How many children did you decide to have?

[Aprilmum1]

How many children did you decide to have, and why?
Honestly curious how/why different people decide on number of kids to have (with the full understanding that unplanned kids happen, too!).

Wanted two. I'm an only and didn't love it. My husband has a brother and likes having a sibling.

Mother Nature had other ideas. It took us 2xiui and 4xivf to have one so she has ended up as an only.

Two's enough for us! I sometimes get a little broody for a third but I know in reality I'd find it very difficult. Two is perfect.

Wanted 3.

Had 3 planned and then a lovely little surprise.

I would probably have more but my bank balance tells me it's time to stop

Wanted at least three, preferably four.

Got five pgs to 2nd trimester
Then three to third
Lost count of 1st trimester losses.

Managed two with lots of heartbreak on the way. my one regret in life is that I didn't have the courage to go for a third or face another potential loss DC are both early 20s now and I still regret it looking back.

We never did fill our big family house with children

Two

Have two

Love them dearly but wouldn’t want more

We planned 3. Had Dd, the Ds and decided no more. Ds was such a hard baby that I was broken. He's a lovely teen though.

One so far. Thinking about trying for number 2 soon-ish. I would like 3 or 4 but DH wants 3 so we’ll see!!

Lucky enough to have four

I wanted three originally DH wanted four, DD3 was such a dream angel baby I relented and we had a fourth. I find pregnancy horrendous with SPD but labour bearable and the newborn stage fine as I’ve always coslept and BF on demand to get maximum sleep. All were easy babies. Now some are teenagers .......

I always wanted 3. Dd1 was unplanned. It took many years to get life in the right place for Dd2 to come along - just the 18 year age gap!! Tried for another but we have secondary infertility so wasnt to be. I adore babies and still feel sad sometimes that dc3 never turned up but life is good otherwise so can't really complain.

I planned three, I was always going to have three.
As an only child I was never going to have an only, and I wanted a larhe (ish) family.
Whilst breastfeeding 6 mo third child I conceived number four, a huge shock as you can imagine, I felt as if I was pregnant or BF for all of eternity but I was pleased to have two boys and two girls and was definitely done.
Number five, three and a half years after number four was a ln unexpected contraception failure.
I've since been sterilised, I can't afford another one.
I'm happy with my five, its hard work but we are fortunate to live in the north with amazing extended family support and we can afford my DH to be at home until the baby goes to school, even then he only needs to resume part time as I'm the main earner.
I absolutely love experiencing the love between my children, they are a little team and adore one another. My eldest is fourteen and told me he 'would die for his siblings' and that made me sad to never have experienced a sibling bond/relationship/love.

Wanted two and am lucky enough to have two. Grew up as an only and didn't like it, I always wanted a sibling. I had a miscarriage between DD1 and DD2 and I waited the minimum amount of time to try again.
I hate it even more in the last two decades as EVERYTHING starts and ends with me and sometimes I just wish there was someone to share the load. Also one day my parents will be gone and there will be no-one who remembers growing up in our house or the shared childhood memories that I see my friends share with their siblings.
Once they placed DD2 in my arms I had an immense feeling of completion. 15 years on, seeing them together that never goes away.

Zero I have three two were contraceptive failure (different dads) number three is a nasty story for my therapist to hear should I choose

@Crushedvelvetcouch - that is lovely - and I do relate to the last line so much.

Have 1 already, due to give birth to the second any day now and I already know that I’m finished.

It helps that we have one girl, one boy. But I definitely feel done.
If money was absolutely no object I may have considered one more but I think even then I would have been happy with just the two

We wanted 2.
Maybe not as close together as they happened, but we planned to have 2.

I’m now pregnant with a surprise number 3

1. If I was younger, might have gone for 4, but happy with 3. (Originally wanted 2 .. but they were so lovely we had a third.)

PiggyPokkyFool he told me that on sunday just gone and I just said 'Wow! You love them that much?" He laughed and said 'Of course, they're my brothers and sisters I'd do anything for them'
I think, as an only it never occured to me that sibling love ran so deep, especially in a moody, hormonal 14 yo boy!
It floored me if I'm honest. As an only it just didn't seem reasonable but I'm so happy that they have each other in what can be a lonely old world. Like you, I feel so very responsible for my widowed mum and when she's gone nobody remembers my childhood which is sad.

Wanted six and got eight. Last pregnancy turned out to be twins, and then I adopted my wonderful wonderful DS2 when my friend passed away. I absolutely loved having them and it’s great when they come home. I can’t imagine only having one- my lot did entertain each other a lot which helped, and we live rurally.

I always wanted 3. I am thr middle child with a brother a year older and one a year younger than me, and I loved it.

My DH had a 2yo when we met, and when we TTV a few years later we found out he couldn't have any more, so we have adopted one child. He is perfect and crazy and a whirlwind and I love him so so much but omg I am never having (adopting) any more. I thought I knew what I was getting myself into as we had DSS so often. I was WRONG it is so hard. Worthwhile of course but never again.

I planned to have two. Had one, then got pregnant with twins so ended up with three. I absolutely adore them of course, but I know that had I just had a single baby second time, I wouldn't have wanted a third.

I had my second daughter 3 months ago, my eldest is 2.5.

no more children for me! I can't hear my self think!

I def wanted one and once I had that one I then wanted another one as didn't want the one to be an only child.
I'm satisfied with 2 and have felt it was the right choice.
I could have seen myself with 4 if I had met a man that loved children as much as I do and supported me.

I wanted three, I had one. Secondary infertility, mind you I don't regret it now.

I wanted none until early 30's then desperately wanted children. Secretly wanted 2 girls and I got 2 girls.

I couldn't cope financially or emotionally with anymore than 2.

I had three but my first two were twins. If they hadn’t I probably would have stopped at two.

I didn’t have a set number - in fact, until I was consumed with the idea of having a baby I hadn’t really thought about it at all.