How many kids makes you judgey?

[silkyfilament]

So I'm 43 and unexpectedly pregnant with baby number 5. Our other children are aged 13, 10, 7 and 2.
I'm utterly terrified about the judgement. My mother will be 🤦‍♀️. She won't say anything, she'll smile and say things like 'there's plenty of love to go around', but I know what people will really think. I'm paranoid what mum's in the playground will think!

For the record, we have the space in our home. DP has a great really well paid job, which is totally secure. I don't work! Which I think adds to my anxiety. But I'm totally supported financially and am happy with the arrangement we have. I do the home things, he earns the money. We share the house work because his job is cushy and he works about 15 hours a week.

Should I just screw what anyone else thinks and do what we want? Or do I need to stop being single minded, think of my existing kids etc, get back to work....?

If you’re not married, not working, and have 5 kids, you’re not ‘completely secure’ no matter how lovely the DP is. It’s a very tenuous position and I wouldn’t want to be in it.

To answer your question, I don’t know. I think 6+ and you can’t possibly have the time to devote to them individually. I think 3 or 4 is an ideal number, balancing the benefits of siblings with the time constraints on the parents. I’ve stopped at 2 due to health but would’ve loved 3

I think when you get to 6 you've lost the plot.

I wouldn't mind 4 kids. Assuming an accident, then I can see how someone stretches to 5. 6 seems a bit much to ME.