To think two under two is exhausting and crazy?

[hiiiya]

But equally to wonder if it’s notably ‘worse’ than two under two and a half or two under three even? Is there something about under two that’s exceptionally intense?

Yep! 15 months between my two. My second child's first year is a complete blur but now they've always been so close, even as teens.

Yes, it was hard work but I'm so glad I did it that way.

Opposite sex siblings but they hang out together alot, do clubs together and look out for each other.

I know two people who had their first baby and had twins before their first was 18 months! 3 under 18 months!!!🙎😮

12 months between my youngest, it wasn’t difficult as none slept so I was used to not having much sleep 🤣

...and my eldest didn't take their first steps until they were 18/19 months.

We were in an upstairs flat so that was fun getting both non walkers out of the house.

I had to take them both down the road to hang up my washing.

My eldest was too light to move into the next stage car seat until about 20 months so I had a double pram with them both on the baby car seat sometimes.

I'd get people coming up to me going "Oooh! Twins! Then they'd look in the car seats and have a puzzled face when they saw a big baby and a little baby, so clearly not twins".

Although, by the time they were 2 and 3, they looked like twins as I had a small eldest and a big youngest.

Every age gap has its pros and cons. We had a small age gap - certainly would have aimed for around 3 year mark if we had the choice but when the first takes multiple years to conceive with losses along the way, you don't want to hold out too long in case it takes several years for the second.

The younger days were tough, sleep deprivation and constant nappies which then followed onto two toddlers and covid lockdowns to add. The guilt for not 'enjoying' it is also something else. I now have the confidence to say the toddler years are not so enjoyable for me, I found the days long and monotonous, feeding them was hard work, sleep was still not great. Once they hit 3.5-4 years old, I loved it again and really enjoy a lot of it right now when 6 and almost 8.

@WanderfulTonight on holiday with mine, my son was mistaken for my partner and my daughter for our daughter! I found it highly amusing but my son was not amused 🤣🤣

Sometimes it's difficult the slightly older one not understanding what can hurt the younger child and having to monitor them all the time. It is doable though. It's great when they start to interact, notice each other and laugh and smile together and you can make it work and enjoy it I promise!

I was still breastfeeding my eldest when I got pregnant with the youngest (19 month between them), so I'm not sure what is unnatural about our age gap

Edit to add: in reply to earlier comment

Yes I had 2 under 2 and it is exhausting. I then had another child when my youngest was just under 3.5 and that was much easier.
I know a big age gap can also bring its own problems, but 2 under 2 was very, very hard.
I have to add, some parents get lots of help. I didn’t. All my relatives worked and I didn’t have any help with childcare. Thus makes a huge difference too.

The smaller the age gap the higher the chances are of them getting along, it's easier to take them places because they are at the same stage in life and you get your life back quicker!

I have 2 years 2 months between mine and often wish I had had my second a little sooner but I wasn't ready. They are best friends and inseparable (apart from when forced separation is necessary because they are winding each other up!) and at almost 8 and 10 they play with each others friends and have the same interests.

The downside was having both in nappies at the same time and trying to potty train a toddler with a baby. The amount of times I forgot who had recently had a nappy change in the early days and one was left too long.

There is also the downside of getting your life back quicker, it's definitely a plus but also as I approach 40 I'm almost getting baby fever, really missing that baby stage now mine are bigger but I absolutely do not want another one regardless of what my hormones are saying! Maybe if I had had a bigger gap those hormones wouldn't be so insane but I don't know.