dc yoga bee: I read that when I was pregnant with #2. (He was a surprise so I didn't choose the spacing.) and he did come early at 36 weeks. He has done really well though, so far! I did wean lo1 in the next few days after I read that. I think I "bounced back" but I've also been pregnant and/or nursing every day for over three years. I could use a break!

  15. raintreebee

    pear / 1531 posts

    In an ideal world, I would probably like a 3 year age gap so that the other one is more independent. But I am newly pregnant with #2, and they will be almost exactly 2 years apart. We felt we didn't have a choice to wait since I am 37 and plagued by fertility issues (it took me 2 years to get my first). I am so thrilled but also scared! I am a WOHM mom though so I won't be dealing with them 24/7.

  16. kristinleigh

    cherry / 178 posts

    We are probably going to start trying for #2 when our first LO turns 1.. just because it took 19 cycles to concieve and if that happens again, at least there won't be a huge age gap.. and if it does happen right away, then that's fine too! But LO #1 isn't even here yet sooo things could change, haha!

  17. andthewildones

    cherry / 180 posts

    @mrscobee: man, i might be the only one around here with two that will have an almost five year gap. nervous!

  18. photojane

    cantaloupe / 6164 posts

    I have no interest in an age gap less than 2.5 years. 3-4 years is ideal to me. My brother has 3 under 3 and it looks exhausting!

  19. raintreebee

    pear / 1531 posts

    @andthewildones: My brother and I are five years apart, and we've always been super close.

  20. lamariniere

    pineapple / 12566 posts

    @hilsy85: very similar. Mine are almost exactly 3 years apart. Initially I wanted to TTC LO2 earlier, for a 2-2.5 year gap, but it just wasn't the right timing. Ultimately, the 3 year gap has worked really well for us. The older LO was potty trained, in full time daycare and a bit less dependent than he would have been at 2. They are now 4yo and almost 18 months and they actually play together and seem to enjoy one another.

  21. andthewildones

    cherry / 180 posts

    @raintreebee: who is older? i'm so anxious to see the dynamic between these two.

  22. oliviaoblivia

    pineapple / 12793 posts

    My two are just under two years apart. It's been surprisingly easy. We'd like a big family and I'm 34 so we've got to get to it.
    My career and our bank account will take the hit for a few years but I figured in 25 years I'm not going to regret having a smaller savings account, but I would regret not having a large family.

  23. raintreebee

    pear / 1531 posts

    @andthewildones: My brother is older. Our oldest brother, who recently passed away, was two years older than him. They were never close, but I was always close to both of them. I couldn't have been closer to them really, despite the 5 and 7 year age gaps. The only thing that was tough was feeling a bit lonely in high school.

Reply

You must login / Register to post

© copyright 2011-2014 Hellobee