Anyone else expecting baby number 4 (or more)?

[MissMattyJenkins]

I am. And I'm wondering what it will be like. I'll have a four year gap since the last baby (the rest were close together). The newborn phase seems like a distant memory. Its hard to make time to think about getting things organised for this baby! Anyone else in a similar situation?

Hi. I am 43 and expecting baby no. 4 and I will have a 10 year age gap between my youngest and this one!

Although it all seems like a distant memory I am excited and looking forward to it. My worry is ensuring that I have time for my older children and that I will also have to work again after a couple of months of maternity leave. I guess we will have to work it all out as we go along!

So much has changed though, new style pushchairs, next to the bed cots etc. I am quite looking forward to shopping for the baby although need to keep my 'sensible' head on!

I am maternity shopping today with eldest DD (16) so we might go play with some prams whilst we are out and about!

Should add maternity shopping for me not DD! She is my adviser!

Hi Sezramum, congratulations!

I think your situation will work out so well I mean the older kids will be able to help with the baby, especially your eldest DD. I can really relate to your worry about having time for the older children though. My older ones (includes a set of twins) will be starting school/learning to read etc and ought to have my attention (eldest is 5). I am quite worried about that side of things, the timing of this pregnancy is not ideal.

Is there no way you could have more than 2 months mat leave? It sounds like you would enjoy it. (I know its not always realistic.)

Have a lovely day shopping

Hi, me too! I'm expecting number 4 with quite a large age gap of 11 years between youngest DC and baby. Pregnancy seemed much easier in my early 20s than at 3lthe wrong side of 30s but I couldn't be more excited!
I agree with you sezra about there being so many new things about now, I've been eyeing up the side sleeper cribs but yet to decide which one to go for.
Here's to healthy and happy pregnancies to us all

I am! I'm 41 and it's my 6th pregnancy following a late miscarriage in January. I have. 4 DS's aged between 12 and 18 (DP has 2 DD's aged 11 and 9) so I feel a bit like I'm starting all over again as its been so long! I'm due in May.

Congratulations PUMPKIN and PROBABLYME ??

I wish I was excited like you Pumpkin and Sezra. My problem is that I can't believe it's happening even though I'm almost at term now. It was a surprise but I'd assumed I'd have adjusted to it by now. I haven't even looked out my old baby clothes yet. Others I know who are pregnant are so enthusiastic and getting organised.

PROBABLYME I am sorry to hear about your loss it must have been traumatic, perhaps even more so if it was a late mc. I hope this pregnancy runs smoothly for you. And for all of us

The ?? was accidental, sorry!

I'm expecting no4 in January. still in denial about the whole thing to be honest! although I have now cleared out what will be the nursery which has been used as storage! we had a bleed the other week so that has focused the mind on getting the house organised, finding the newborn gear etc in case I have to go into hospital again. need to make sure things are as easy as possible for DH if I need to go in again! this week I plan to pack my bag just in case and make sure the house is tidy!

I'm 28 weeks, DC1 will be 6 and DTs nearly 4 when this one arrives - finally left the baby stage behind - no changing bag, no pushchair etc and I go back and start again! that's what I'm most nervous about to be honest - back to broken sleep, feeding battles etc.

Your set-up is very like mine RainWilds. I hope all goes well after having had a bleed recently.

I too felt I'd just left the baby stage behind so it's all very surreal. At least one baby will take less time to feed and change after twins ( that's what I'm telling myself anyway!).

I'm almost at term so I need to force myself to organise things soon and pack a hospital bag too. The denial phase is more persistent than I imagined!

I am 17 wks with baby 6!

My others are 16, 13, 10, 7 and 4. Youngest started school in sept and yes also feel like we are going backwards. I have two and half years between each of my others so I am assuming this time just having a baby at home whilst the others are at school will seem easy... Plus my elder kids are big enough to pitch in etc, they are all quite excited about the baby.

Me too! No 4 due in May, my others are 5, 3 and 1. I'm glad they're all close in age, but I was rubbing my hands with joy at the thought of not breastfeeding a baby while potty training a toddler again. The big three are getting to a manageable point and suddenly I'm on the floor energy-wise and have v.bad sickness. Very happy to be having another though

Rain even though it's only 6 months since I was waking for night feeds I'm still dreading going back to it again!

Congrats 5madthings and thestyle

Madthings I think having your youngest at school will make the daytime so much more manageable. My others aren't all at school yet. What was it like going from 3 to 4 children?

style I hope your sickness settles soon.

Are you others in the minority having four? I'm the only one amongst my friends/family. So no-one to compare with!

BTW I made the mistake of browsing some threads about reasons not to have four children in the Larger Families section. That was a Mistake!!

Going three to four was fine, you are already outnumbered anyway!

Tbh for us the biggest shock was having number one and it's been fine since, I mean yrs with a larger family life is a bit crazy but it's a good crazy :)

I am know as the mad mum of five at school, but everyone was loveky when I announced baby six and we get nothing but compliments on our family.

5madthings that is a cheering post :)

What do you think the positives of a larger family are?

missmatty yes I keep telling myself it has to be easier with one baby than it was with twins and a toddler at home! DC1 is at school and DTs are at pre-school 3 days a week so I'm looking forward to enjoying quality baby time this time around which I didn't get to do with the twins.

amongst my friends I'm the only one with 3 never mind the 4th! however there are quite a few 3 and 4 child families at the DC school so not uncommon locally. I've had nothing but positive comments (except from the crazy MIL).

thestyle I likewise feel so washed out and sick and exhausted and feel really bad for the DC that I cant play like they want to. they are all really excited about the baby though!!

Rain If this was a planned fourth DC I think I'd have had it next year when the DTs started school. On the other hand it'll be nice having an almost one-year-old next year when they start, sort of like having only one DC for a few hours a day!
Hope your nausea settles, zofran is great if not

Its so good to hear lots of positivity on this thread for a larger family

Sorry there are others with bad sickness and exhaustion too it's rotten. I've had it with the three previous pregnancies and I've had medication every time. It helps but doesn't eliminate it. This time I'm on cyclizine, which has really dropped the number of times I'm sick but the nausea rarely goes and is really overwhelming.

My eldest is home schooled so they're all at home all the time which adds to the guilt and the tiredness!

Keep going everyone!!

I was told that going from 2 to 3 is the hardest jump and that any more than 3 you just don't really notice! What do you think Madthings? I didn't find 2 to 3 hard apart from feeding the baby was hard as the other two would go a bit bonkers in the first few months! So I'm hoping no4 wi just slide in to family life.

I'm 31w with baby No5. He was planned, but there's a 5.5yr gap since my last pregnancy so I'm a little wary of starting again after more than a year of having everyone in full-time school but we do love the happy chaos that a larger family brings.

I'm the only mum I know with more than 2 or 3 DC, so I'm already considered the crazy one... this baby is just solidifying my craziness to all and sundry. I quite like being crazy though.

Sezramum I'm only taking a little maternity leave too. I'm self employed and the main earner, so more would be a real financial challenge. DH is taking 6months ShPL when I go back.

PS thestyle DC4 was my easiest transition - he just slid into family life like you said.

Wow kudos on more than 4 everyone!

We are changing the car from an estate to a seven seater but our trouble is needing to still fit at least a single pram in the boot plus two small bikes at present and three soon.

We've narrowed the search down but would be interested to know what everyone else drives with school age/car seat age kids.

I've got a Grand Espace, which I believe is the largest 'car derived' vehicle to buy in the UK. It is huuuuuge and it has seven proper seats... but it's still not big enough for us.

We've got 13/11/8/5 and soon-to-be newborn, so need 2 high back boosters plus a large extended rear facing seat. With everyone in the car there's just room for a smallish pram in the pitiful boot. However (who likes a simple life, eh?) we also have 2 large breed 18m old 'puppies' who don't fit in the car if we use all 7 seats.

I feel a minibus coming on...

(We do like the Espace though, so will probably keep it and replace DH's significantly more attractive, more fun to drive 5 seat sporty number with something 'practical'!)

we have a Toyota previa, obviously an older car as they don't make them anymore but its fab. ours is a 2005. 7 full seats, all removable (as standard I have one side seat of the middle row missing so will be using the 2 back seats and the middle and one side seat of the middle row which allos loads of space for the DC to get in and out without needing to fold a seat forward. also good space for bags/lunchboxes etc.) with all 7 seats in we can still get a double buggy in the boot! (had the graco Quattro tour and then the nipper 360 in it) it also fits two britax evolva 123's with a britax HBB in the middle across the middle row for when I've needed massive boot space and taken the back two seats out. sliding doors which are brilliant! highly recommend it!

I have 8 weeks left till baby 5 arrives I'm so scared and worried my last born is now 7 I have a 9 yr old and twins of 13 the thought of having another c.section so cclose to Xmas is a worry although at the same time I'm so very excited just the big gap that scares me really so much has changed x

I'm 36 and expecting baby #4. I have DDs 12&10 and DS 16mths. The gap between the girls and DS has pros and cons. They are a great help and an extra pair of hands when I need them but the need to drag a small baby on the school run/swim training/dancing/gymnastics etc at stupid times makes it really hard especially as DHs work is unpredictable and I have no family/friends nearby.

Congratulations myfamily and biffle. I see there's a thread on discussions of the day about big families. I'm going to read it in the hope that it will have lots of positives for us!