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

Did you guys always plan to have more than one or was it not? Like was it easier to make that decision after having the first xxxx

DC1 and DC2 are 18 months apart.

DC2 and DC3 are 4 years apart.

DC3 and DC4 are 20 months apart.

The smaller gap is preferable, IMO, for several reasons. It's harder on your body and the first couple of years of having children so close in age can be exhausting, but the benefits beyond that speak for themselves. There is no jealousy, they tend to get along very well, are physically and emotionally maturing along similar lines etc. They are interested in similar things at the same time, and that makes it very easy to find things to do that suit both children.

I think a bigger gap can work if you're having more than 2 children, but if you're stopping at 2, I think it's in everyone's best interest to have them closer together.

I have a 9 month old and I am almost 13 weeks pregnant with number two - so the age gap is going to be approx 18 months. Not ideal, not what I would have chosen but (I'm clinging on to the hope) I think things happen for a reason....

12 1/2 months between DD2 and DS.

It was a bit crazy in the beginning but now DD is 12 and DS is 11, it is ok! They fight like cat and dog, but have each others backs. I can't tell one off without the other leaping to their defense!

3 years old is terrible time to have a younger sibling

Depends on the child. I was three and a half when my sister was born. She had more problems with jealousy than I did, I adored her, even while she was insisting I stop drinking pop because it wasn't fair that I'd drunk more than her because I was older

Ds is 15 in March and dd is 7 in February.

That is really tough! Circumstances obviously determined this as I separated from ds's dad when he was 2 and met dp when he was 5.
I would have loved two closer in age, it's really hard planning days out etc to suit both ages and they fight like cat and dog

I wouldn’t consider less than a 4.5 year gap. Ideally more than that.

Penny I planned 2. the plan was 2 close together, but then after no2 i didn't feel 'done' so we went for no3 who is evil and so then I was done ...

I had a friend who was in same school year as her sister and they were not twins. I think you advised to wait a year to let your body recover.

Theres 3 and half years between my dds. Worked well as dd1 went to playschool and i did baby groups with dd2. Dd1 was pretty independant when dd2 came along and liked to help.

They are now 9 and 5, most of the time they are playing nicely and get on well but do have clashes to do with tv and what to play. But some of that is personality - dd1 is more of a tomboy whereas dd2 is very girly.

I wouldnt change the gap, it was perfect for us, due to other circumstances we couldnt have had a smaller gap and didnt want too big of a gap.

18 months is the perfect age gap, imo, so 9 months old is the perfect time to start trying again.

2.4 years for mine was just about right.

My db is 11 months older than I am. We also have a slightly older sibling. My db hated me throughout my whole childhood. He was also fiercely competitive. I very much believe he was knocked out of his ‘youngest baby’ status far too young.

DS1 and DS2 are 4.5 years apart. I couldn't afford two sets of full time nurseries fees at the same time. I wish the gap was smaller but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

14 months between ds's 1&2
There will be just under 2 1/2 years between ds2 & 3 when he comes in April.

I wouldn't have less than 3 years by choice.

My first 2 dc are just 11 months apart and I haven’t long had baby 3 so I now have 3 under 3.

Yes me and dh always knew we wanted more than 1 dc

All very hypothetical for me, as I'm currently 11 weeks pregnant with my first, but currently planning around 18-24 months between each of my kids, and planning on having three at the moment.

I'll reserve the right to change my mind in August though

22 months between 1 and 2, 27 months between 2 & 3. Life was very hectic for a time, but now they're older, 10, 8 and nearly 6, life is good and they mostly play well together. I sometimes still hanker after no. 4, but am too old now and although nothing nicer than newborn smell and snuggles, the thought of another child as full on as no. 3 gives me the collywobbles!

I have a 16 month gap between DC1 & DC2.

I wanted two close together, but getting pregnant so soon was a bit of a surprise as it had taken a year to conceive DC1 and also I was still breastfeeding when I got pregnant.

The gap worked well for us, they've grown up really close.

My friend told me he wanted a big gap for his future kids, like 10 years min. (got 1 he plans 3) "so his children can help look after the baby"..... Hmmm

27 months between dc 1 and 2. Then 7 years between 2 and 3. Both are lovely gaps.

No way would I have a gap smaller than 27 months...I barely knew my arse from my elbow for at least a year when Ds2 was born, a smaller gap would have been even worse I imagine!

3 years. There are 6 pairs of older/younger siblings in my children’s 2 classes respectively.

I had 3 in 4 years

Ours are 2.5y apart which is perfect for us, I wouldn’t want more as it takes longer for their interests and needs to converge .. making things less pleasurable for them and harder for you.