3 Children

[ForeverOverthinking3]

I’ve just found out that I’m pregnant with number 3. Any I have such mixed feelings.

Whilst a baby is always a blessing I’m a massive overthinker and I’m struggle to get my head around 3.
DH and I have 2 DD 5 and 20 months. And the idea of thing a third into the mix seems so difficult. My husband works long hours and so I do all the childcare running around on my own and I work 3 days and a saturday every now and again (contracted) every 5 weeks. Some big things would have to change. We brought our house last year buts it’s only a 3 bed. And I have finally brought my dream car and although it’s a 7 seater I wouldn’t work with 3 in car seats. It would also mean having two in nursery and any extra money we have now would be spent on that.

its also logistics of everything being more expensive like holidays and day trips out and what not. I just need to hear stories of people that did it and it works or ones who decided that it wasn’t the right choice (especially with similar ages) We’re undecided if this is the right move for our family at this time.

We have a similar situation. My husband and I both work long enough hours in corporate jobs, and have a 5YO and almost 2YO. Anyway, we had our 3rd about 3 months ago and whilst we have had to make financial changes (including getting car seats properly fitted by road safety authority to allow us to get 3 across the back row of our car instead of buying a new car!) it’s been the best decision ever. Our 3rd has just completed our family. It’s also a heck of a lot easier mentally, emotionally, and logistically than I thought. Sorry if not helpful, but we haven’t looked back!

We’re expecting our third, a lot of people have said it’s easier than the job from 1 to 2.

I think it probably has its harder phases when the kids are older. When they all want ferrying to activities that also cost money.

We always wanted a small rabble though so I’m bias!

Having 3 is lovely.

Perfectly normal for dc to share a bedroom.
Why won't car seats work in your car ?
We've not found a cottage for 5 more expensive than a cottage for 4.

You make things work in life.

My DC3 was unplanned but is a complete ray of sunshine. The DC love the extra fun of a bigger family. And I maintain that sharing stuff is good for them rather than a negative.

I have three with the same age gaps. My younger two get on so well, they are the best of friends. They are all teens now and the eldest has grown away from them a little but when they were all v young it was such fun and they played together. The eldest is quite protective of the younger two and has always enjoyed being the big brother (he is now nearly 20)

These are wonderful feedbacks.

We have discussed our current two sharing a bedroom and can make that work.

As for the car, we could potentially make it work but don’t have isofix in the middle seat on the back so it would mean using the extra seats in the back which then I worry about a clear path of escape in the case of an emergency. But that’s something for us to consider.

i also worry about abroad holidays and the logistics oh having three, how that would work with rooms and such.

my daughters already share beautifully even at their ages and I think a third would slot into that well especially if it’s another girl as we have so much stuff kept from the other two.

I guess like I said I am an overthinker and my first instinct is to think of worst case scenarios in all aspects of how our life would change.

My 3rd was the easiest by a mile!

We have done loads of holidays, both uk and abroad. Tend to go for air bnb or campsite or caravans type accommodation and it hasn't limited us.

Lots of car seats can be belted!

Fitting 3 across can be hard, we had to change our car because it was stolen but we went round car show rooms with all the seats to try them in lots of different cars.

Most high back booster seats if they are just isofix and belted can be used without the isofix. The isofix just holds the seat in place when the child isn’t in it. The seatbelt is what actually keeps the child safe, so you can usually retract the prongs at the back so you don’t use them.

Lots of rear facing seats can be belted without using isofix too. That gives you more wriggle room of where the car seats can go within the seat too.

We borrowed a few different car seats from friends to find combinations that worked. It is hard but not impossible. Like us you’ll probably have one in a HBB, one in a big car seats and then the infant carrier.

We also have 7 seats so around town my eldest might go in the boot seat when baby’s here depending on how we set the back seat up but the car seats do fit 3 across for improved safety on longer journeys and holidays where we want all of the boot space.

Well at 8 our oldest was out of car seats but we started sitting her in the boot seats as there was too much squabbling with three squashed into the same row.

at that age she “needed” her own room to sit in the evenings (no longer ready to sleep at the same time as the younger ones) and set up her crafts and Lego where the littles couldn’t get them

We have three boys. The youngest is now almost 18 and the other 2 still argue about who’s going to spend time with him!

when they were small, we had a vw Touran. It wasn’t ideal but worked. It’s when you have three teens the car becomes too small!! 🤣

holidays were never a problem but the cost of school shoes for three was eye watering 😳

We are planning a third child (our dd is 4 and our ds is 20 months).

To be honest, the least of my worries is finances — having a sibling for life is far more valuable than any holiday or activity you could buy them.

We also have three bedrooms (well, we have an extra one, but we need it as a home office). We are going to put all of them in one room to sleep (the baby will join after 6 months). We were so lucky that both of our kids slept through the night from 12 weeks, and I think they will sleep even better with each other in one room. Plus, it will make nighttime so much easier — it will only require one person to do the stories instead of two. The other room will be the playroom during the daytime.