Advice - 15 Months between kids ?

[DaddyDayCare89]

Hello, first post here after reading comments on this site over the past 12 months.

Me and my wife have a beautiful baby girl (10 months) and have just found out she is pregnant again (Another girl - not planned). She is 19 weeks pregnant and didn't even realise, no sickness and just thought she had put a little weight on after having number 1.

I have read lot's of positive comments about how they will become best friends and the close age gap (should) mean there is no jealousy etc. But I want to find out the bad and hard things as we live in a small 2 bed house and I just can picture how this is going to work, please don't hold back - them both sleeping is my main concern. Thanks..

Congratulations :) Personally, I think that them being so close together is better than trying for a second when the other is/will be around 2, as they are so much more demanding at that age. Yes, it will be a bit chaotic at first, but you'll get it all out of the way sooner. (caveat: I've not done this myself!) Sleeping will probably be an issue, but impossible to tell until the new arrival is here as all babies are different sleep-wise.

I know I would have really struggled if we'd had a second once my first was 2/3; we're expecting now and he'll be 4.5 when new arrival comes, which is hopefully easier.

Watching with interest. Our little girl is 9 months and I'm 17 weeks. Everyone I've spoken to has been very positive about it.

Thanks savagehk, after spending the last few days thinking about it I think you're right. Hopefully being so close in age will mean they have the same interests and will play together growing up.

Mainly wanted to see if anyone had some horror stories, for some reason I like to hear worst case scenarios. Odd I know! :-)

I'm sure you'll find ways of coping, most people I know who are of similar age gap to their siblings seem really close. I have similar fears as pregnant for first time and with twins which I was not expecting. I think my life is most probably going to be plunged into total chaos and I dread the sleep issues with each twin waking the other etc during the night but I just keep telling myself it'll be fine. Not sure I'll be saying that at 3am in the morning in 5 months time but for now must think positive!

My dd x 2 are 15 months apart. Hormones starting to kick in at 10+11 but been fine up til now!!

Congratulations to you. I had 21 months between my eldest two and to be honest it was fine. We found that one changed our lives completely but two didn't make much difference. We went on to have another one, so I had three under five, which again was fine. Yes it was hard work and yes there was sleepless nights, poorly children, nappies and an untidy house but that's kids no matter what the age gap. The upside was it got the baby years over in one hit. You'll be fine.

I have 14 months between my middle two. The nightmare was that I got chronic SPD and of course the older wasn't even walking! Needed a double pushchair, 2 cots, 2 highchairs etc.

Only other horrific thing was that the baby had silent reflux so lots of screaming and misery however that is the same level of awfulness regardless of age gap!

Overall it is my favourite age gap and had I planned my 4 DC "better" I would have had 2 close together then a 3 year gap and then the younger 2 close together

Hi, wanted comment as SLEEP is a big issue in our house. In the sense that if mummy doesn't have enough then she turns into a fire breathing dragon!!!! Lol. I have 4,3,2 year olds and I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant with number four. We live in a two bedroom house. They are big room s and we are looking into splitting the biggest room in two but at the moment we have our eldest 2 in one room and the youngest still in our room. We have just bought bunk beds and are about to do the big shift around. I'll be honest, I was always wary of putting the oldest two together but when we finally did it there were no dramas. Our eldest used to suffer with night terrors, I'm talking screaming down the house for hours on end and she very rarely woke her younger sister. For the most part I will be honest and say all is fine. We cope well and the only thing that drives me insane (hence the name) is the amount of "stuff" they have. I make a conscious effort not to buy stuff but we have a large family and grandparents Love to buy, buy, buy. I'm forever trying to stream line wardrobe, get rid of outsized clothes, broken toys. You will be fine and thing will just work out. I love having my children so close and it true, they are all the best of friends. X

I'm the eldest, my DSis is 15 months younger. Although we're close now, there were times growing up - particularly in our teens - when life was hard. I think my sister felt in my shadow as I was going through all the milestones first (exams, etc) and she didn't think people treated her achievements in the same way. Although she knows this isn't true, that isn't how it felt for her at the time! On the other hand, I felt that she got away with far more as my parents tested the boundaries on me. This isn't true either looking back, but teenagers are notoriously insecure.

I think these type of problems occur to a greater or lesser extent with all siblings, but being closer together in age I think my parents found it rather intense so be prepared for a time when they may not be very good friends for a while!