Tell me about having 3 children

[Laurah1979]

So after years of disagreement my DH has finally agreed we can try for another baby. We have two DC 4 and 2. As well as being very happy, I'm now getting nervous about having 3 children! Would love to hear your experiences of coping with 3...and any tips gratefully received.

[Changedup]

Ooh, watching with interest. I'm in the same position with2 dc the same age as yours.

[umiaisha]

I've got 3. Found the transition from 2 to 3 far easier than 1 to 2.

My only advice is make life easy for your self (quick dinners, ready made formula and the like) and get a good routine going from day one.

[LikeASoulWithoutAMind]

It's brilliant

[PacificDogwod]

Well, deciding to go for No3 led to No4 - I could not cope with the idea of an odd number of children

It's fine.
Being realistic of what is and is not achievable aka lowering one's standards is crucial though IME.

[Katarzyna79]

I remember hearing on 15 kids and counting. one of the mums said it was hard going from 1-2 kids, but going from 2-3-15 was easy lool. I agree with her except the part about going up to 15 ROFL

the hardship is the newborn and sleepless nights and juggling that with older kids feeding times. putting babies on solid foods is a pita too then potty training I'm not trying to put u off lool I'm just scared myself I'm due no.5 soon. I'm avidly following the sterilisation thread ;)

[NotSoFancyPancy]

Im only 2 months in but no regrets. Similar ages to yours op and the older two entertain each other quite well. Dc3 is a very chilled little man so far. Family feels college now.

[BackforGood]

I have had 3, for 14 years
It's great. when they fall out with one, they turn to a different one.
When one goes on camp with cubs or round to play at a mates house, they can play with another one.
I found 0 - 1 fairly traumatic. 1 to 2, was MUCH easier IME, and 2-3 - hardly noticed her.
In some ways I enjoy her a lot more - I'm more relaxed and realised things I angst'd about with pfb really don't matter in the long run.

[Laurah1979]

Thanks for all the replies. Great to hear so many positives!

[Dellarobia]

Sorry OP, for me going from 2-3 was much harder than 1-2. Mainly because DC2 was a great sleeper and a very chilled out baby, while DC3 was the opposite! It's much easier now DC3 is 6 though

[BackforGood]

Dellarobia - I think that's spot on - SO much depends on the personality of the baby hence how hard I found 0 - 1

If poss you might want to avoid having them all 2 school years apart - it gets very traumatic during GCSEs and A-levels, and you get a series of Summers where it's nigh on impossible to book holidays around all the dates you have to be home for exam results.....

[BlackberryandNettle]

Watching with interest as also think I'd like three. Anyone from a family of three growing up with any insights? My youngest is still a baby and oldest only just two but am wondering if a third quickly is better or after a larger gap. Congrats on trying Laurah

[FattyNinjaOwl]

I have a 7 year old, a 2 year old and a 7 month old (19 months between youngest 2)
It's not as difficult as I thought it would be.
Although I do spend half of the day telling the 2 year old not to sit on the baby.

[FattyNinjaOwl]

so no 3 is happily weaned onto smarties and chips

DC3s first taste of food was samosa that his sister shoved in his mouth

[SweepTheHalls]

DC 3 is 2 months old and it feels like she completes us . The DS's are more settled and she has just slotted in. It helps that she is currently extremely well behaved!

[TheBakeryQueen]

Maryz
So true!

One of the nicest things about having a third, for me (unplanned), was that it brought out a nurturing side in my eldest that I hadn't seen before. It was just lovely to see.

[tkband3]

I went from 1 DC to 3 DC, courtesy of having twins second time round and the first couple of years was pretty hellish!! But then, DD1 was ill for most of the first year (suffering symptoms of undiagnosed coeliac), we moved house and the DTs were terrible sleepers.

Now it's great...they get on well (most of the time) and have similar interests. The next few years will be fun, when they're all hormonal (and I'm likely to be menopausal too), but hopefully we'll emerge intact and sane .

However, holidays are expensive - in fact doing anything as a family is expensive, as the 'family' tickets are always for 4. We had to get a new car (and then another one a year later because, in our twin-baby fog, we didn't measure up properly for stage 2 carseats). And our food bills are huge and only getting bigger - all three are coeliac so that has something to do with it, but it doesn't account for the amount of fruit, veg and biscuits we get through!!

To be honest, I doubt I'd have had three, if fate hadn't intervened, but I can't imagine life any other way now .

[Pollyputhtekettleon]

I have three and my eldest just turned 3 so all close I'm age:) it's mental right now but I know that will pass. The baby is a really shit sleeper un fortunately, I'm up an average 10 times a night. But it doesn't bother me like it did on pfb! #2 was and is an amazing sleeper so it a bit of a shock to have a clingy, miserable non sleeper this time.

They're adorable when the all sit together though. So cute.