Is 4 children too many?

[Willthisworknow]

I am 42. Had to have IVF for my first quickly followed by 2 natural pregnancies. My kids are 5, 3 and 1. Now I'm feeling broody again but as you can imagine with my age etc, it seems craz yet want a 4th, ESP as its difficult enought with 3. Why is it your body gives you these crazy thoughts..... But anyone at this age coping with 4 young ins?????

I'll let you know in two months!! 7, 5 and 2 years old and due in March!

Always wanted four children. First two were very hard as babies (colic/spiritedness for the first, failure to sleep - ever - for the second) so we thought we might stop after a third. But he was so easy as a baby compared to the first two that a fourth seemed reasonable again.

Took a year for us to conceive (I'll be almost 38 when DC4 is born) and I'm now 7 months pregnant. Trouble is, in the last six months or so our "easy" third has now turned into an increasingly nightmare toddler and with no family support I have to wonder what on earth we are doing. I'm hoping some of it is just pregnancy exhaustion and my mobility issues thanks to SPD, and once the birth is out the way it'll get easier. Well, so long as she's an easyish baby. Else, we're screwed or DC3 spends more time in nursery in the absence of family support to give me a break! Thankfully the older two are now both at school, so it's just the school holidays that fill me with terror!!

No 4 is not too many. I'd actually like 2 more but money and time mean its currently a no no!
You can do it op, having 4 is lovely :)

I found having 4 much harder once we were out of babyhood. When you are dealing with 4 real personalities rather than the basic needs of milk, sleep and a clean nappy. I do love it though.

Re age, can't help you there. I had my 4th at 30!

DS4 is three days old and so far, so good (although I suspect juggling four children may get trickier once he's out of the eat-sleep-poo phase and actually has opinions and the like )

Re age I turn 40 in April and my baby-making days are well and truly done. Even if I wanted more, I've found the anxieties of being pregnant/giving birth have increased with age (had Ds1 at 30, DS2 at 35, DS3 at 36). There are more risks the older you are and the more children you have (which I had no idea about until I was presented with compression stockings and a week's worth of clexane injections following my straightforward vaginal birth ). But then I do have a squishy little newborn to make up for it

At the end of the day, only you can make that decision. Round here you wouldn't stand out either as the majority of my friends with young kids/babies are late-30s/early-40s

Good luck with whatever you decide

I will be, DC4 due next summer, I will be old! (41) Have you looked on the larger families board? I get quite a few ideas from there that make life easier.

Hi I'm 42 and had 2DCs age 15 and 12 and then a surprise DC 12 weeks ago, my DP has managed to convince me to have another so I'm giving my body a rest because I had a third CS and then we will try again in the summer when I'll be 43. I don't know if it will happen but we can only try :)

Hi I've had 3 c sections too so to have a 4 th.... Not sure my DH will go for it and might not be able to have any more - but I like the thought of still trying . Regardless am happy with 3 too as I never thought I'd be able to have any!

I have four dcs (all caesareans too) it can be hard at times but also lots of fun.

I'm one of 4 and have to say that being one of 4 is the best thing ever. There's no-one else like my siblings in the world and my childhood was so rich for it. If that helps.

My 4 are close in age too. I am nearly 36 and have 7,5,3 and 1yr olds. Its manic, and I'm glad I can stay at home because I'm not on top of the washing most of the time, without having to do a proper job as well! Its fun, in between the chaos bits. I do love my 2 mornings a week when they're all out at school/nursery though :)