Hormones or genuine broodiness?

[Thornykate]

I recently (9 days ago!) had my beautiful 4th DC. naturally we are all in love with her but I am also feeling that I want one more. Not immediately but I am strongly wanting to go for it in about 3 months time.

This is a strange feeling for me as I have big gaps between the other 3DC (ages 16, 12 & 7 yrs) & usually never feel that I want another baby until years later.

I started this pg with the plan to get sterilised straight after but by half way through I was already saying "maybe one more after this". I have voiced that I would like another & DP is more than happy as he loves kids & sees them as a blessing. But more than 1 person has said that I am probably on a hormonal high after having DD & maybe not to trust my feelings on this.

I am 35 now & don't want another big gap or to chance my so far (fingers xd) good fertility by delaying too much.

Has anyone else heard of or experienced this temporary broodiness that people are warning me of?

Also would be interested to hear about whether other women found a short gap between pgs too taxing on their bodies. I recall reading that medics recommend a 12 month gap between pgs but am not sure what the rationale behind this is.

Thanks in advance!

I was terribly broody just after my two were born and it went off quite quickly. I do think it is just the hormones at that post natal stage. I am just starting to feel broody again now my youngest is 15 months and starting to walk. This time I don't think it's just a hormonal thing although am not sure if another baby would really be right for us.

Congratulations on your dd

For me, I never felt broody immediately after my first 2 dc's, with dd it was 5 months later, with ds1 it was 2yrs later. I gave birth to ds3 July last year and was broody before I gave birth!

Nothings changed and dh doesn't want anymore but that's another thread.

Sorry should say ds2 not ds3, I'm on the iPhone app and am a terrible typer!

Hormones and genuine broodiness. I think the hormones cause the broodiness. As for temporary? I'm sure with time it will pass but it depends on how much time and whether you could hold out

Yes I had this, feel very broody for about 3 months after the birth and then the feeling fades a lot, I'm sure it's hormone related for me. But my 3rd baby is now 15 weeks, he was supposed to be my last and now I have a nagging doubt that I might like another!

Congratulations on your baby!
I came on here to post on the same topic! My DC3 is 3 weeks old tomorrow and despite being exhausted, I am already thinking about number 4! It must be hormones really but also I am enjoying him so much, more than the other 2 as newborns. I could gaze at him all day.

I am 37 and have a 3 year gap then 3 and half year gap between my others but think I might end up with a smaller gap this time due to my age. That scares me as I've not had to use double buggy or have 2 in nappies and the older one has been in nursery when the baby arrived both times before. I also found the last pregnancy a lot harder physically than the other 2; feeling old and moany.
Also everyone I know will think I am crazy for having 4 or think I am trying for a girl (I have 3 boys) and that will drive me mad! Round here having a third baby signals getting live-in help and I don't have an au pair, nanny, night nurse etc so I am already strange!

TQ & congratulations to you too!

My 1st 3 were boys too & I got all the trying for a girl nonsense comments. Since having a girl I now get the "you can stop now" comments, people really have very fixed ideas on how a family should be don't they?!

I am the same as you in that I am enjoying this baby so much mire than the other 3. It's quite odd as I loved them all the same but have never been really into newborns I always preferred the 6 months & toddler stages. This time I too cannot stop staring at her & am loving every sleep deprived minute so far

You & I are about the same age wise too. I have been blessed so far with good fertility but don't want to count on this lasting much longer. Also the risk of complications worries me if I left it much longer.

DP asked me yesterday when I want the next one & suggested 2 years time. I was busy at the time so didn't catch his face when I replied that I was thinking of trying from the end of summer!

It's not as if I really enjoy pregnancy either; last time I couldn't bear to even go in the kitchen without retching for the 1st 14 wks. I think that's one of my few hesitations. I would hate to spoil my time with baby by being too I'll to enjoy her. The other DCs are quite resilient & enjoyed eating takeaways & snack foods while I was too sick to cook.

I do wonder whether 2 pregnancies close together does damage stomach muscles, pelvic floor etc though?

Please keep in touch & let me know what you decide

Congrats!

I've had over having more too. Am pg with #4 and have had lots of people saying 'but you already have 2 girls and a boy - why more?' Because obviously having children is only about what sex they are!

I can't answer about hormones or broodiness etc. What I can say is that humans are designed to bf (not judging anyone else - I'm spectacularly bad at it ) which, in turn generally has a negative effect for so long on fertility.

Therefore, if you were ebf, you would not be dropping feeds til about 6 months and therefore, would not have a reasonable chance of conceiving til then.

I'm a firm believer in nature knowing best and if that's what nature does then it's probably for the best! I realise that for many reasons this may not be true (ff, some women ovulate immediately regardless of feeding choice, some women's fertility takes a long time to return) of all women, but I'd say that to leave ttc until your youngest is about 6 months would seem sensible to me.

Good luck

Good advice button . I think I need to be realistic about how I will cope with the 'morning' sickness if I get pg too soon as I don't have any family help with the kids when they're little (or much at all) & DP will be around loads more after xmass so it would be more sensible to wait til the end of the year to start trying.

Baby thorny has kept me on my toes the last 2 days/ nights (she's 2 wks old now) & I am beyond tired BUT still know that We will be doing the right thing for us by planning one more. DP already thinking about 7 seater cars