Planning baby number 2, 15 month age gap?

[monsterkay]

Me and my partner are deciding when to try for baby number 2. Our DS is 6 months old and I felt broody pretty much since day 1, I've loved it 😍 don't get me wrong some days I've spent sobbing and some days I've felt on top of the world to be a mummy.

So, I already feel broody now and I think DH is coming round to the idea of trying now. We did say we would try in January when DS will be 9 months old (18 month gap) but I don't think I can suppress my broodiness that long! If we conceived now there would be roughly 15 months between them.

Obviously this is in the hope we are lucky enough to conceive quickly again, although I know this is in no way guaranteed!

Please tell how how you've coped with a small age gap? What is your ideal age gap?
Any respectful advice welcome please!

I would really give it a lot of thought before you begin trying. Myself and OH felt like this would be a good times to start as no guarantees and the age gap would be about 2 and a quarter years. We thought if it doesn’t happen straight away we would be happy with around a 2.5 to 3 year age gap.
Well it happened on our first try and 2 days ago I found out I’m expecting number 2. I have been an emotional wreck since, I honestly didn’t expect this to happen so quickly. I’m worried about my daughter not being ready and our world changing, I love our little family unit.
I think it’s just been a complete shock to the system as we only started discussing expanding this month and it’s happened already. But I don’t know if I’m ready for my daughter not to be my one and only. I know I sound mad but I’m so emotional about it!

Its fine, 17 months here. Hardish work at the beginning for sure (2 nappies/naps etc/twin buggy) but that bit doesn’t last too long. No jealousy from eldest as she was pretty oblivious to most of it. Great little playmates from about 6 months on. I’d imagine a bit like twins must be hard at the beginning. Eldest was sleeping well when I fell pregnant though and I’d imagine this would make a big difference.

Oh, and the worrying about how you will love the second as much is a real thing but honestly, it’s not a problem when they arrive. The love just doubles, not cut in half.

17 months between my youngest 2. I found is hardest when youngest was 9-18 months. So I was working and with 2 toddlers at home (and an 8 yr old) I worked opposite shifts to my partner to save on nursery fees. But they get on great now happy to play with each other. Older one was never jealous as brother was just always there. He just slotted into the routine as I was already doing all the baby things anyway.

Very hard to begin with (14mt gap). In fact VERY hard. You've essentially got 2 babies but at different stages of development. I'd never do that gap again that's for sure.

However now they are 3 and 2 they really play nicely together and are into the same things etc so it's almost like I have twins now. It was a godsend for lockdown as they were able to play together rather than one toddler and one baby who doesn't know how to play.

I have a 14 month age gap and, generally, it’s genuinely been amazing. The oldest was in an absolutely solid routine, to the point slept through the birth of the youngest even though we were all in the same house! The youngest has got the same routine. They both nap together in the afternoon, bath together and go to bed at the same time. I personally chose to bottle feed because I do think it would have been a lot harder to breastfeed with a 14 month old around. the age gap was planned this way and now the youngest is almost 1, I have absolutely zero regrets :)

Hard work I would advise to wait and get the first one sleeping properly first. 2 lots of nappies complete hell.

It’s very hard when they are little, even though ds1 was the easiest most placid toddler, ds2 was much harder work as a baby and it was full on. Now they are older 9 & 8 and are best friends(mostly).