Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Original poster

How many children do you have and are you happy with that number?

101 replies

kitpuss · 11/05/2010 21:21

Just wondering whether people out there are happy with their 1, 2, 3, 4 or more children.

What are the best and worst things about the number you have, and would you do it all the same again?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
CoinOperatedGirl · 11/05/2010 22:54

Like I say, we have 3 atm. I could imagine us having 4, ds1 keeps asserting the fact that there is a missing sister . I do like three though, feels better than 2 somehow, but god knows about 4.

minxofmancunia · 11/05/2010 23:16

have 2 a girl and a boy. that's absolutely enough for me, no way i want anymore find pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding horrible. only know of 3 3 child families don't know any families with more. most have 1 or 2 and are stopping at that. TBH was a big leap of faith for me to go from 1 to 2 but ds is fab and I'm glad i did. no more though.

marriednotdead · 11/05/2010 23:17

2 and yes, both planned. DD wishes I had had 2nd sooner as she has always felt like an only child (10 yr gap) and would have liked a playmate but circumstances dictated otherwise.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting
bronze · 11/05/2010 23:19

I have 4 would have loved more but DH doesnt. I think this is mainly because of the house/money situation so I can see his point even if it makes me sad. He had the snip.

popcal · 12/05/2010 10:26

I have 4 children 3 ds and 1 dd. Ds3 was born in January this year and feel my family is now complete at last. I had my first 3 close together and then a 4 year gap so its lovely to have a baby in the house again. The best bit ..life is busy and chaotic but love holidays when we are all together. The worst bits...arguements and bickering between the older ones and mealtimes (I feel like I run a cafe!!!)

sarah293 · 12/05/2010 10:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

tostaky · 12/05/2010 14:39

I have two, would love three but for various reasons (money/time/sense of self) we will limit ourselves to two

mistletoekisses · 13/05/2010 09:57

I have two. Two adorable and healthy boys.

I would love a third (and DH is happy to go support me in a decision), but the numbers just don't stack up. I would have to give up my job and given the current economic situation, don't think that is wise.

If I was younger and could space them out a bit, would definitely have a third. The thought of three DC's under 5 fills me with mild panic.

My brother thinks I am silly. He says you can always earn money and find a way to make ends meet. You cannot always have more children.

Lisassister · 13/05/2010 10:26

We've got 1, 6y DS. Initially planned on having another, but time went on and life got comfortable.... Now I'm nearly 42 and feel the time has passed. We really enjoy having one, and he sees other kids all the time which I think is important. Was not prepared however for the negative reactions at our decision to stop at one... Everyone has to make these decisions for themselves and not for their kids. My niece is also an only child, now 21 and says her childhood was lovely and she's a very kind, sociable young lady (a paediatric nurse!), so I hope our son turns out just as well. He seems very happy, lots of friends, never asks about brothers & sisters.

StealthPolarBear · 13/05/2010 10:28

2, and while i miss being pregnant, giving birth & newborn, i'm happy with 2 and in a way relieved i'll never have to do it again

Sakura · 13/05/2010 10:42

I have 2. I always wanted more. I think I do want another one...or two...
I find pregnancy hard- terrible morning sickness (why on earth is it called that when you get it all day ). I hate childbirth, obviously. I hate the newborn tiredness and not being able to work properly.
THey are such a joy, though. DS is 10 months and we've been chuckling at private jokes all day.
Ah well, we'll see. Plenty of time.

Sakura · 13/05/2010 10:46

Bloody hell Marjoriew. 7!

largeginandtonic · 13/05/2010 10:53

7 i want one more. Luckily i am pregnant so hopefully that will make 8.

Unless it's twins again. The number 9 would upset me

notso · 13/05/2010 11:07

I have two, DD10 next week, DS5, and am just pg with number three.

I never thought Dh would change his mind about having a third and had sadly resigned myself to two when he did at Christmas.

Hopefully we will have one more after this one, would love more than that, very jealous of those with 6,7 and nearly 8 but we really could not afford any more than 4 without sacrificing a lot of things, like food and clothes!

toja555 · 13/05/2010 12:21

I have one DS and am pregnant with No.2. With the minimum support that I receive from my DH and also from financial point of view, I will be happy with two.

FoghornLeghorn · 13/05/2010 12:24

I have 3, all girls. DH would love another, maybe for the chance of having a boy but would be just a happy with a 4th DD. I'm inbetween..... I sometimes think I would like another but other times look forward to moving forward as we are and not keep taking backward steps into babyhood.

Plus I work full time while DH stays at home so would be very tight if we were to have another

dinkystinky · 13/05/2010 12:32

Have 2 - would love 3 but waiting to see if DH comes round to that point of view. Know 3 would mean changing our lifestyle quite a lot.

cupofcoffee · 13/05/2010 18:10

I have 3 and am happy with what I've got. Although dd is only 4 months and I'm worried that I will get broody when she is past the baby stage, and if I do will I be able to resist?

Thediaryofanobody · 13/05/2010 19:10

I have 2 DC but before we had DD we though we may only have one thinking that we would have a better quality of life.
Then we realized that having another DC really wouldn't cost any more being that we had all the baby gear. Plus our lifestyle changed majority we moved to a village and decided to Home educate and didn't want DD to feel isolated.

So now DC2 is 11 months and we are starting to think about another one or two.
Again it's coming down to lifestyle and money and if another 2 children will really make a massive difference financially?
At the moment the big difference we can see is the car but we were thinking of getting a bigger more practical car anyway as we intend to move to an even more rural location.

For me the number of children we have has been an organic process we are so happy with the 2 we have and if I couldn't get pregnant again I'm sure I'd accept it fine but I've surprised myself with how strong the urge to have a few more is!

Quattrocento · 13/05/2010 19:16

I have 2

Wouldn't mind having fewer ...

Bonsoir · 13/05/2010 19:17

I have one DD and two (teenage) DSSs.

Just like DP, I think three DDs would be much more fun!

DidYouDoThisOnMyHead · 13/05/2010 19:23

2, I want more though. I keep saying I need sleep before I have more but I'm teetering on the edge of dangerously broody. Just don't tell dh!

Sakura · 14/05/2010 04:10

. I keep saying I need sleep before I have more

haha, that's me too. I just one one good night of sleep before I even contemplate another

thumbwitch · 14/05/2010 04:18

I have one - we would both like another, working on it but I might be too old

If I had my time again I would like to have been able to start younger - but would probably still only want 2.

tortoiseonthehalfshell · 14/05/2010 06:12

I have one (18 mo), I want 4. It probably won't happen; my husband feels very uncomfortable without a decent financial cushion under us and I'm the main breadwinner so taking off maternity leave is a big deal for us. And I'm already 32 without a second on the way. We'll probably end up with 2, maybe 3, and I think that will have to be fine.