When to try for baby number 2?

[luckiestgirlintheworld]

Hi ladies, just after some opinions.

My DS1 is 8 months and I'm wondering when to try for the next baby.

I've just come off the mini pill to give my body time to adjust before we really start trying in the new year. I'm pretty much EBF at the moment but plan to stop just before DS is 1 (when I can move to cows milk so don't have to bother with formula).
So we may not have much luck til the new year anyway if I'm BFing and I've only just come off the pill.

BUT I'm wondering if we should use protection for the next few months, or actually, would it be alright if we got pregnant now anyway?

We did want our kids close together (my DH is a lot older than me and so the younger he has his kids the better). But IF we got pregnant straight away it wouldn't be much of a gap between the two DC.

I suppose one question I'm asking is how difficult is it to have 2 DC that small?

Another main reason I'd like both DC quickly is I'm not brilliant with the broken sleep that comes with small kids. In my head, if we have them close together then I've only got maybe 2 more years of this rubbish sleep, whereas if we wait to conceive then I've got at least 3 more. Does that sound like a ridiculous reason?

Sorry if this is a dull thread- it's been helpful just writing it all down really.

Now I've started thinking about it, I'm all broody! But would it be crazy to try so soon?!

My second took a year of ttc and I was not bf by then. Dc1 was conceived very quickly. Personally, if you want another baby and don't really mind conceiving very quickly, I wouldn't wait around.

Re your reason, I personally prefer the gap, even if means no sleep again a few years later. Personal decision though and only you can decide that.

Good luck

Ds1 was 6 months when we started trying. Ds2 born 9 months later!

I was breastfeeding full time also but didn't seem to affect it. We wanted a small gap also

One thing to consider is, if you were to get pregnant right away, your milk supply would most likely drop. You may have to consider giving some top ups to make sure your ds is getting enough milk. Everyone is different though, I think some people don't notice that much of a change in supply, but it is something to consider.

Medium - I fed both until 2.5-3years so no affect of breast milk here

DS is 7 months and ideally I would like a 2 year gap, but of course you can't predict the future so I'm wondering if we might as well throw caution to the wind and just do the "not trying, not preventing" thing from now-ish?

It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if it happened quickly.

I'd give some thought to whether it bothers you that your DC would be in consecutive years at school. I know it might not be a consideration at all, or might be preferable to having 2 years apart for some.

If you were to get pregnant sooner rather than later, you could have two dc under two so it could be a hectic couple of years ahead (two sets of nappies/sleep routines) but it is meant to get a little easier as they get older. Don't forget to take your folic acid for up to 3 months before you want to conceive. EBF is not guaranteed to prevent or even delay getting pregnant so if you want to wait a while to get pregnant do use protection. You might need use some home ovulations tests to find out if/when you're ovulating.

Stats show that it's better to wait 18 months from birth of first one before conceiving in terms of your health and that of baby. That was one reason we waited until then - but as I had previously twice got pregnant (though first a mc) on first attempt we didn't have too many concerns about waiting then it not happening - and indeed it happened again on first time of trying. Another reason was not wanting to have to deal with two in nappies for too long. Plus wanted DC1 to be a bit more independent eg able to put on own shoes, feed themselves reasonably well, etc. Our gap of 2y3m works well for us.

Thanks everyone!

I'm 26 and conceived DS1 on the first month of trying, but I'm certainly not expecting that again.

I think I might go for it. Not TRY but just not use protection. God the idea of being pregnant soon is a bit daunting. But I think I want to get the hard sleepless stuff out the way and just have a challenging couple of years.

I wouldn't mind if my breast milk did drop- that wouldn't worry me too much. And consecutive years in school wouldn't bother me.

I'd better buy some frolic acid then!
Actually - should probably talk to DH before I go making any decisions...

I found out I was pregnant about 2 weeks after DD1 turned 1. Terrifying but has worked out amazingly well. It's been the perfect gap (for us)

conceived DS on the first month of trying, but I'm certainly not expecting that again

Assume nothing. Looks at large bump

Oh and we only had 15 month gap. Ds1 was virtually potty trained by then ( completely by 17 months), ate well, slept though night since small, etc.. So it's not a def ' terrible sleep and nappies x2).

Ds2 slept 11pm-9am from 14 weeks