I thought I would only ever want one child...

[Pansy0926]

and yet due to feeling broody I only lasted three years before our second was born, after much argument with DH.

Then as I lay in the hospital bed holding our new son, DH shocked me by saying he would quite like another. I laughed it off, but the idea grew on me. Two months later, I am pregnant and so excited and happy...and yet I find myself desperately hoping for TWINS, and I honestly think it might be.

I honestly never wanted more than one baby, but now I find myself so excited about the idea of having a huge family - at least three kids would be nice, but maybe even four!

DH had been even more adamant than me that one child was enough, so when I realised I wanted a second, and had him, it never occurred to me to further explore the idea of a big family, something which might otherwise have interested me since DS1 was about 1.

Circumstances around DS1’s birth and first year made me feel terror at the idea of having and raising two kids, let alone more for a long time. But DS2’s birth and first few months have been so different, and so relaxed that I feel really different about motherhood. I know there will be bard times ahead but since DS1 turned 1 things have been great, and DS2 has made things even better. I feel so much more happy and confident.

Has anyone else started off certain they wanted one, or no kids and then decided to have a bigger family later on?

I really only wanted one at first and then really wanted a second. Two 22 months apart were enough of a handful that it was pretty easy to stop there.

However many you want is fine as long as you and your DH both agree on it.

I always said I'd never have children... DS is 5 months and both me and DH are looking forward to the next one although we are going to be sensible and wait a bit we plan to have 4. Oh what my younger self would say

I have 3DC and I’d love a big family but DP works away and honestly it’s just too difficult on my own. 3 is enough!

I only thought I wanted one. DD is 7 months old and I'm nearly 2 months pregnant, which was planned! 🙈

I only ever wanted to foster. When I met my husband he said he would be up for fostering but wanted his own child first. I thought I would only have the one but the minute he was born I wanted another! We had 3 of our own and foster little ones now too.

I have 1. Only wanted 1. Now DC is 1yo, I still feel the same, but I have this unsettling feeling that I could change my mind later on. I'm currently still horrified with the idea though, but I think that's due to a traumatic birth.
At what point did you realise?

@tushietime I think I realised I wanted more than one when DS1 got to about a year and a half and all of a sudden his needs were less demanding and being a mum as a whole was less scary because I had made it that far. Also DH started doing more with him - at first he wasn’t much help because he was working all the time and it really affected his confidence as a father and his bond with DS1.

Btw that ‘unsettling feeling’ - that’s exactly how I would describe how I felt when I began to realise I wanted another

I thought I wanted none. Over 5 years I seem to have collected 3! All planned and all wanted. It was a gradual but definite period of a couple of months where my mindset just changed from not wanting to be a mother, to really really wanting to be a mother. Once that had set I knew I wanted three from the beginning. I'd have liked a slightly longer gap between second and third but dh was sure closer would be better.
I thought I'd want a fourth and whilst ds was small I was very broody, but have come to realise that carting a baby about gets quite weary especially with older ones to hustle and I have had enough. I hope that feeling stays so I don't forget how hard it can be and find myself with another. Op, it's great you're enjoying everything, but be aware of the toll on your body!