To think I must be missing something?

[PumpkinPie2013]

Me and DH have one DS who is nearly 2.5 years. He is a very much wanted little boy who we adore. He's funny, cute and intelligent and brings us a lot of joy.

However, I had a horrendous birth experience which finished up with me having an emcs under GA and a double blood transfusion. DS was thankfully perfectly fine.

The first few weeks were tough as I was recovering from the cs and wasn't well. We both found the first 18 months hard as DS didn't sleep well at all.

Now, he eats well, sleeps well, is loads of fun and getting more independent. He loves attending nursery while we work and has lots of friends there. Finally, the last few months, things feel generally much easier.

However, many of our friends are now having second children and very much looking forward to it.

I on the other hand would rather stick pins in my own eyes than have another baby and go back to the sleepless nights, weaning, bottles etc. I would also have to have an elcs if I had more children and the thought of more major surgery doesn't appeal.

I'm also at a good point career wise now. People say 'it will be hard but so worth it', 'second children just fit in' and so on but I honestly don't feel it would be worth the stress to have another thankfully, my husband is happy either way so no.pressure there to have another one!

Am I missing something? I honestly feel a bit weird when I think it just wouldn't be worth the hard work another child would cause and I don't want to disrupt our life now it's getting easier.

Does / has anyone else feel like this? That no matter what, they just couldn't do it again? Or am I officially odd?

I think you just know when you've completed your family - for some people that's after one baby, some after more.

I had a tricky birth with DS1, and I distinctly remember being in hospital afterwards thinking "it's okay, I never have to do this again!" - but about 8 months later I started feeling like a second might not be such a bad idea, and DS2 was born 21 months after DS1.

Since then I have never, despite the arrival of several nieces and nephews and all the associated baby cuddles, felt the desire for another child. It's just lucky for me that my stopping point is at the social norm of two children - I'm sure all the people who want loads of children get just as many annoying and pointless comments as those who are happy to stick with one!

YANBU at all. Though these questions don't go away when you have 2 either. I've spent the last few weeks seeing family and they all ask if I'm having a third and question me loads when I said no firmly.

In the end I went 'because I'm about to have my insides lasered so its not going to be an option'. Shuts them up

YANBU, for every good reason there is to have a second thee is also a good reason not to, there is nothing wrong with your choice.

You're not missing anything, you have one wonderful child and he is all you need. Nothing wrong with wanting to have one child as opposed to two or more. What works for your family is the right thing. It might change, it might not, that doesn't matter right now.

If you don't want to go through the horrors of labour, feeding, weaning etc. then don't.
If you might like to have another child in your life, you could consider fostering?

You've never met a family with one child?

DD is 6. I love being a family of three. We're all happy and DP and I have time and energy to pursue our careers and other interests. I did imagine myself having more kids but it turns out it is a lot more work than I realised! DD is very happy with lots of friends and we arrange holidays with cousins.