whats your opinion...

[ElisaM]

On having your children close together (ie. 2 years apart), I'm torn on whether or not I should get pregnant again soon

TIA

[gracesmommy]

my first dd will be 3 at the end of august and my 2nd dd will be 1 on thanksgiving weekend. i kind of like it, in a year or so they'll be able to play together and keep each other busy and hopefully be really close. the only downfall i found having them close together was i was sooo sick with my 2nd pregnancy and there was no downtime whatsoever with a 1 1/2 year old. i worked part time and didn't have any family to help me out when i felt like just sleeping and vomitting hehe. if i were to get pregnant again, i'd like it to be when our 2nd is maybe 2 or so and a bit more independant.

[LizCabral]

I like it when kids are closer in age. They become best buds.

[ElisaM]

Thanks Ladies I'm so torn because I do but I had a difficult pregnancy with DS

[nothingfancy]

I got pregnant (surprise!) with DS2 when DS1 was 21 months, so they're 2.5 yrs apart. It was a planned pregnancy, the timing was just a little off. I did feel it is was important for me to have children close together because I wanted them to grow up together, share things, and be friends. However, now that we are considering another, I am really contemplating waiting until DS2 is in school at the very least. I'm a SAHM, so my hands are full. I never went back to work after our first, so I think that really helped with being able to deal with the aches and pains of pregnancy.

[GoJays]

mine are 18 months apart.. pros and cons to it, just like with everything. they're 5 and 7 now and they play together fairly well, but there is still a lot of bickering.. they want the same toys, the same cups, the same this, that and everything.. but on the other hand, they are very close and despite the fighting, they are there for each other

[KellyC]

Mine are 12 months and 2 weeks apart and I love it! It's like having twins!

[bargain_hunter_lola]

Mine are 2 years and 5 months apart and they were both planned.

I've always wanted my kids fairly close together. I knew if I was out of the baby stage for long, I wouldn't want to go back to it. lol. Does that make sense? I'm used to little sleep now, so whats another year or so.

There are pros & cons that's for sure. It really depends on you and your family.

Do you feel like you could handle being pregnant and taking care of a toddler (I know you wrote about a difficult pregnancy) at the same time? Do you have the support if you need it (like if you get sick etc)?

Or would you rather wait a bit until your current DS is a little more independant and could help out? Or do you think he's ready now? My DD is 2.5 and helps out by bringing me things or sitting and playing with the baby, etc. Somestimes I wish she was a bit older so that she would understand a bit more, so if we do have another baby we're planning on waiting until DS is at least 3.

Does your DS sleep through the night now? Would be a bit easy if he does.

HTH and good luck to you whatever you decide!

[poppleton]

I have three kids, and my oldest was just shy of three and a half when our youngest was born! We actually would have had them closer together, but my body didn't cooperate! We LOVE having them close in age! We're still in diaper mode, the kids can generally still be entertained by the same toys and activities, and they all adore each other! I was quite ill with my second and third pregnancies, and I honestly think it was easier to have toddlers while pregnant because they still napped so much throughout the day!

[ElisaM]

I think I'm going to go for it, if I'm not pregnant already. I'd love to have my kids to be close

[ccmp1974]

My DD's are 25mts apart and if anything I wish they were closer in age.Best of luck in your decision

[MrsSunshine]

mine are 12 months and one week apart.. but only cause my son was stubborn and due over by 2 weeks.
my youngest was a complete surprise.. and alot of work.. however for many years he and his brother were best friends...until they hit their teenage years.
now at just over 40 myself.. and with the so close in age and nearly adults.. im loving it. only a few more to go and they will both be gone

[Mrsb07]

My first and second are 3 years apart, second and third are 5 years apart so 8 years between first and last. I liked them spaced apart. Only 1 in diapers at a time and the others were old enough to know how to be with babies and to help. When I went back to work when the youngest was 7 her older sisters watched her after school til I got home from work. They're all close. They played together as kids and hang out now as young adults.

[Minou]

Just make sure you go back to work long enough to have benefits, especially if it happens that you need to go on maternity leave early. I've known people who have had problems with that.

[nadiabreckon]

I believe it's like anything, once you're ready for it, it will happen. Nobody can tell you when you're ready (or not ready) to have another child, it's a decision to make on your own with your partner.