How did you know you were ready for baby 2?

[Mushroo]

My LO is 14 months and I finally feel like 'me' again. She's settled in nursery, sleeping through, I'm back at work. Other than the constant nursery bugs everything is pretty good!

Before I had her, I always thought I'd want a small age gap, and it's starting to feel about right to start ttc.

BUT the thought of going back to sleepless nights, cluster feeding, weaning, all with a toddler is very daunting.

I'm not sure whether to bite the bullet, or wait until my LO is two.

Any advice / tips would be welcome.

(I'm 33, and DH is very firmly in the 'wait' camp)

We’re in a very similar camp. I think we might just see what happens as I don’t think I’ll ever want to be heavily pregnant/labour again.

I was in a similar position with DC1. I think there are pros and cons to every age gap, and different spacing works for different families. I knew that I wanted children closer together so that I could get the physically difficult years done (and similar interests/playgroups), and then return to my previous demanding career (part-time) once the youngest was in school. For some, having an older child with more independence (toilet trained, able to play for longer independently etc) works better for them. Also, don't expect your second pregnancy to be the same as your first! I experienced more nausea with DC2

I started to hate my job. I’m only half joking, I think it made the decision for me having been unsure.

Took us five years to have DD1, including multiple failed IVFs. Took us three days to conceive DS2 naturally 18 months later .. go figure. I wasn't ready, expecting it, anything, as we were expecting nothing to happen/ go for more IVF. But I was fully ready the second I saw the pregnancy test.

A toddler and a newborn is crazy but they will become friends.

I had 2 failed pregnancies before having DD1 at 32.
We started TTC again when she was a year old. Then we’re shocked to experience secondary infertility.
DD2 didn’t arrive until I was 36 with the help of Clomid. And I was considered an older mother by the hospital looking after me.

At 33 my advice would be crack on now