Baby no 3...does it complete your family?

[YRose123]

Experiences/thoughts/ opinions...

Just wanted to know how everyone's experiences were trying/having/ planning their third baby...

I want one next year, so would like to try fall pregnant for around the end of this year.

My 2 girls are 8 and 5 this year, so it's nice time to try for final child as they are much older and more independent.

How did people find it adapting to child number 3? How was the labour/pregnancy? Financial etc?

Not quite the perspective you’re looking for, but I am one of 3 with similar age gaps to what you’re proposing, and my DMs always said she wished there wasn’t such a gap between 2nd and 3rd and that she’d have like to have a 4th, as youngest child was so much younger and at a different stage to other children, was more left out, it was hard to do things altogether. Days out where a pain trying to keep all the different ages happy. I’d like 3 myself but will be having them much closer together.

She’d have liked to have a 4th to make a second ‘pair’ *

I’m pregnant with my third, I’ll have a 4 year old, almost 2 year old and newborn. Pregnancy wise it’s probably been the easiest- no sickness at all this time round and forget I’m pregnant half the time, probably because I’m so busy with work and the other two. I think the completing your family thing is very individual, I just always wanted three- I remember thinking maybe after baby 2 was born, I’d feel we were done, but I just didn’t. Whereas I know loads of people who think we’re mad going for a third, but it’s just right for us. My own sibling age gap is similar to what you’d have- I’m the youngest and have two older siblings 6 and 8 years old than me- we are all really close as adults- am glad my parents went for a third 😊

@RoseGoldEagle congratulations on your pregnancy! How exciting. And I get exactly what you mean about people having different views etc. People always say I'd be mad. Or it will be hard etc but I just don't feel complete in a way so I know I want a third to just know that I never carried on through life thinking I wish I had another, and feel like I'm done with children and I'm happy I have all of the three I have ♥️

That's good, pregnancy was awful for me and I found it so hard where my eldest was only turning 3 at the time. But this time I know my kids will be more understanding and helpful so it won't feel as stressful. Can I ask with the COVID pandemic how your pregnancy has been and what's changed in regards of appointments etc?

We never went for a third as we are both the middle one of three and always said it was two or four. Most of my friends who went for No 3 eventually had No 4 as well. My son and his wife have three and the way describe it is’2 children aren’t enough and 3 are too many’.

mdh2020 I know what you mean- I wonder about our second child and whether it’s harder because you haven’t got that place as the first born, or the youngest. Our middle is a boy and the other two girls so guess that gives him his own uniqueness in a way! It’s something I want to be aware of though- what was it about being a middle that you and DH didn’t like if you don’t mind me asking?

OP- most of my early appointments were over the phone, scans have been on my own ( but to be honest would have been anyway as DH would have been looking after the other two anyway), but I haven’t found it in any way an issue- I do know that’s partly because I’m low risk and am having an easy pregnancy so far, I think I’d have struggled had it been my first. I’ve been working from home so had none of the stress of travelling for work like I usually do (as in not just the commute but I usually do a lot of driving with my job), so it’s actually been quite nice to be honest! Although we went for a small age gap, I can also see the benefits of your age gap too- my Mum says the older girls were so excited and loved helping out with me, and she loved that she got time with me while the other two were in school.