To ask when's the soonest after having a baby you'd have another?

[PennyBBT]

My friend says 18 months old is when you should start trying again. Some say more years and some say soon as possible! Obviously it's totally personal opinion but how soon have you had another baby/would want to? X

My eldest was 4 when my 3rd was born: my 2nd was 2. So it was 4,2 and 6. I then had a 4th 7 years later. It's whatever feels right to you.

Mine are 25 months apart, I got pregnant when DC1 was 17 months. I’m in the thick of it now - the baby is one month old- but we’re surviving. There is jealousy though, my older one wants more of my attention and acts out to get it.

I think the ideal is 5 so that when one stars school you can focus on the next one.

DS1 and DS2 are 2 years apart less 3 weeks. It's been great but I am very aware that next summer I will have A levels a GCSEs going on simultaneously in my house . Otherwise I think it's a good age gap for them. DS3 is 5 years younger; lovely for me to have a 'baby' but he hasn't had someone to play with automatically and gets a lot of stick now from his teen brothers. I am also 4.5 yrs younger than my next sibling and tbh it's taken a long time for me to throw off the feeling that I'm not as much of a grown up as them ... I'm nearly 50 ...

Fell pregnant when dc2 was 9 months. Turned out to be twins, so three dc’s Under 2! And dc2 did regress and I feel he missed out on having his being the only baby time.

I thought we would go for about a 3 year age gap, have 1 at nursery when other was new born/I was pregnant.

Didn't work out that way. Got 17 months between them 😂

It was hard work when you get was born but they are now great together and have played well together since youngest could walk.

Wasn't planned but all worked out ok.

Would still say 3 years would be a nice gap though.

17 months exactly between my two. Oldest is going to be 6 in a few weeks.

It was very easy when DD was born because DS was a very easy child and would be content to play on his own. He never regressed and has always been gentle.

When they get on, they get on really well. But it is hard when they fight.
DS was a huuuge help when DD started school (school year behind him) because he would look after her. He sits with her at lunch and they play together at playtime too!

I'm pregnant again now, DS will have been 6 for a couple of months, and DD will be nearly 5.

I wouldn't change the 17m gap at all.

I wanted a big gap between our two and I will be having a three(ish) year gap. We actually wanted a slightly bigger gap than that, but had a bit of a contraception fail, (though we weren’t being all that careful anyway).

I considered doing it much sooner too, in brief moments of madness, but I think three years is about all I can cope with. It means dc1 is at nursery some of the time and gets free hours there, so not so expensive.

20months between 1&2
20 months between 2&3
17 month between 3&4
Just under 5 years top to bottom

9 years ago it was total insanity and nearly cost us our sanity. Now it is very very good because they are so close in age and interests.

I don't think there is ever a wrong and right. Every scenario will have benefits and downsides

I really just wanted to enjoy DS1 for a while. Did you stop enjoying him as soon as DS2 came along then Strokethefurrywall?

10 minutes later for mine!

Ooh I can beat that Clara, 1 minute between mine

NooNooHead, no you havent, mine are now 47,40,34,26, 21 years between the 1st and last (second marriage) I became a gmum a year after my last was born, never had any sibling rivalry, had built in baby sitters, they all get on really well.