Can you tell me the reality of going from 2 to 3 DC'S?

[Seaviewsunshine]

I'd really like a 3rd. DH less keen. We have a 4yo and 2yo now. Our 1st was an awful sleeper. 2nd has allergies and was a poorly baby so we had a really hard time when they were little. The last 6 months have definitely got easier and i can see all the reasons for not having one that my DH regularly sites but im so broody! My thought process is yes it's hard to start but surely that's shortlived?

Id love to hear experiences from those who have taken the 'leap'.

I've got three. I love them all but to be honest wish I'd stuck with two or gone to four. We found we had to change our car, tickets and deals for events etc are geared towards four, holidays are a pain with five. Our oldest are 9 and 8 and we have a four year old. It's a pain. Plus you'd have one parent to one child say if you did a funfair. Like I say I love my kids and I know a few people who've said a third completed their family but if I had my time again I'd stick with two.

Thank you for the honesty Ms! I'm one of 3 and my mum says exactly the same!!

I have 3 and it was definitely the right choice for us.
You are right that they are only babies for a short time, and are children, then teens, and then even adults for so much longer. I'm no fan of babies but love being Mum to 3

I have 3, 4yo, 3yo and 7 month old. To be honest it's not been a big jump, the little one slots in and sleeps in the carrier or in the car. His big brothers love him and he is already trying to crawl to play with them.

Like Msqueen33 said, I love having three and life is never boring but practically, it's a bit trickier. It's hard to book hotel rooms for 5, cars need to be bigger, more space in the house etc. I would have loved four but couldn't for health reasons.

I have 3. The people that tell you the third just slots in, well, they have a different third child to mine

I wouldn't be without my third but fuck me it's hard. The worst bit for me is actually seeing the impact on the older 2. I just cannot give them the time and attention they need and want. It's also hard on a marriage in my opinion, particularly if you're not totally on the same page with wanting a third.

Best thing is she's my little bestie and we all adore her, so is it's swings and roundabouts. If I had my time again I'd do it again in a heartbeat (but maybe pay someone to be her mum until she was about 5 )

And yes to holidays being a nightmare : i've never had so many conversations about interconnecting hotel rooms, or begging a hotel for us to be allowed to squeeze in an extra child bed....

I didn't find the caring side to bad with three but it's more my attention. Two seemed easier to give my attention to than three it was just a step too far. But I love them all to bits. And when I asked my dh he said the same although he adores our youngest he feels that two would have been easier. You have them and you love them but practically and expense wise and attention etc it's that bit harder. Decent five seater cars are non existent. I wish we'd been a little practical. It's worth thinking about as two doesn't feel such a game changer as three.

Oh no. Was hoping this was going to be largely positive. Currently pregnant with number 3 (a happy surprise....) and now feeling somewhat nervous !

I have three. Dd3 was born whenThe other two were 9 and 6. They have to slot in with the inevitable ferrying around of bigger kids and that was fine. Would have been even easier if I'd been driving then but we did ok with bikes.
Hotel rooms are a pain but we don't hotel v often. We already had a touran so thought we'd be ok but had to change one of the booster seats for a narrower one to get three in, that was a shock!
Basically I love having three. I felt done from the second she was born and she completes our family.

I have 3 and I love it!! We want number 4. We got a bigger car, 3 bed house works fine. We don't ever stay in hotels (yet) so not an issue for us. We do camping holidays or stay in caravan type holidays (which the kids love).

I have a 4 year old, 3 year old and a 1 year old. We get through a lot of food, but I cook it all from scratch which helps.

For us, number 3 really did just slot in, although he does want our attention more than the others. I never get to sit down until after bed time, my kids seem to know when I am about to sit down, because that's the moment they all need a drink, or youngest needs a nappy change, but I love it.

Having 3 children is ace!! Chaotic and busy, but I wouldn't change it!!

Doo I've got a 4yo and 2yo and I could have written your post! As soon as I pause or sit on the loo they want something !!

@Seaviewsunshine it must be some skill they are born with. Dh can be in the same room as them, but they'll come and hunt me out (hiding in the kitchen eating) to ask me to do something for them... why couldn't they ask dh?!

Honestly, I love having 3 but it's not for everyone haha

Those of you struggling for 3 seater cars, get a double cab van
DP has just got one. Can EASILY get 3 car seats in the back and 3 seats in the front and enormous space in the back.
We have 2 children. I don't think we'll go to 3 (DP had the snip although we have debated reversal) so also have a car which we can all get in.

We have a 9 seater vito so no problems with space 😂 Holidays wise we tend to rent a cottage or do centre parcs/crieff/moness all of which are fine for bigger families.

Our third was a surprise. The age gap is not large it just wasn't a planned third. After getting over our shock I found no. 3 easy as her birth and early months she was the calmest, most easy going and chilled out baby. She has remained our "easiest" child and we could not imagine our family without her or her older siblings.

It has turned out there is a reason I found dd2 easier, as my older two have now been diagnosed with HF ASD. At the time she was born ds was 4 and starting school, dd1 was 2 1/2 and their social communication issues were yet to be understood.

Practically speaking we were fortunate to be in a four bed house already, there is a financial impact and it is more difficult to find cheap holiday accommodation etc. Really it depends on what your priorities are, how you define a 'good life'.

With 3 under 5, life was pretty intense. Now they are 8, 11 and 13 things are easier but I am preparing for the next few years when we will have a period of constant exam preparation, ds will be entering y9 tomorrow. When ds is doing GCSEs, dd2 will be doing SATs , when dd1 is doing GCSEs ds will be doing A levels and so on.

Three sets of uniforms three different schools to deal with (from tomorrow), three hungry teens to feed (in just over 4 years dd2 will be 13). But I regret nothing they are fantastic kids.

I was just about to post this question too! We have two ds (4 and 18mths) and I thought we were done...until DH said he thought having 3 would be fun! I've sold the cot, bouncer, car seat, all the useful things. It's such a tough choice isn't it?

Our very much planned for number three is now five months, and I just couldn't be without her! I also have a nearly five year old and a 2.5 year old. They struggled a bit with jealousy but they also dote on her. They treat her like she's their baby.

It's hard work, really hard work but I do think for us, that's because my almost five year old is stroppy and testing boundaries, but nervous about starting school, and my two year old is...well, two Sometimes I whisper to my baby not to grow up to be a four year old

Totally done now and I really feel like we're complete. Mainly because I keep thinking "thank god I don't need to go through childbirth again!"

Life is 100mph and a bit chaotic, but not massively.