Is a 2 - 2 1/2 yr age gap really that bad?

[jumblies]

Am feeling really depressed today. I am currently pregnant with my second baby and everyone who I've told has replied with a negative response to the age gap that my children will have between them.

My DD will be 2 yrs 3 months old when the new baby arrives. She is fairly clingy and we did not plan this pregnancy as I was going to try for a 3 plus age gap so that she would be more mature to deal with it.

I am really scared about how she will deal with it all, and more to the point how I will!!

Are there any positives to having an age gap like this?

That's the age gap I had between my two daughters and it was lovely! Far better than the 20 months between the first two. But then it depends so much on individual children's personalities. And they change so quickly at this age. You may find that she suddenly matures a lot. The positives outweigh the negatives by my reckoning- the two children will be close together in age and have a lot of fun together. Plus you get them through the nappy stage in quick succession.

There is a gap of 2 years 9 months between dd and ds. I vaguely remember reading somewhere(think it was Patrick Holford) that it takes 2 years for the body to totally recover from pregnancy.Naturally, I followed his advice to the letter My dd is fantastic with baby brother, very protective and can run to get me things, wipes, nappies etc. Congratulations!

I have 2yrs 5 days between my two and is definitely a good age gap.
DS was jealous to start with and the first few months were not easy, but are they ever easy with a new born.
As they have got older it has been a very good age gap and they have been good company for each other.

It's a perfect gap, particularly if they are same sex siblings, I think that makes more difference than the age gap.

jumblies - my kids are 8 and 6 and the 2 yr age gap was really tough at the beginning (bcs of exceedingly tantrum-prone DD at that stage), i cannot pretend any different. BUT they are such chums now! they are a real little team and get up to all sorts all the time together. so don't you worry - it will all work out beautifully. good luck!

I had the same from people.

I think thats a nice age gap hun. There is 14 months between my DS1 & DS2
18 months between DS2 & DS3.
So from DS1-DS3 2 years 8 months.

It hasnt been that bad tbh - dont listen to other peoples neg comments - its not their life is it!?

Good luck with your future babe xx

There are 2 years 8 months gap between DD1 and DD2 and 2 years 1 month between DD2 and 3. It was a bit harder with the closer gap but it worked out fine.

Eh? You've had negative comments about that? Bizarre. Nobs. Whoever gave you that idea is a plonker. DS will be 2.8 when DC2 arrives. Nobody i know has suggested thats in any way a 'big gap'. In fact no-one has mentioned the age gap at all. I think its a great gap - given me a chance to catch my breath and for DS to (finally) sleep through!!

How pointlessly negative - what are you supposed to do about the age gap once you're pregnant? My girls are 2 1/2 years apart - now 11 and 8, and are lovely together. We had a brief period of cheesed-off toddler right at the beginning (cheesed off with me that is, she was always nice to her sister), tailing off completely once the baby was on her feet and becoming a useful little mate.

I didn't know there was anything wrong with 2/2.5 years. It's what we planned!

2 years one month between my two, and FWIW I think it's great. When DS2 was born, DS1 was old enough to know that a new sibling was arriving, old enough to spend the day with mates, come home and meet the brother etc. He has been pretty good with him all along (bar the odd fratricide attempt! ) and they get on really well at the moment.

Personally I think a smaller gap would have been harder in terms of having to look after a toddler with no common sense and a small baby; similarly a larger gap would mean that would be at very different stages and find playing together less appealing as they grow up. I think all gaps have pros and cons, and you will find your own way through things.

Firstly Congratulations!

I have 2.3 yrs between dd1 and b/g dts. It's a great age gap and my girls fight play wonderfully together. My dd1 was also very clingy but gained independence once the dts arrived, she loved helping with them when they were smaller and still loves teaching them things.

I think it's one of the easiest age gaps. (Have five dcs aged 1.1-6.3 so plenty of age gaps to consider)

Don't worry about what other people say, some people just open their mouths without thinking, enjoy the rest of your pg and enjoy your time alone with her as much as you can before the new one arrives.

2.4 between mine (and between me and my brother)they argue of course but they are lovely together too and play together a lot (little one has just turned two)I haven't found it a bad gap.I got on really well with my brother most of the time when we were small,early teens we fought a lot,and then late teens we got on again.I think tempermnet can be more of an issue than any age gap .