How many children do you want? Ideally?

[redplanet]

Are you having less than you would like to becuase of financial/ social/ practical restraints? Do you think you always regret not having the last one?

[ThedementedPenguin]

My auntie wanted 4. She now has 7.

[Margie32]

I've got 2 DSs (2.2 and 14 weeks) and have always wanted 3 DC (I'm one of 3). However, I think we'll have to stop here, mainly for financial reasons. When DS2 was born I remember feeling this lovely contentment that my family was complete but if I'm honest there is just a tiny lingering doubt in my mind about going for no.3.

[HotCrossPun]

I would love a big family, 4 dc's would be perfect. Currently ttc for the first time. DP is 40, so unless we get really busy over the next few years I think I'm going to have to accept that our family is likely to be smaller.

[perplexedpirate]

Always wanted one. Have DS now and no plans for any more.
I'm 35 and DS is 5.

[redwellybluewelly]

I'm 35. Would have liked 3 but with one toddler and another due in June we'll stop there. DH has agreed to a vasectomy when younger child is two.

I would have been over the moon had this single bump turned out to be twins but I also quite selfishly! have one eye on our future. I've an exciting career, we'd like to give our children lifetime experiences which we never had and we want a good nest egg for them both.

[Bluemonkeyspots]

Dc4 due any day now. Think we are very lucky that we are able (physically and financially) to have 4.

We are by no means rich, dh works his arse off and I'm self employed from home to give us a "good" standard of living but I do worry about when they all get older and more expensive.

[fieldfare]

I have dd but dh and I would like more together. Another 3 would have been great but I feel we're running out of time now dd is older.

[Floralnomad]

I have 2 and I really only want 1 , not sure which one to get rid of though as they've been here quite a while and both have good and bad points !

[oooggs]

I just 'wanted' an even number

Had one and went for a second and ended up with twins so went for one more to even it up!!!

[TheCatInTheHairnet]

I have 4 and, right now listening to WW68 going on, I'd say none!

[elQuintoConyo]

I'd like a big family, say 5 or 6, but just not give birth to them all. I have one DS who's 15mo and I'm still reeling from the birth. I'd like to take in strays.

DH is one of 6, his oldest brother has 5, his dad is one of 8 and his mum one of 15 - yes 15! My own dad is one of 9 (8 boys, last one a girl), his parents were one of 9 (grandma), one of 13 (granddad). So big families, er, 'run in the family'!

I'm 38, and we're going to stop at one. I'd like to have an open house to DS's friends when he starts school. We often have the 5 from my BIL over to give the parents a break, they're delighted as no one else will tackle them as a group, they can be a handful.

[2aminthemorning]

I'd like six. I have one. DH would like a tribe...don't think he would ever want to stop. However I can't carry another pregnancy so we're thinking of surrogacy, then adoption in the future (always a dream in any case).

[2aminthemorning]

elquintoconyo we're kindred spirits :)

[hobnobsaremyfavourite]

I wanted 4 and have 4 . There are days when I question my sanity :)

[CognitiveOverload]

I have one. Would like another one.

[wigglesrock]

I have 3, I always wanted 3 or 4. But to be honest after I had dd3 I just felt that was that, had no desire, not even a little twinge for one more.

We made decisions in respect of wanting 3, we moved our of town to a bigger, cheaper new build. If our kids want to go to University they will need to self fund it, but so did my husband

[dashoflime]

I have one and would ideally like two. I'm talking to DH about three, with a view to "compromising" there

[TidyDancer]

I have two, currently TTC a third. It's a possibility we would think about a fourth as well.

[KoalaFace]

Got 1DS 2.8 and another due in October. Finances permitting I'd like 4. But we'll wait and see!

[Bakingtins]

I always wanted 3 or 4. I have 2 DCs, spaced 3.5yrs apart, youngest is nearly 3 and I'm 38. I've had 3 MCs and have nearly but not quite given up on having DC3 and DC4 looks out of the question. I had my first child at 31 so didn't at the time feel I'd left it too late, but things have not gone to plan.
I think if we are not successful I will always feel my family is incomplete. We're having testing to see if we can find a reason for the MC, mainly because if we don't I'll always wonder if there was something I could have done. I was very naive to think that simply wanting four children would mean that's how it would work out.

[foxrivereight]

I would like 3 . I currently have 2 (dd 8 and ds 5mo)

Dh would like to start trying for no3 soon - we can barely scrape by as it is

I told him if we win the euromillions we can start ttc soon as the cheque clears

[foxrivereight]

wiggles I hope that happens to me I hate baby envy it's the worst kind . It turns me into a raging bitch

[PolkaDotCups]

If I win the lottery then 4 (I'm 36 though so to fit in another 3 might be pushing it). If I don't win the lottery then 2 if I am lucky. I want to be able to provide for them and it would be too much of a struggle with more than 2.

[WinkyWinkola]

Got 4. Want 5.

[RealityQuake]

I have 4. Originally planned 5 or 6, and still think of it, but pregnancy/birth is too risky for me at this point, I don't think I could handle it and don't want to risk not so DH has had the snip. We're hoping to be in a place to foster or adopt in a few years.

However, my friends are wanting 2 or less, most want none. Same with family - my kids make up over half the grandkids on both sides (and DH is from a family with 5 kids, I'm 1 of 3). Very personal, no right answers.