How likely to conceive within a month?

[hiimnew]

I'm 32 years old and have a 17 month old DS. He wasn't planned and a complete surprise.
We would like another baby, with up to a 3 year gap between birthdays. I wouldn't like any less than a 2.5 year gap but nearer 3 years would be ideal, but ideally no more.

My question is, when should we start trying to conceive? how likely is it to successfully conceive within a month or so? Is there an average time assuming we don't have any complications. (I'm assuming just with regular sex).
I don't take any form of contraceptives and never have done. DH and I have used condoms and 'withdrawal' to date, so there are no contraceptive hormones I need to leave my system.

Sorry if this is a 'how long is a piece of string' but just some personal experiences would be helpful! Has anyone managed to get their 'perfect' age gap between DC through careful planning?

DH and I made the decision to try for DC2... positive test 3 weeks later. I wanted a 3 year gap, if DC2 arrives on time there will be 3yrs 3wks gap between them. I'm 36 and DC1 was a whoops. Had no reason to suspect we'd have problems TTC but we weren't expecting it to happen quite that quickly... it backfired a little because DC2 is due 26th December

My youngest is 14 months & the first time we had unprotected sex I feel pregnant, so there is hope it can happen, good luck op x

Can’t tell you how accurate this is, sorry

I was very very lucky. I got pregnant with ds1 the first time we ttc. We wanted to start trying again when he was 1 and got pregnant with ds2 the 2 nd month of trying so had 22 months between them. So yes it worked out how we planned, the problem is you just don't know what's going to happen. I've got friends who conceived easily and some who have had to have interventions. It really is how long is a piece of string. Best of luck to you xx

Thanks for the replies! Fingers crossed we can time it right!

It is tricky. I think healthy people who are trying (ie using ovulation tests or other means to know when you ovulate) need to allow 6 months. I have a number of friends who have easily conceived #1 and really struggled/ simply not Managed with number 2. Both my dc were conceived 1st month though

I think its just so individual. We decided to start trying with Ds after a MMC the year previous and two weeks later had a positive pregnancy test. The same happened with this pregnancy.

There's no rhyme or reason! We conceived first time both times and I was breastfeeding 2nd time and 32.

Friends of ours were saying the other day that their 2nd took a year to conceive but then no. 3 they started trying early and got pregnant straightaway. I think if you have a definite earliest date that you don't want then just start trying as soon as you get past that point is when it gives you anything over 2.5 years? I don't think you can plan much more than that. Though I do also know a couple with three kids all born within about a week but two years apart exactly and that's what they planned!!

We fell pregnant instantly with DS1 (I was 27) , but it took 6 months of 'trying' for DS2, age 30.

With my first two pregnancies I conceived within a month. For my third pregnancy it took me 10 months (though I was still BF my DS1 at the time).

First month of trying with both, decided what the smallest gap between should be and started trying then. We were very lucky, but there's no exact science to it all.

DS1 I got pregnant immediately. DS2 took a year, DD again straight away. There really isn't any reasoning to it.

DC1 took 8-9 months. I fell pg again 1st month of trying for #2 but it ended in a chemical pregnancy. I then fell pg again just 2 months later, but it ended in MMC. Now on month 4 of trying again.

I'd just suggest not being too prescriptive about it - you'll end up stressing yourself - our plan was to start TTC 8 months after our first baby, DS arrived when DD was exactly 3.5 years - it's an nice age gap- was 35 and 39 when conceived