How to deal with feelings of never having any more?

[CookieSwirlC]

I have 2 wonderful children, 2 and 6. We have decided against anymore as money is very very tight while we are paying out so much for nursery and we would need to move house which we cannot afford so it’s practicality reasons rather than the fact that we are done having children iyswim.
The 4 year age gap is because we can’t afford two in nursery at the same time.

Someone in my team at work has just announced their pregnancy and it has brought up all these feeling. Sadness, envy, jealousy even. I loved being pregnant and feel envious that it’s not me announcing a new arrival on the way, that I’ll never get to experience pregnancy and birth and having a new child.

It’s awful, I’m so happy for my colleague but feel sad it’s not me.

How do you cope with these sorts of feelings and will they subside?

Sorry don’t have any advice but simply to say I understand where your coming from. We have 2 children and my OH has been very very clear he doesn’t want more. Practically I totally agree with him and age-wise I should be finished too but... I’m finding it a little hard at the moment too to imagine no more kids. Maybe it’s a mum thing, would love to hear others experiences of this

I wish I knew op ,it's a horrible feeling ,you are not alone with it though.
I actually cried last week seeing a family out with their 3 little ones.

I have a chronic illness & problems with my spine & pelvis which became a lot worse after my Youngest, he was almost 10lb ,they weren't supposed to let me go overdue but there we go.
I knew I'd never be able to carry another baby after having him.

We lost our middle child 2nd trimester which I thought might be partially why I felt this way & then our eldest died suddenly just over a year ago, its made me feel so empty .

My age is probably part of it too ,biological clock and all that .
I'm taking each day as it comes & try not to think about it too much.

Oh Watcher I’m so sorry for your losses, no one should have to go through that pain.

Thank you for posting both, it’s nice in a way to know I’m not alone feeling like this. I’m so great full for the children I have and it’s a selfish feeling I know but it’s because a decision has practically been forced upon me that I’m struggling with.

I've also struggled with this but feel I'm coming out the other side now. Infertility and chronic illness has left us with 1 child. I'm grateful for my DS 7 but it has taken a long time to not feel tearful when I see siblings playing together. I think about all the love and close relationship he misses out on because he is an only child.

But now I try to focus on the positives. Remind myself that siblings fight, and not all are best friends as adults. That we can give more to him as an only, but it's still hard.