How many children do you have/plan on having?

[Tadda]

I'm currently expecting No 4 - and just noticing that seems about the norm now?

Had a conversation the other day about 'used to be everyone wanted two, a boy and a girl'...how many is now classed as 'too many'??

I’ve got 4...1 or 3 seem to be the norm where I live (not in the U.K.)...4 doesn’t seem as rare as it used to be.

However my friends in the U.K. all have 2...a few have 1.

Four children is most definitely not the norm. Why do you think that?

not the norm with the people I know - 2 or 3 quite usual, a few with 1. Don't know anyone with 4 children (or who's planning to have 4).

I have one. Would like to have one more. I may have thought about another after that but we also have DSD so we'd have a family of 3 without me having to put my body through pregnancy a third time!

A maximum of 2. It's socially irresponsible to have more than that.

@former as PP said really, it just doesn't seem as rare as it used to be - and also noticed a lot on pregnancy chat expecting No 3, 4, 5... what would you say the 'norm' is then? Maybe it's different in different areas?

I have 4
I can think of 5 other 4 children families at our school just off the top of my head
I think 4 definitely isn’t as unusual as it used to be

I'd say 2 is the norm. Looking at the families near me and at my dcs school, most parents have 2...very few have four.

I have one and don't want any more which seems to be pretty unusual. I don't know anyone else who has just one through choice.

Loads with 4 in our class and we're in an affluent area! These are barristers and GPs etc. Although GPs find it easier to get into locum work around the kids.

I have 2 I would want more but I have obstetric cholestasis in pregnancy and GD. Plus I've had 2 sections already. I would love a third. Really love a third

between 2-3 certainly seems the norm where I am in East Anglia based from nursery, friends and family.

We would love at least 3. DH has said if suddenly won enough money to clear our mortgage then he would want more than 3.

Ideally we have always said we would like 2 close together, bit of a gap then another 2. But think it will be 3 close together now

None for me. Among virtually everybody I know, people either have/are planning no children; or have/are planning a larger family of three or more. I don’t know anybody who has one or two who is planning on stopping there.

Sample based on London-dwelling well-off professionals, for demographics.

Four is unusual. While it will vary from area, 1.9 is the national average and there's an ongoing downward trend.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42110846

I think it’s often only those who are very wealthy or who are struggling seem to have a load of children.

We wanted to have 2. Baby number 2 was twins so now we have 3

Have one. Would like three but can probably only afford two 😭

I think it’s often only those who are very wealthy or who are struggling seem to have a load of children

I agree.

1.9 is the national average and there's an ongoing downward trend.

Being child-free is a far more common decision nowadays though (9% of women born in 1946; 17% of women born in 1970; estimate of upwards of 22% for women born in 1985) which will affect the stats by pulling the average down.

I'm pregnant with no.4. I wasn't aware of that many families with 4, until now, and now it seems like everyone I meet has/is one of/ is related to someone who has 4 or more. So maybe I just didn't notice before.

We have 3 and are expecting number 4 in 3 weeks.

@ComtesseDeSpair well yes, but 'none' is still an answer to 'How many children do you have/plan on having?'

I have one toddler and another baby on the way. This will almost definitely be our last.

Almost everyone I know has or wants 2. My Friend has 3 (eldest is a teenager then two very young ones with 15m age gap and hasn't ruled out the idea of a 4th). Average around here is 2.

I have 5 children. Personally I found having just one really hard going (first one). Every thought, every word directed at me, bless her. Once number 2 arrived, far far easier. Number 3 simply slotted in, as did number 4 and number 5. I prefer dc once they get to 2 and from then on. For me, babies although really gorgeous, it’s just like hard labor! .

None. Would maybe like 1 in the future but still undecided so unless I become certain of my feelings then I won’t be having any. If I was incredibly wealthy then i’d Still only want 1. Maybe 2 at a push but never anymore than that

I would like at least one. Maximum four (ambitious).