When to TTC #2 ??

[luckiestgirlintheworld]

Hi ladies, just after some opinions.

My DS1 is 8 months and I'm wondering when to try for the next baby.

I've just come off the mini pill to give my body time to adjust before we really start trying in the new year. I'm pretty much EBF at the moment but plan to stop just before DS is 1 (when I can move to cows milk so don't have to bother with formula).
So we may not have much luck til the new year anyway if I'm BFing and I've only just come off the pill.

BUT I'm wondering if we should use protection for the next few months, or actually, would it be alright if we got pregnant now anyway?

We did want our kids close together (my DH is a lot older than me and so the younger he has his kids the better). But IF we got pregnant straight away it wouldn't be much of a gap between the two DC.

I suppose one question I'm asking is how difficult is it to have 2 DC that small?

Another main reason I'd like both DC quickly is I'm not brilliant with the broken sleep that comes with small kids. In my head, if we have them close together then I've only got maybe 2 more years of this rubbish sleep, whereas if we wait to conceive then I've got at least 3 more. Does that sound like a ridiculous reason?

Sorry if this is a dull thread- it's been helpful just writing it all down really.

Now I've started thinking about it, I'm all broody! But would it be crazy to try so soon?!

[littlecrumb]

Hi! I just wanted to say I am in the same boat but we have already decided to start TTC now, in fact currently in the 2ww! We have a 9 month old DS & like you I wanted mine close together in age. We don't want anymore after that.

We are lucky in that our DS has been sleeping 7-7 since he was 9 weeks old but I am trying to prepare myself that the second probably won't be as good a sleeper!

Only you can decide if it's the right time for you and if its what you want then go for it! My mother in law has made hints that having another one so close in age would be horrendous (she only had one child, my DH). She doesn't know we are currently TTC. Me and my DH don't care though a its a decision we have made as a couple and its what we want.

Sorry I have rambled on a lot!

[luckiestgirlintheworld]

Ooh good luck!

I think it will be hard having 2 so close in age, but I'm hoping only for a while, and then it will be easier. And there are lots of perks of having two so close together. Those perks just aren't in the first couple of years!

I hope your next is a good sleeper too- mine is teething at the moment so his sleeping through days are (temporarily?!) on hold. That's another thing- I hope I'm not making this decision in a sleep-deprived fug and I might regret it later

[sunshine7981]

I would go for it as soon as you feel ready. My ds was a terrible sleeper so am only now feeling ready for a second now he is 4 and at school. But I feel pretty sad that if I do conceive they will be far apart in age and we won't have the benefits of them playing together etc. also the idea of returning to the baby stage is pretty daunting after 4 years!

[crazyhead]

I have two sons with a 23 month gap (now 1 and 3) and know people with all sorts of gaps. There isn't a 'right' answer - what I would say is that in my experience, toddlers get a lot more reasonable at around 2 1/2 (a lot of toddlers talk well by then), so people with a smaller gap then 2 1/2 years have to accept that they'll have a baby and a difficult-to-reason-with baby/toddler at the same time, and it'll be pretty wild for a bit.

It is Ok though, and I take your point about the sleep. All in all, I like having my reasonably small gap.

[wanttobeamummyin2015]

You will manage! My DH is one of 6 and they are all close together (about 18m between him and the next sibling) and his mum was fine :) I have no experience re kids but tbh the lack of sleep etc will be short term - the kids close togwther in age will be long term so if you are ready I would say go for it :)