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Another baby means another child tax credit.

I have two right now and like you am thinking of a third and maybe even fourth. We've always said we'd take a wait and see approach to family size and all the pros and the cons in the world don't matter to me if we don't feel "done." Right now our family doesn't feel complete so we will try for a third although not for a few years.

If your husband is on board and finances aren't an issue I think you just have to do what your heart is telling you. It sounds so cliche but I think for me it's been totally true.

Only thing I've ever heard is that 3 is tough because
1) if you are the only parent with them, you only have 2 arms to hold onto kids. So if they are all little, it can be tough wrangling them.
2) Also, only 2 adults, so tough if each of you need to take one--one kid is left out.
3) also heard that sometimes 2 kids can gang up on the 3rd.

But this is all stuff I've heard, so no first hand experience.

If there is no cap, you can look at it as an extra $17,000 added to your income over the next 17 years from the credit. I know kids are expensive, but that does help offset the costs slightly.

Pregnant with #2 and we are in the "let's reassess after 2" camp.

If #2 is as "easy" as ds was on us, we'll likely try for #3 when #2 is 1.

We both want a big family, but am also happy with the family of four idea since so much of life is easily caterered to that common family size.

@Skadi: if you qualify.. We don't get credit regardless.. You have to make less than $130k to qualify

We have one (she is almost 2), are going to start TTC sometime this year, and I am pretty sure I want a 3rd. We are casually looking at real estate and its definitely harder to find a 4-bedroom house than a 3-bedroom!

We will probably try to have a two or 2.5 year gap between our second and our third, just to minimize the amount of time I am out of the workforce/working part time. Our daughter will likely be 3 when number 2 is born, which has worked well for us now, but I'd rather have the next two closer together.

Everyone has a different financial strategy to life, but we have both agreed that finances (short of not being able to provide a good quality of life) won't stop us from having a 3rd. Its impossible to predict what the future holds, and we are privileged enough that having a third won't mean we can't afford summer camp or sneakers or family trips.

We will have to get a bigger car, which honestly is the biggest drawback in my mind. I haaaate big cars. I will try to find the most compact car with 3rd row seating that I can. Do they still make those volvo wagons with the rear facing bench seat in the back?

We are considering it. DH is more open to it than I am. My concerns are:

1) Immediate lifestyle finances - how to afford daycare, sports, summer camps, etc. Could we still afford to eat out? I feel pinched already with 2. Maybe in 2 years with them out of daycare and our careers further it would change?

2) Long term finances - Affording vacations. with 2 we could consider a cruise or big trip out west, etc. With 3, we would be looking at much smaller scale get aways. And then things like what is the hit on our retirement, college savings, etc.

3) Emotional - What impact does it have on our marriage? Do we have enough time to devote to more than 2 kids and work full time?