When did you know you were done having kids?

[Illprobsregretthis]

Especially if you made the decision to stop at 2, how did you know you were 100% done?! Just looking for experiences of when you knew for sure.

I always wanted and saw myself with 3. Dh was ok with 2 but here we are with 3 and that's plenty. Our house is full!

I was on the fence about DC2, and it turned out to be twins. I was D-O-N-E done.

When my pelvic floor became a pelvic basement after 4 DC.

The moment DC2 was born. A deep peace descended and I knew that was it. It never wavered and I never questioned it.

The minute I had DC3 :)

When I ran out of hands to corale children 😂

I didn’t but my marriage broke up. If that hadn’t happened I’d have liked to have two more. I have two.

When I thought I was expecting DC3 and I was not at all thrilled.

DH and I were in total agreement that it was a terrible idea. As it happened, the pg didn't stick and we were relieved and grateful to stick with our 2 beautiful DDs.
(Close friend had a scare and realised she DID want a third which she now has.)

Quite soon after giving birth to my one and only.

I knew before I had my second. Childcare was just so eyewateringly expensive that I couldn't afford two in it at the same time, and a third child would have meant bigger car, bigger house etc. In an ideal world I'd have had 3, but we'd have had to be earning megabucks for that to be affordable. Now with oldest off to uni next year I'm glad as we'll only have to go back to living with no frills for 6 years tiops while our two go there, assuming they both do.

I think you just know. When the last child is born you just know
That’s if it’s a decision you make not for any other reasons why there won’t be another child

I had my first at 22, second at 33 and last at 40. I have I incredibly shit pregancies, HG and all the complications going.

After my first, I knew I would like another but I was so young, I had years stretched out in front of me so I wasn’t in a rush.

After the second, I thought I was done, but then I got to 39 and it was just hormones basically, I went from not wanting another baby to actively trying in the space of two weeks and pregnant the first month as usual (dh doesn’t care, it’s my body that goes though it all, so it’s always been up to me).

My 3rd was sent to try me though and I’m knackered by her, she’s still the worst one at age 5 😆 if she’d been my first, she would have been an only child.

I am 45 now anyway, so too old and I’m not putting my body through another shitty 9 months of constant pain, worry, hospital stays, continuous vomiting and a fourth c section.

When I knew I couldn’t do another round of sleepless nights! The gap between my 2 is 6 years so I kind of felt like I went back to the beginning when I just started to get my life back. Wouldn’t change him for the world but my 2nd is a real livewire, drives me around the bend some days so I couldn’t take the chance I could get another like him! Put me off for life🤣

After having DD. She has an older brother. I knew I was done at this point. Mid thirties. Done with expensive childcare, and also just realising that we have barely any family help, all our help is paid for. I love my children beyond measure but I’ve found the young years tough.
If we had loads of money and a lot of help, like a nanny, I might have a third but in this lifetime 2 is good for me!

When I was leaving the maternity ward with my first and last child. I gave away his pram and Moses basket etc as soon as we didn’t need it any more and only felt relief. My friends thought I would change my mind but I never have and luckily DH feels the same. I’m so glad I’m a mum and I know how many kids I can handle (1).

I haven’t.
i had 2. I wish I’d had 2 or even 3. I would have loved a big family, but I was quite old getting started.

We wanted 3, but i was really ill with dc 2 and they were born premature, i chose to be sterilised because I was definitely finished having babies.

I don't feel done. I'm just single and 44 so baby number 3 won't be happening

I knew I wanted 3 (which I realise is a risky thing as of course there are no guarantees.) I was fortunate to fall pregnant quite quickly, in fact dc 3 took 6 months which was the longest. We’d actually discussed what to do if we had real difficulty this time and agreed that if the age gap between eldest and youngest would be 5 or more years, we’d stop trying and stick with two children. As it turned out, dc 1 was 4 years and a month and dc 2 was 2 and a half when dc 3 was born, and it was wonderful bringing them up as a little gang! Once dc 3 popped out I never had a hankering to have another. I think it probably helped that I always worked (childcare was eye watering) but I knew I had a life of my own as well as being a mum which perhaps makes it easier to know when it’s enough.

When my third was born severely disabled.

When dd came along and I just felt like she was so perfect and all I really needed in life.

I have 3 dc, aged 5 and under. Would love another but realistically not a good idea.

but don’t feel like I’m 100% done. Like I would not say I’m 3 and finished. I’m happy but not like peacefully completely. I still feel pangs when I see pregnant people and newborns.

I have two and I’m DONE. Second is 6 months and I know I’m done because the idea of another makes me want to run away.
ETA… Genuinely run away!

As soon as I saw the positive pregnancy test for dc3 I knew that 3 was my limit and this would be my last pregnancy.

I was quite fearful that I wouldn’t have enough time to be a good parent to 3 but actually 3 has been perfect. Definitely couldn’t parent more than 3 to the standard I want to (time, emotional resilience, educational support) and still have a life of my own and time to nurture my relationship.

Youngest is now 5. Never wavered and nor did dh. My house and hands are full.

I didn’t want more than two but DC2 and I both suffered unrelated life threatening medical emergencies in the lead up to his birth and after and I couldn’t go through that again.

I have boys, so whenever anyone asks me if I’m ’going to keep trying for a girl’ telling them I don’t think I’d survive it stops any talk of that!