Pregnant AGAIN!!!

[2ndTimeMother]

So I've just done a test and it's came back with positive! I have no idea how I feel about this
We have 2 children already eldest is 6 years & youngest is 9month old. It was always in the plan to have a 3rd child but another 2 years down the line. I haven't even returned to work after having 2nd child. I've told husband who says he is happy. I on the other hand don't know how I feel... apart from bloody irresponsible!

I have no idea if I'd even be eligible for another lot of maternity leave so soon. It almost certainly mess up my career as it will put me back by 2 years.

If feel guilty on 2nd DC as he will only be 18months when another baby comes along so won't get all the attention.

I also feel I'm not ready for another pregnancy yet, I'm not sure my body can take it! I have been very ill with both previous pregnancies & don't know how I'll manage while already having a baby & working.

No idea how we'll afford 2 in childcare although a nanny is always an option but isn't really something I want.

I have no idea how work are going to take it.

Everything just feels very negative!

I have no idea what I'm hoping to achieve by posting this but I just needed to get my thoughts out.

Hey OP, I fell pregnant when my ds was 6 months although we planned it so slightly different. I won't tell you the whole story but maybe the consideration points we went through on our journey (baby due on thursday).

The government now pays for 30 hrs free childcare for 3+ year olds which your eldest ds will be very close to after maternity leave so childcare costs may not be as bad as you fear if you have nurseries offering this.

Your work might not be happy but they also cannot descriminate against you either. I panicked telling work but they were actually really happy for me and I never got a snide comment, at least not to my face!

Your ds is likely to get so many illnesses when he started nursery (no joke my son got a 2 week gastro virus my first month back) and hand foot and mouth just from us going in for his induction. Then he got bronchitis and conjunctivitus lol. One good thing from a job perspective is your kids are likely to get sick together meaning you have less unpaid leave than you might if you spread them out.

Your ds will have to share you but after a year or so they will have a best friend and built in playmate.

It will be hard and it will be exhausting but hopefully this post alleviates a small amount of your fears as you decide what is best for you. I worried so much about my career too but you don't have to put maternity leave on your CV so even if they are absolutely shit when you go back to work after this baby, your career shouldn't be held back

Hello, just to say that I recently found out that I was pg with DC3. We weren't planning a third at all and spent the first few weeks feeling totally shocked and trying to decide what to do. However, you say that you had always thought that you would have a third, though further down the line. FWIW I think that makes a big difference. It will be tough and the timing may not be ideal, but you will figure out the practicalities and logistics.

Also, 18 months isn't that small an age gap, I know plenty of people who have made it work and a couple of years down the line the kids get on amazingly well (though any length of age gap is no guarantee of that of course!).

If you had always thought you would go for number 3, then it will be fine and you will get it through it.

I feel exactly the same re whether my body can take it though

Thank you both I feel I'm now over the initial shock! Although the timing isn't great & not what we had planned we just have to get on it with it. We will make it work as what other choice do we have. My career will just have to take a back seat as family does come first.

I'm very lucky to have a very supportive husband & family! Although DH is already talking about getting the snip after this 1 ha.