To be worried about the small age gap...

[KeepOnKeepingOnAndOnAndOnAndOn]

Dd is going to be 18 months when the next dc arrives (in around 7 months).

Most people i hve told I am pregnant are shocked and seem to think me mad (planned pregnancy)

I obviously know it is going to be bloody hard, I am no fool- but I would rather get all the madness out the way in one big go!

AIBU to worry that it is gonna be even harder than I anticipate? Eeeek!

I'm just doing that now. 22m DD and 3.5m DS. It's hard work but not twice as hard as having one. Although DD was quite a hard work baby and DS is a bit more civilised.

It will be fine. I have a 17 month gap between my girls who are 4 and 5 now and I have it so much easier than friends with bigger age gaps as they are into the same things, play together brilliantly and go to the same activities together. It was a bit hairy for a while when we moved to a new area where we knew no one when they were both under two but we survived and it all worked out well in the end!

Yes double buggy is a must. DD is a pretty good walker but at times you just have to strap them down.

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou! This positive feedback is really helping :)

Forgot to add thst dd2 was a c section which scared me witless as I really thought would be incapacitated for ages but it was all fine and would recommend small age gap to anyone

18 months between my DS and DD.
Slightly tough to begin with but now I love the age gap ( they are 13 and nearly 12 ).
Planning days out is great cos they enjoy some of the same things and are able to appreciate a similar level of independence.
I'm a twin and there are triplets in my family as well - now that would have been tough !

I honestly seriously do insist you buy another cot and double pushchair.

If your eldest one sleeps well now, do NOT risk it by moving them out of their current cot etc.!

Double pushchair - yep it's for those times you need them both strapped in, sometimes that is necessary just to leave the house in time...

Find local groups etc. that you can walk to, strapping 2 in and out of the car when needing a pushchair as well is a complete pain in the arse!!!

18 month age gap here. I was dreading it, but found it much easier than I was expecting. The baby slept a lot initially, which meant there was still lots of time to play with my DS. I also perfected bf whilst sitting on the floor, so that I could carry on playing with my older child. I found it all much easier with my second one, because I'd done it all before and you have no choice but to get on with it. My DCs are now 3 and 4 and play together well most of the time and because they are close in age they enjoy the same things. It was hard work to start off with, but I wouldn't change the age gap if I could do it again.

16 months between our first then twins. Its perfectly fine. They are all lovely great children. We know no different. They get on well most of the time and need always have someone to play/fight with. I look at people with one and I honestly think they have it harder.

We're expecting twins...and not worrying :)

23 months (almost) between ds1 and dd, then 15 months between her and ds2.

it depends on the dcs really, dd and ds2 together are much easier than ds1 (for now!)

My DCs were 20 months apart and it was a frigging nightmare. And I can promise you that I don't 'live to terrify' anybody. Neither do I 'like to moan' as craicwhore so charmingly put it. Maybe I found it so difficult because I felt isolated, had zero family support and a difficult toddler - she was a lovely baby though, hence me thinking "Ah, two will be a breeze...".

However, fast forward 5 years, they love playing together and I'm pleased we had them close together. And I haven't needed Prozac for ages.

I have a 19 month age gap between my two (and only 1 school year apart - January and August birthdays). I wouldn't have planned it that way but it took a long time to get pregnant the first time round and we assumed it would take a long time again! I would say it was quite hard when they were both very little - 2 kids in nappies who cannot really tell you what they need is not fun, but by the time they were about 4 and 3 they made really good companions for each other and mostly have done ever since, which meant they needed less entertaining by us! I have known lots of people with much smaller gaps than 18 months who seem to be getting along pretty well, so don't let anyone try to scare you.

My first 2 are 16 months apart, it was hard work at times but not a nightmare, just tiring. But I guess you get that with any 2 children! After the first couple of months it was fine, they grew up so close and even now, 23 years later are the best of friends, you'll be fine OP
By the way, 8 years later we did it all again, so couldn't have been that bad!

I was similar to 4littleones. One Dc nearly three, then two 18 months apart, then another 21 months later, with the four 6 years apart altogether.

The two 18 months apart were absolutely great together when they were little. The older one looked out for the younger one and loved his little brother to bits.

I would make sure you've a double buggy though. I honestly thought I wouldn't need one till about a fortnight before he was due...

20 month gap here, dd is only 4 weeks old but all seems ok so far. :)

I had a 20 month gap and we all enjoyed two hour naps every afternoon which probably wouldn't have happened with a bigger gap. If you're really lucky like me you can organise it like I did.

We also had no jealousy unlike friends with 2.5 year gaps.

They loved fighting playing together from the baby being about one so it's made activities together easier.

18 month gap here.

It was fine.I don't really get why people say thats any harder than a 24 month gap, or a 30 month gap.

Twins and then daughter 18mths later .... Ok, it was 18yrs ago but it was amazing. Congratulations, small age gaps are fab x

Oh just remembered we used the playpen a lot as well for the baby. Popped her in there so the older one couldn't hurt her, not that she was ever malicious tbf.

For the last 3 months of my pregnancy dh did everything for the older one when he was home, partly due to my chronic spd, partly because I was heavily pregnant in the hideous heatwave. It paid off though, the older one expected dh to do everything for her and wasn't bothered that I was occupied with this new baby.

13 months between my ds. ..first year was a bit hard but not as bad as I had worried it would be. Pros. . Days out easy as they wanted same things to do, always had each other to play with. People thought they were twins.And you're in the groove..easier than having a break

I had three in 3.5 years-all now late teens ,early twenties. Of course it was hard work but they are such good friends. We had a brilliant time doing things together. The hardest part is the rapidly emptying nest!

op - feel free to message me if you want to chat more

Just Over a year between my two. Better than a big gap for me as I could have the 2 hour nap ( don't do housework just sleep/ lie down and chill in that time was my golden rule ).

They both went to sleep early ish and were and are very close and very sweet. I wouldn't have it any other way tbh. Looking back, when pg and in early years there were always a lot of people who seemed to want to scare or worry me about having two very young babies. I don't know why. But it was the best of all worlds- tiring but it would be anyway. Actually I found having the second baby plus toddler easier than having just the first because I was so confused and didn't know what to do the first time round! Congratulations - what wonderful times you have ahead. Enjoy.