Too soon to think about baby 2??

[macana]

Help!!
I seriously think there is something wrong with me. DS is our first baby and is only 4 months, but I'm already thinking about how much I want to start trying for baby number 2. Ideally I'd like to start trying when DS is 8 months - does that make me crazy?
I have soooo many pregnant friends right now, and while I'm really happy for them, a tiny part of me is jealous that they have their gorgeous baby bumps. I loved being pregnant, so much. And DH and I want our babies to be close together. I'm sure it'd be hard in the beginning, but as an only child I want to have all my babies close together so they can grow and play, and we get the baby stages over while we're young.
But is 8 months too soon to try again? Am I mad? are there rules on this??? Anyone had babies too close and regretted not waiting longer?

no I felt like that too (although didn't love being pregnant) and there are no rules on this (if you've not been told for medical reasons not to try).. and I think having them close is a fab idea.

FWIW dd is 8 months and I'd be trying again but about to go back to work so leaving it til got back

om, well if you're mad then i'm insane b/c ds is 5 months (almost 6) and we're semi-trying for #2 (ie. doing everything except for temping and using opk's). We too would like our kids to be close in age and i can't wait to have another baby around the house!

besides it's about what makes you happy really, and who cares what other people think!

Not at all mad! I know loads of people with gaps of less than 18 mths between their DCs - one who had twins and then another one before the twins' first birthday!

I have an 8 mth old DS and am 5 wks pg with the next one. Can't wait!

Lol! Nope, poppy, cotton wool still on tight but making movement quite tricky!

Yep, definitely think smaller age gaps are much easier when your kids are growing up - I had an older sister and twin younger brothers and we were all born within three years. It meant that (once the baby years were over) we could all take part in the same activities and were constant company for each other. Friends of mine who had big age gaps said this was a real problem for them.

It's horses for courses though and not everyone likes the idea of more than one baby at a time!

(and, of course, some people try for a small age gap but nature has other ideas )

My sister and I have a 12 month age gap so our mum was pg just 3 months after having me. She says it was a nightmare but from our point of view we couldn't be closer and have grow up to be best friends.

Thank you for such lovely, encouraging posts!
Glad to know I'm "normal"!

spongebrain - congrats! and thanks for having the nickname that has made me laugh the hardest on mn!

NOw I just need to work out how we'll afford another LO if we're lucky enough to get pregnant again!

No worries, macana, glad you like the nickname!

Don't worry about affording it either - think of all the hand me downs you can use! My parents brought four kids up without two beans to rub together. You'll manage - good luck x

I got pg again when DS was 4 mo!!

So, you are not alone...

I had a huge gap between me and my siblings which I hated, so I perhaps overcompensated by wanting mine to be close together.

If you do it it will probably be wonderful for the children, but hell for you, for a good couple of years. Prepare for that. It is totally exhausting when they both are utterly dependent, all the time, every day.

Mine are now nearly 3 and 21 months. I just began feeling somewhat 'rested' about a month ago!

Beware of thinking the second pg will be easy also. If it's difficult you will need to get help. Mine were both horrible but luckily the 2nd was easier. I still had to hire help though as I couldn't cope with a 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or 13 month old the whole day when increasingly pg. It was expensive because I have no family in this country.

So on balance it has its upsides, but don't be lulled into thinking it's the same as having one DC plus a lovely pg...and then when the second one is actually born, you have two little ones to focus on. It's hard work.

HTH!

I wish I had started trying for dc2 earlier. conceived relatively easily first time round, wanted an age gap of around 2 years so started ttc when dd was 1. Well I'm still trying 16 months later. Even though they say it's not good for your body to leave less than 6 months between pregnancies. Maybe start when dc is 6 months??

I think there's some truth in saying wait 6 months between pregnancies. I definitely required more time to recuperate but stupidly did not give myself that time. As a result it's taken me nearly 2 years to recover from the 2nd pregnancy!!