Having DC closer in age or further apart

[Felicityfi16]

Hi all. My DD is 10 months and am feeling very broody. However, I don’t know whether having two close together or a bit further apart is better/easier. There’s fors and againsts of both.

At what age did you have your DC and how far apart are they? Do you think it was easier this way or do you wish they were a bit further apart or closer in age?

Thanks! 😊

20 months between my two, oldest will be 2 next week. Its definitely not easy at the moment as they have such different needs and I feel I spend all day pulled between them. BUT... my oldest loves to do tummy time with his brother, he kisses him goodnight and brings him toys to 'play'. I can already see that they will be close and wonder if the transition to 2 has been easier than expected because the oldest already cannot remember life before his brother. Also, we never had a break from nappies or sleepless nights so they havent been a shock this time!

Can’t answer this properly as still pregnant with no 2 but she will be born when DS is 2.5 and I’m really pleased about that. DS has grown up lots in the past few months - he is potty trained, can speak fluently, play for short periods independently, can sit at the table instead of his high chair and we are moving him to a bed soon. I feel like I fully enjoyed his whole babyhood and when the new one comes he will have that bit more independence to make it easier for all of us. 2.5 years is still w small enough gap that they will hopefully play together and have interests in common growing up. DS will also start pre school while I’m on mat leave which will mean I’m around to help him settle in and will get some one to one time with the baby.

We decided to start trying again when my son reached 1 year old... then conceived immediately and now due baby number 2 in a fortnight, 21 months apart. Dreading 2 under 2 a bit but also I feel life has been getting easier with my toddler lately and if we left it too long it would be more of a shock to the system to have number 2! We intend to stop at 2 kids so kind of want to get both pregnancies out of the way (partly for the sake of my career too).

I personally really struggled with age 2.5-3, so was grateful I didn’t have a 2nd then. But if I was going to have 2 close together, I would have made sure I could have childcare. I was a SAHP at the time, and think if I had 2 to look after it would have been incredibly difficult. Instead my little one will be 4 when baby comes, which I’m sure will present it’s own challenges. There is no right or wrong answer xx