Tell me about your DC with very small age gaps

[ThatHippyDippyShit]

Just found out I'm pregnant again and I'm not 100% sure how I feel about it.

I have a DD who is only 5 months, so by the time this one comes along there would only be 13 months between them.

I'm also wanting to carry on BF until DD is at least a year, so that would also put an extra strain on me.

Interested to hear from anyone else who has DC really close in age. How hard was it? Would you choose a smaller gap if you could go back in time? What are the good things about it? What are the hardest things?

I've just posted some similar questions so following (see ideal age gap between siblings)

Congratulations:-)

No one?

15 months between my older two. It was fine. You just have to lower your standards for the first few months (years). It will take you absolutely ages to get out the door and get anywhere. Getting to the park and back will be a major achievement. But it will pass. I found it much harder when I had my 3rd with a larger age gap. It felt like going backwards, and it's much harder to find activities everyone can do.

My best advice is to do everything you can to get your eldest into a good sleep routine now, especially at bedtime. Knowing at least one child will go down without a fight and have a good chunk of sleep is a lifesaver.

I've a 4, 3 and 2 yr old and am 33 wks pregnant.

I get very sick in pregnancy and couldn't cope with bf while being pregnant. So I stopped as soon as I got pregnant and the sickness kicked in. If you are well and it doesn't bother you, then no reason not to continue. I personally also couldn't bear to have my body and space invaded once pregnant again but that was probably also related to the sickness.

Our house is chaos at times. The stress of 3 kicking off at the same time is unreal at times. But they really can play together and go to the same activities and I am glad that we will move out of each stage pretty much as a herd rather than going in and out of stages over 10-12 years.

Also, the cuteness of the 3 of them snuggled up watching TV, nearly all the same size:)

I am glad I've just about managed to have them all close together.

And buy a good double pushchair. Don't faff about with buggy boards and trying to persuade someone to walk. When it's looking like it might rain and you're at the park with a 1 yr old and a 2 yr old you want to be able to get them both strapped in and home. I experimented with loads and ended up with the out n about nipper. I'd recommend it.

Mine dc are 11 months apart. ( dd is now 15 months & ds is 26 months) I would absolutely have them this close together even if I could go back and do it again!

Honestly I haven’t found it that hard. Once dd was born ds already had a routine and she just sort of slotted in. I breast fed them both to 1 year ( expressing for ds once dd was born as he was on food as well so needed less milk)

Best part is seeing them play together. They are currently holding hands sitting watching tv 😍 they really are the best of friends

Bigger age gap of 19 months here. Ds1 has his last feed a week before ds2 was born, his own choice. So I bf to 19 months and am still bf ds2 at 9 months .

Now they are both a bottle old it is SO much easier . Getting to 6 months and starting to wean was a pita, I felt I'd got a good routine and having to give the baby actual food messed it all up. But now things are good, mostly straightforward, and I'm doing it on my own now as I've separated from my husband .

Good things are that they are close enough in age to be easy to entertain simultaneously. They share the same routine, though Ds1 doesn't nap. I put them to bed at the same time. They are starting to play together Ds1 doesn't remember a time before ds2.

Hard things. I felt guilty towards Ds1 for what felt like ages . He suddenly wasn't the baby. He's 2 and has had some 2 yr old behaviour which I've found harder as it's invariably when the baby is trying get to nap!!

I'd absolutely do it again.