To Feel completely done at 2 kids

I'm not maternal, didn't like the baby stage! No one really seriously thinks you should have any number kids, never mind 3.

Normal!

Listen to your body/ heart/ hear/ git instinct. You're all done with two and that's great!

Are your children the same sex op?

I got constantly asked if I was having a third after my 2 girls, I did and he was a boy so now everyone knows im.done 🤣

Honestly, why would you want more? Two seems perfect to me. I did not enjoy the baby stage at all, so I can totally understand not wanting to do that again. Having more than two seems like overkill to me. (Just my opinion.)

I'm the same! And we struggled for years to have children. We have two. They're 3.5 and 12 months and we are done! And it just feels right. I don't have the desire anymore like I did before ds1 or after ds1. Ds2 came along and it was always a content feeling... Family complete

I’m totally one and done. Each to their own. Absolutely no interest in having a second, I was fairly ambivalent about the newborn & baby stage, and I have adored the 12 months onward stage.

I do get teary when I watch Call the Midwife but I wouldn’t voluntarily have my own birth experiences again. I was basically terrified for nine months. From about three months on was perfect for me.

I was done after one! Love him to bits and am so lucky to have him but I couldn’t do the baby bit again.

Totally understandable. I feel the same. I'm a single parent of 2 and I know I am at capacity. It's normal.

Why do you feel you should have more than 2? 2 is ideal, one kid per parent and you’re only sustaining the population size, not adding to it. Who cares what your friend says.

You are being unreasonable op

you should want to have another one

If you don't want another one, don't have one. Nothing wrong with that! The world's got quite enough people in it, as it is!

Plenty of people stop at 2 (or 1) kids you are definitely not unreasonable to feel how you feel.

I look at babies and say "awww would love another baby" what i actually mean is new babies are lovely and I remember that stage of my life fondly not actually contemplating another.

You have 2 healthy, happy kids who are probably approaching a nicer age where you can enjoy them. You are totally normal. Keep that coil where it is!

Most people I know never want more than two, some even no more than one. I’m a complete weirdo for wanting a third apparently! So I think it’s just who you mix with.

Also my second baby is waaaay easier than my first so maybe that’s why.

Wanting any number of children isn’t abnormal really. I’m very much one and done. I know a woman whose third DC is just coming up to 2yo and she’s desperate for a fourth! Horses for courses really.

I feel like I get a lot of judgement for being one and done, but realistically I probably don’t. I just feel a little guilty about it, like I’m not maternal, like I’m depriving DC of a sibling but those are my issues and I’m fairly sure no one else gives much of a shiny shit. This probably applies to you too.

I would have thought 2 kids was the most common choice of all to make of those choosing to have kids, esp if you factor in that some people have 0.

They do say 1 child if any is better for the planet and a more responsible choice (I have 2 so not judging!) so I wouldn’t think you are wrong to not want more.

I’ve stopped at 2 for a range of reasons. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.

The country’s gone a bit haywire financially, I had a near fatal health condition caused by pregnancy a few weeks after having our 2nd, had 2 lovely pain relief and intervention free births that I wouldn’t like to ‘tempt fate’ (yes, I’m slightly weird ha) that I might not get the same again and as much as we adore and give them everything we can, we do just want to be able to get some of our life back in the future rather than being back to square 1 again.

I have a 5 year old and I am 32 weeks with my second. He will my last, I have always said I wanted 2 and at 36 I feel my age is going against me now anyway lol

I was done at one, and would have been happy with none. About half my friends have chosen to be child free, others have a range from 1-4. Who cares what other people think? Especially with such a personal decision.

It's completely normal. The vast majority of people stop at two or one children. Kids are great but extremely hard work and cause loads of worry. Most of us agree with you!

Everyone I know has one or two. It’s normal around here. Maybe because where we live is expensive but most people have averagely paying jobs with no nannies etc.

I wanted three (because hormones) but for various reasons stuck with two. I am glad now. I hate the idea that families are somehow not ‘complete’ until there are three or more. It’s not really practical for most people and it’s a lot of work and mental load, mostly for women. Also I am one of three and it’s not always the ‘chaotic gang large family gathering’ bed of roses parents of three like to make it out to be.

I think many people articulate the feeling badly-
I’d love to rewind time and experience my children as babies again, no way in hell do I want to raise more children. I love the 2 child balance, I have a friend who has 3 but considers that a small number, I just think her life looks utterly chaotic and isn’t for me, we’re all different.

I have three. I'm not and wasn't a big fan of babies - I loved them but the scale of effort is phenomenal and, for me, they are a means to an end. Once they are past that first year stage, I'm in my element and even the teen years are a breeze in comparison - although mine are a particularly nice bunch. And I never sat on the couch and watched them trash the house either 🤣

But of course it is fine to stick to two - most people don't have a third for a multitude of reasons and then tell you it is because they are saving the planet