Postpartum hormones? Unexpected feelings after 2nd baby

[H2023]

I know nobody can decide for me and that I need to wait a while but just need to put my thoughts down. When pregnant with our second I felt all along that she would be our last. But she’s now three months old and pretty much since she’s been born I don’t feel done. I don’t know why, I feel so lucky to have a son and daughter, straight forward pregnancies etc and I know all the “cons “ if we did have a third.

DS is 3 so if we did go again I’d wait until he’s in school to avoid 3 in nursery, so likely be around 5 with our DD 2 by then. I do really love the baby phase and know it’s short lived but also I come from a very small family, had a few cousins growing up which have moved away and one sister who doesn’t know if she wants kids (but is a great Auntie) DH family are in USA so we go over when we can but they never come here, so I think this affects my perspective and is why I long for a bigger family.

I’m 35 this year, work full time, we have a spare room for a third but would probably need a bigger car, holidays will be more expensive but we usually do self catering so that helps. DH works long hours and more often than not isn’t home until late (weekdays) so I do all the childcare, in terms of breakfast, getting dressed, nursery runs, bath and bed. He’s always around at weekends though. My mum helps out two days a week which I’m very thankful for.

Aah I know I’m rambling, just hoping for some objective opinions I think I know deep down what I want but it feels excessive. Has anyone experienced similar so early on postpartum? Did the feelings disappear as the youngest got older and you went back to work? I think about it at length everyday, feel like something is wrong with me 😫Thanks

Yes, I was like that, and yes, it disappeared. But it was so strong at the time...hormones?

A few years later I couldn't think of anything worse

Lots of people want and have 3 regardless of the sex of their children. Just relax, see how you feel. You are still in the newborn baby bubble and don’t need to make any decisions yet!

i am also newly postpartum with DC2, and have never considered a third DC - until now! It’s definitely my hormones as my rational mind knows it’s not something I want

I never wanted a third anyway but I have the same age gap as you and 2 years later they love eachother but we are very much in the winding eachother up and snatching phase and play fighting etc and i would struggle to care for a baby as well. Not to mention DC2 is a terrible sleeper.

I would say let your body heal, go with the flow and i imagine what your partner wants is also a factor.

Thanks for everyone’s replies, it’s good to know others have felt the same

Thank you for giving me that perspective, I hadn’t considered what it will be like a couple
of years from now, proving I’m not thinking rationally! My husband was originally done after two but now he’s a lot more open another, which I think is why I’m now having all these thoughts 😂

I felt like this when my baby was around this age, she’s now 8 months and I am done 😂

For me I think it was a big hormone thing, that and how much she’d changed in those first months. A feeling of deep nostalgia for something that was literally 3 months ago and already missing newborn cuddles

Basically I don’t want another child, it’s that I’d love to relive that newborn phase

Thank you, that’s good to know. Early on I found it hard to accept that this is probably the last time going through it all and having a newborn. Just have to look forward to what’s to come