How do you know when it is time to stop having babies?

[reindeermum]

How do you know when your family is complete?

I am age 36 and pg with 4th child. Children are boy (6), girl (4) and boy (2). Child 4 is another boy due in Sept.

I am already broody for child 5. (I know this is ridiculous when I haven?t even had number 4 yet!) I absolutely love having babies and cannot bear the thought that at some point I will have to stop. I definitely do not want to still be having them in my 40?s, so would like to go for number 5 soon after number 4. Would also like to try for a girl next time using the Shettles/timing method (was planning to do this for this pregnancy, but jumped ahead too far in the month in my eagerness to get preggers.)

How did you know when your family was complete and your children were all there? How on earth do you go about making this decision ? And when you do, do you suddenly feel middle aged (horrible thought!)?

Is anyone else in the world as obsessed with having babies as me or do I have a hormone imbalance???

Can you still do the shettles method with an irregular cycle?

Can still do it with irregular cycle as long as you can pinpoint ovulation. Some people do this by monitoring your exact digital temperature on a daily basis (it varies around the time of ovulation), and other people do it by monitoring what type of mucus you have "down below" (!!) which also changes around the time of ovulation. Most accurate would be a combination of both methods. In addition to the book I mentioned earlier, there is a brilliant one called "Taking charge of your fertility", by, I think Toni Weschler which is BRILLIANT and I think EVERY woman should be given this book! Both books would really help you with all this.

Can you tell how obsessive I am about this subject??

Reindeermum you remind me of someone i know actually! You don't live in Norwich do you?
I'm confused about how I can pinpoint 3 days prior to ovulation because it'll vary every month. Sounds like I need to get to know my lotions better!

reindeermum............I shall make damn sure that dh us UP for number eight!!! ha ha x

Yes it is me I am sooooooooo embarrassed!

I only just discovered mumsnet LAST WEEK and can't believe I have already been recognised after the hideously embarrassing things I have written.

(Just spent the last hour considering whether I should just say no I live in London, but you clearly know who I am...)

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

My guess is - are you the person I saw at the swimming pool last week (in which case I don't mind as you know how i feel any way - but whoever you are please keep my secrets!!!!)

#7....due...feb08

Yes it is me and trust me I'm even more embarrassed!

What a coincidence that I too only discovered mn last week after a mum at school told me she was hooked. Omigod!

Truepenny I am actually very very glad that it is you as I actually know a number of people with 2 boys the same age but would not want the majority of them to read what I have written on this! I've been agonising ALL afternoon considering all of them and CRINGING!

But I know you are lovely and I can trust you! Tis big coincidence but we were obviously meant to get in touch again. Must definitely get together over the hols.

And I am keeping everything crossed for you cos I know how you feel about all this.

xxxxxxx

Thank you lovely reindeermum! And don't worry your secrets are safe with me. Will be in touch over the hols.

Ah ladies that was lovely - wish I lived in Norwich

Really interesting to read other peoples thoughts. My 3rd is 3 months and I would love 'just one more', DH seems resigned to this

My one and only concern is that since having number 3 is that I am definitely less patient with my middle child recently and I am not sure if it is because No3 is small, DD is stubborn or whether I do not have enough patience for all of them. But it is early days....

I would jsut hate to have another and be screeching at them all day kwim?

WCL, I find with children 8,7,5 and 3, an 18 month old and 3 month old ( who cries alot) that my patience is at breaking point, it happens

I never ever had the feeling that a certain amount would be enough so Dh went for a vasectomy in Becember last year.

We have 4 dc,ds1 is nearly 16,ds2 is 11.5 and the dd's are nearly 3 and nearly 1.

I can say truthfully that i could not cope with anymore children and i like having individual time with the 4 i have,if i had more i don't think i would be able to do that.

But the longing to be pg and be bfing won't ever go i don't think.Am still bfing dd2 and it kills me to think she will give it up one day.

Thats why we decided to get the vasectomy done,if we hadn't i would have been pg end of this year or beginning of next year.

Good luck with no5!!

RoseQuartz - what is your spread of boys/girls?