12 month age gap- your experience please!

[annatha]

Dd will be 1 on 3rd November. I'm due with ds on 16th November. People love to tell me how much I'll have my hands full and I don't doubt that, but I'd like to hear from people who've actually done it.

14 1/2 month gap here. I actually found it fine. Dh and I were still in baby mode so used to most things still. I did just wear second baby in a sling the first 6 months so he fitted in easily and we carried on as before. They are firm friends now at 4 and 5, and never had jealously as eldest was too young.

My eldest 2 were both born in April, 1 year and 1 week apart exactly. They are now 8 and 7. I didn't find I had my hands that full tbh. Baby daughter slotted into our routine, we were still doing nappies and bottles, still waking in the night, not much changed. Cheap too as I still had all the baby equipment! I found the next gap of 2 years between dd1 and 2 much harder.

I have a good friend with two twelve months apart. I have no idea what it's like because she completely dropped off the radar for at least three years, so I never spoke to her (and still barely speak to her despite calling on a semi-regular basis, kids are now 5 and 6). I gather she's fine.

12 month gap here. I found it hard to begin with but easier once ds2 reached his first birthday. 9 and 10 now. Best friends, easy peasy and an absolute delight.

I have 11 months 6 days between mine, they're currently both 4!

As above, we were still very much in baby mode still so it was actually fine. The nights were a bit of a killer whilst pregnant. dd slept great as a newborn but getting to 9m she started waking again and I was back to work and 7 months pregnant.

Congratulations.

Thanks all. Dh and I decided to start trying for a second right away because we knew we wanted more than 1, and figured that it would be easier getting all the nappies,sleepless nights etc over in one go rather than getting used to a full nights sleep for a year or so then going backwards. I'm also hoping that jealousy won't be an issue as dd will never remember life as an only child, and by the time she's a toddler ds will be an older, more mobile baby rather than a newborn. I'm planning to keep him in the sling as much as I can anyway, I can't see how I'll manage to bf without it this time around!

13 month age gap. Have a 1 and a 2 year old and am 26 weeks pregnant again.

I've found it fine. Both still nap at the same time - eat the same food - like the same games (that can cause a few fights!)

Loads of people told me it would be hellish - they were generally people who had no experience of that kind of gap! We are lucky in that both are good sleepers and were sleeping through from about 18 - 20 weeks fairly reliably.

I also managed to exclusively express for both of them too due to breast feeding issues. I ain't no super woman so thi I that shows how doable the gap is!

I actually found I still had a lot of time to breastfeed out of the sling also. Eldest still napped twice a day and although could walk was easily occupied. So I could just set up some building blocks and animals and he would play alone 10 mins. I also carried on feeding eldest which I think helped as meant he didn't feel let out if he wanted to feed also. Books next to me also helped as could just read to eldest and feed baby if needed

gobbo its funny you should say that, so far the negative comments have all come from people who are either childless, have 1 child or a massive age gap.

14 month with dc1 & 2, much easier than the 3.5 & 2 year gap for dc3!!

You are still in baby stage, dc1 still napped loads and happy to go in pram etc. If you are lucky both dc will nap at the same time during the day or if at different times you get 121 time so that really helps :)

You will manage fine. It will be hardest when dc1 is on the move but not talking / understanding much. Then it gets a bit easier. And I agree on the jealousy, if they don't know any different it will be "normal" sibling rivalry.

Congratulations I think this is will work well for your family. I wouldn't listen to negative comments, you'll be fine.

I had 3 in 18 months (second pregnancy twins) and having them all of a similar age means they have similar interests and can play together etc which overall is easier. I'm not saying its not a busy time!

Its nice if you can have them in a routine with the same nap time so you can put your feet up during the day. And we kept bed-time at 7PM so there was free time for us in the evening (which worked for us, I know not everyone likes that sort of routine).

And you are right about avoiding the sibling rivalry with a close age gap!

I have a 6 year old and then a 3 year old and a 2 year old who are 11 months and 10 days apart. I have indeed found this experience incredibly difficult tbh. I find I am unable to give the 3 year old the attention and care he needs nor the 2 year old. Both have mostly similar demands and needs and yet are 1 year apart so cannot play together well enough and their is severe case of sibling rivalry which prevents me from getting almost any housework done. It is quite possibly, in my opinion, the most difficult age gap their is and if it is avoidable i would avoid it. Then again i must add that they are still very young and things may get better with time and I have 3 so the 1:1 parent child ratio is also gone, adding to the difficulty . I too get aplenty of 'hands full" comments which are really unappreciated as, as you said...we already now that....any help would be great instead....otherwise please keep your mouth tightly sealed that is a help in itself...

Just re-read the post....this was back in 2015....I would be really interested to know how you coped.....