13/14 month age gap

[Jamjar18]

Hi, I am after some positive stories!! Found out today I am pregnant. I have a 5.5 month old but the test was really strong and I had a 3+ on the clearblue so I’m guessing I’m at least 5 weeks, probably a little more. We weren’t trying, I am exclusively breastfeeding but these things happen! I wanted another and did want a fairly small age gap but I never anticipated this small! Could you throw some positive experiences my way so i start freaking out a little less

I'm not going to lie it's a tough age gap for the first couple of years. You basically have two babies with totally different needs for a while and it's hard. Then you have the terrible twos/threes all at once, but again with totally different needs.

BUT, they are interested in the same sort of things at the same time as they get older. The nappies/ potty training stage isn't as long. If they are the same sex then after the age of 2 you can just about get away with them both fitting in the same clothes/socks/knickers, you can justifiably have a double pushchair.

Thank you for your reply. Yes I’ve thought about when they are older and it should be a lovely age gap. Like you said it’s the logistics of having 2 babies different ages that is giving me a lot of anxiety. But I keep saying to myself that at least I’m getting it all done and rather then getting used to full nights sleep going back to the newborn stage. My 5.5 month old still wakes to feed a couple of times a night so will more then likely be rolling from one the other!

I've a slightly bigger gap, 16 months. DC2 also conceived while breastfeeding. Like you, we wanted a small gap & weren't exactly reventing but reckoned the bf would delay conception, especially as it had taken ages to get pregnant with DC2. But no!

My first port of call after I found out was to a friend with a very small gap, who helped me get my head round it. But it was a while before I stopped freaking out as you put it. Luckily the pregnancy was easy.

Anyway, I won't lie, the first year was a bit of a blur, but the two of them have grown up as best friends and are so close. It can't have been too bad because I had DC3 a couple of years later

Thank you! Yes the circumstances sound very similar. I’m really nervous about telling people (i wouldn’t for a few weeks anyway) because I know they are all going to tell me how tough it’s going to be. I need to wrap my head around it first. I don’t know anyone else with a very small age gap, all my friends are just having baby 1. But I have spoken to my mum who had 4 in 6.5 years so she had some words of wisdom! The fact you had DC3 just goes to show you weren’t scared for life!

Haha, I'm not scarred for life, but my three boys have been very hard work at times

My MIL had four in just over four years, so I had it fairly easy in comparison!

Congratulations, btw, you'll be just fine.

I had 5 babies in under 7 years so had similar age gaps for mine. It’s not easy but they are more likely to be into similar types of toys, once they are past a certain age, probably in the same size nappies etc.

It was much easier then than it is now I have 4 teenagers and a 10 year old 😂 I would definitely do it again

I can't comment from a parenting point of view but my mum fell pregnant with my brother when I was 6 months old. She then fell pregnant with my youngest sibling when he was 2 so she had 3 under 4. She said it was the best time of her life!

We are all in our 30s now and are still very close. Growing up, family holidays were great as we always had each other to play with.

I don't doubt it would be very difficult at times (and exhausting) but that period won't last forever and the benefit to the kids is unmeasurable (in my experience).

Congratulations!