Mind the gap.

[MahnaMahna]

Might I ask you all what you think the perfect age gap is between children?

DH and I are just sat discussing when we would like to have DC2. We don't want the gap to be too small so that DD misses out on being special (she is only 8 months)... but we don't want too large a gap. We're thinking of starting to try after Christmas when she will be 19 months. We have trouble conceiving so it may take awhile. DD took just over a year.

There's 3 years between DH and his brother, and they have never got along, so he can't offer much advice.

There's 13 years between my youngest older sister and I, and 17 years between my oldest sister and I.

What are your ideal gaps? xx

Hi - all I can say is from my own perspective as I am TTC #1. I am one of four and there is 12-18 months between each of us and I loved it! We all went through school one after the other and our friends were all in the same age range and are all still friendly with each other now. It was great fun and I am very close to my two sisters and brother.

My DP has two children from previous marriage and they have a two year gap and that works really well too but they are one boy one girl. I say if you have had trouble conceiving the previously you may as well get on with it - any child is a blessing and we have no control of when/how it will happen!

I have three years between my two and it works very well (so depends on the kids).
I had wanted a small gap to minimise disruption to my career and the years for which I had to fork out for a nanny, but had difficulty getting dc2. With hindsight it worked out well, especially for DD1. She understood what was going on when I was pregnant, and she got to be my little baby for a nice long period.

I got pregnant with dc2 when ds1 was 18.5 months, ds2 was born when ds1 was 2.4yrs. I'm now pregnant with dc3 and again ds2 will be 2.4yrs when new baby arrives, I must like that age gap lol x

Have they all got on with those age gaps? What has DC1 thought when you were pregnant? I just want what's best for DD really. I don't want her to grow up thinking she's wonderful if we leave it too long for another, because she gets so much attention off my family now. However, I don't want her to ever feel like I didn't give her enough time x

DS is 12 months and we're ttc. My brother and I had a 3 year age gap and DH is an only child. Not sure why we're keen to try now except that I'm 32 and not getting any younger and we don't want to just start sleeping through the night again, get used to it, and then have to go through it all over again.