Dear Mumsnet please could we have a 'Larger Families' section?

Oh Neversaynever, I've just seen your post.

So sorry for your loss

Neversaynever, I'm sorry to hear about you friend.
What a shock

There are lots of virtual shoulders here if you need one......

Sorky, mine are all boys so ds2+3 get hand me down. Ds3 especially has tonnes of clothes as our nephew who is about 6 weeks ols passes him on to us too. Although they are so close in our age d3 is titchy so there still loads of life in left in them for him.

I NEVER buy stuff full price for the older Dsses, if I buy new stuff its always in the sale or on special offer.

It could easily cost a fortune but a bit of extra time (which can be difficult with so many children) mean they all look well turned out, IMO anyway.

Ds4 is the only one who gets new clothes regulary. He is our surprise bonus baby, We'd just moved house (and counties) and had given everything away - literally everything, clothes, buggies, toys, sterilser, we had nothing. I cried when the cot went. Little did we know within 4 months I be PG again so we had to start all over again. He does get (some) new full price clothes because sometimes I just find it too hard to resist....don't tell my Dh that though will you??

Does it cost a fortune in clothes for 4 or more or do you reuse to a certain point?

Dh thinks it's going to be either a fortune or they'll all look like tramps! there is very little middle ground with men is there?

What car are you getting Liaghen?

We're upgrading to some form of bus mpv later this year and I can't decide what to get.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

At the moment I've looked at but haven't driven the Volvo XC90, Chrysler GV, Ford Galaxy (which FIL who works for Ford would fix for next to nothing) or a Toyota Estima.

WOW

Fantastic news Justine, thank you. Having a large family really does have different issues sometimes, and it'll be nice to have somewhere to go straight away. Brill

Harman, do you fancy meeting up? I'm always up for a gossip and a coffee.

Peachy, who are you haveing as your Doula if you don't mind me asking? I'm just starting to get booked up for the middle and later in the year. Very exciting. I believe I have the best job in the world.

Am going Up North today to collect me new people carrier, it's only 7 seats though, so can't see it lasting for long, but it was dirt cheap so until number 6 comes along, it'll do nicely.

For those of you with more than 5, what car do you use? We are thinking, that the eldest rarely comes out with us so in a couple of years it won't be a n issue, but still, have to have a space for her i guess.

Have a good day everyone, not too much chocolate

neversaynever thats terrible.

could i join in pleeese ladies? i feel like im the only person i know in rl who has got more than 2 kids!

theres ds1 age 11, ds2 age 8, dd1 aged 3 and dd2 aged 2.

sorry to hear that neversaynever

Diva, dp came with us. Actually the kids had a whale of the time . it was the first time ds3 had been and he loved it, trying to swim and everything. The most amazing thing was that all the children were splashing about and LAUGHING together. i don't think that has ever happened before. Even dp enjoyed it!!

sorry to hear that NeverSayNever

Its great we are getting our own section, thanks Justine.

Had a bit of a blow this week, my best friend died, it was very sudden and I'm still trying to get my head round it

Will be back and posting in a few days.

kitty-i am of your swimming trip.i would love to take mine but cant supervise 3 non-swimmers by myself

if you are still broody you can have another when you meet your true love

LTH-my dh did something similar when we were planning dd3(his idea in the first place,even after i told him pregnancy turns me into a paranoid psychopath).i had my coil removed and the next day he announced he had changed his mind.i said he would have to keep away from me untill i got sorted then.he didnt quite manage it
he did want another really,but he was afraid i would blame him when i felt like shite,so his 'change of heart' had really been a way to shift responsibility.

good news

Yay!!

psychomum - me
paulayatesbiggestfan - who started this fab idea
peachy is very soon to join if bubba hurries up
LTH
neversaynever
padilia
tortoise
liaghen
evenhope
cargirl
suedonim
tickle
tiggywinkle
jes74
cupsoftea
marslady
snorris
cazbody
magnolia74
idobelieveinfairies
kitty
waggledancer
swedes
conniedescending
oliviaelanasmum
sorky (by the fact that she is trying for #4)
ceolas
slacker
ggglimp
lisalisa
tiredmumof4
lucewheel
pollyanna
stopfighting
duch y
harman
diva
bythesea
tooticky
maoui

and to add
Spidermama
137wallis
lljkk
zephrycat

43 of us so far

Amended list with me on it.

psychomum - me
paulayatesbiggestfan - who started this fab idea
peachy is very soon to join if bubba hurries up
LTH
neversaynever
padilia
tortoise
liaghen
evenhope
cargirl
suedonim
tickle
tiggywi nkle
jes74
cuosoftea
marslady
snorris
cazbody
magnolia74
idobelieveinfairies
kitty
waggleda ncer
swedes
conniedescending
oliviaelanasmum
sorky (by the fact that she is trying for #4)
ceolas
slacker
ggglimp
lisalisa
tiredmumof4
lucewheel
pollyanna
stopfighting
duch y
harman
diva
bythesea
tooticky
maoui
Spidermama *

psychomum - me
paulayatesbiggestfan - who started this fab idea
peachy is very soon to join if bubba hurries up
LTH
neversaynever
padilia
tortoise
liaghen
evenhope
cargirl
suedonim
tickle
tiggywinkle
jes74
cupsoftea
marslady
snorris
cazbody
magnolia74
idobelieveinfairies
kitty
waggledancer
swedes
conniedescending
oliviaelanasmum
sorky (by the fact that she is trying for #4)
ceolas
slacker
ggglimp
lisalisa
tiredmumof4
lucewheel
pollyanna
stopfighting
duch y
harman
diva
bythesea
tooticky
maoui

and to add

137wallis
lljkk
zephrycat

expanding rapidly, a bit like our families!!!!!

We took all 6 of them swimming this afternoon and there were no screaming fits at all, not even from dp .
Of course I was the one squashed into a cubicle with the 4 little ones. Don't know where dp and the oldest boys were

May I join too?!

We 'only' have 4 - which until I opened this thread felt like about 40!

Tiredmumov4 yours have the same age gaps as mine and are the same ages - how are you finding it??!

Mine are:

DD1: 6.3
DS: 3.9
DD2: 1.11
DD3: just coming up to 6 months

I have to admit I'm finding it an awful lot harder than I imagined we would!

Put me on list, too (4 dc)