How soon to start trying for a second child

[KatyS36]

Hi all,

I'm 36 and currently having a reasonably healthy pregnancy with my first child.

I know I want a second child, and because of my age would like to start trying sooner rather than later.

I realise you can't plan how quickly you will be fortunante enought to get pregnant, but I'm trying to get some idea about how soon I might like my second child, partially as I'm trying to pull together some career / financial plans vague ideas.

How soon after DC1 did you / would you start trying for DC2?

Thanks

[Maveta]

I am 31 and have one ds (2), all going to plan I would like to start trying at the end of the year. I couldn´t have done it sooner, for financial reasons as much as anything else.

[CarGirl]

I worked out what was the smallest age gap I could cope with and started trying then, I then fell pregnant straight away and had a 14 month age gap. It was hard work in the beginning but no regrets, small age gaps are great IMHO (I have large and average age gaps between other dc and the small one is def my favourite)

[TheNatty]

yup i have 13 months between my two, and there will be 26 between my youngest and my new baby which is due in 2 weeks.

i think the smaller gaps are better as babies dont cost alot in the first year, and as you know you are having another u keep everything so it costs less. if money is a worry, and cloth nappied and breast fed baby cost nothing for 6 months, and very little until a year

this third was planned but i didnt think i would be having a third and got rid of alot of my daughters stuff and have had to buy it all again!!

[nowwearefour]

i am convinced that for a lot of people if you start trying within the year you are much more likely to fall straight away. does not work for everyone clearly but it does for some. i recommend waiting at least 6 months then just letting nature take its course!! i started trying immediately after dd1s first birthdat and have a 21 month gap between my 2 dds!

[kmowell]

I think you are brave thinking about number 2 before you have number 1! My first is 19 months and i am due in 2 weeks, have found the last 2 months really hard, running around after a toddler in this heat!!Am hoping that things will work out ok when number 2 arrives, sure they will, am all in favour of narrow age gap, know it will be hard to begin with but think both will benefit in the long run...

[sazlocks]

as soon as I stopped breastfeeding and there will be exactly 24 months between mine. To be honest I wouldn't have felt up to it physically before my DS was 12 months but that's possibly because I had a ceasarian.
Good luck with number 1

[thaliablogs]

I was older than you when I had my daughter, and it had taken 3 years to have her, so i really didn't want to hang around. But I didn't ovulate while breastfeeding, so that ruled out the first 7 months. I spoke to my obstetrician and he said nature would like a 3-5 year gap so that your body can recover, but he understood most ppl don't tend to do that any more. He just requested that with a c-section in particular that we wait at least 12 months but preferably 24 between deliveries. It will be 21 months for us, and it has been hard being this pregnant and still being present for my daughter. Have yet to see how the gap works out! But don't rush into it. I have a strong sense that I'm missing out on some lovely time we could have had with my daughter before changing our lives forever!