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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Has anybody had a second baby that makes them want a third?

27 replies

ArsenalGal · 10/06/2025 11:41

Did anybody else think they absolutely only wanted two children until their second baby convinced them that maybe they wanted a third? 🫣

My first child was such a difficult baby. Incredibly sweet natured, but had horrific reflux, and consequently didn't sleep for longer than an hour at a time until he was well over a year old. He used to wake up screaming every single hour and would only nap if being held in a dark room. I actually thought I would die from the sleep deprivation, and I had horrendous PPA. I was adamant I was one and done and used to chant to myself 'you never have to do this again' when he was little.

Anyway, he grew up and sleep improved and he proved to be such an absolutely gorgeous, sweet, fun, lovely toddler that we decided we would have another one and would just endure a terrible first year.

But this baby. This baby is a unicorn. She has slept through the night since she was 8 weeks old with absolutely no influence from us. She is non-stop smiles and giggles. She is so cuddly. She is completely chilled and haply wherever she is - on the playmat, in the sling, in her crib. She's so calm. She wakes up in the morning cooing happily to herself. She's coming up for six months old now and is in every way a dream baby; the easiest, calmest child you could imagine.

So now my idiot self is thinking... why not have a third? If I had more like her I could keep going indefinitely. This is madness, isn't it? I'll have a baby that doesn't sleep for three years and I'll die. I keep telling myself this. But then my baby smiles and me and I just think how could I not?

I think what I really want to do is freeze time. My son is at a heavenly age where he's so fun and cute and I love spending time with him. My baby is so sweet and I just love the baby stage this time. I don't want it to end, I want exactly this life forever. I can't bottle it up by having more babies, though. I'll have to endure the exquisite torture of watching them grow up one way or another.

OP posts:
Rtmhwales · 10/06/2025 22:06

Ha, we’ve had two in a row. Unicorn babies that are all smiles and sunshine and sleep through. I have horrendous pregnancies so I keep telling them they’re making up for that. I’m 33 weeks pregnant with my third and it’s been horrible but not horrendous so I’m terrified she will break the streak and be a nightmare baby. I’ll let you know in a few weeks!

Katemax82 · 10/06/2025 22:17

Yes...my daughter! I had my 3rd child when she was about to turn 5 but I wanted to have him sooner, my husband was reluctant at first. I just had my 4th 6 years later who wasn't planned and I'm broody still

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