What’s the best age gap?

[NickiJay94]

I need opinions! My daughter is 8 and my son is near 2, I felt that the 6 year gap was a bit too much, but is two years too soon? What age gaps do people have?

I've got a 5 year gap, a 15 month gap and will have a 6 year gap when dc4 arrives in a few weeks.

That should tell you something about how I felt about the short gap 😂

I have a 2.5 year gap, and then a 4.5 year gap. I love the big gap, they all love each other and the then-7 year old really loves the youngest so so much.

You'll get every answer here :)
There are 3 years and 1 day between my two. That was perfect for me. By that point DD1 was big enough to function fairly independently and didn't need the baby equipment (rear-facing car seat, pram, cot, baby gros, etc.) any more.

It has worked well for them too: close enough in age to have lots in common but in distinct phases so not always stepping on each others toes. They enjoy having their birthdays on consecutive days.

Many people will tell you that the length (or not) of gap wasn't their choice but determined by a wide range of other factors. As you know, babies come in their own time.

Whatever your gaps, you'll make them work for you.

I found out at my DCs 1st birthday party that I was expecting my second DC. It was hard in some ways but also easy as they went through each stage together. They're now teens and I'm glad to not be doing school runs etc anymore. All child rearing was done in one block of my life is what I'm meaning.

I get some time to myself now before they start their adult lives and possibly add grandchildren to the family in which case, I'll likely be over the trauma by then, of being a single parent to two babies for the first half of their lives 😅

I love having them close in age though, they were never hard work, never had terrible twos or anything. They're laid back and happy teens. It was just hard mainly as I had no support, the hard part was me being tired, never them being difficult etc.

As a twin, with my own twins I would have to say 1 minute :)

We wanted around a 2.5 year gap, started ttc when dc1 was 18 months. Ended up taking 15 months to conceive and have exactly 3.5 years between them.

I really wanted them closer in age before dc2 was born, but this gap has turned out to be perfect for us - close enough in age to enjoy a lot of the same things, far enough apart to not be competing over things.

There's pros and cons to every gap, and you may not be able to plan it exactly anyway - whatever you end up with will work out for you and your family.

23 months between my first two and there will be 21 months between baby two and three. I love the gap 😍

A couple of months shy of 4 years here. I think this age gap is great! What's even better, is now that DS is in school, I can really give DS2 quality time.

There's a year and 362 days between dd1 and ds.

There's 22 months between ds and dd2.

3 under 4 was pretty intense but we did it and it's been good. Everyone a similar age is good for activities, days out and holidays. They're all grown up now (23, 21 and almost 20) and still close to each other even though 2 of them have left home now. It's been great and I wouldn't change it!

I have 2 years 3.5 months between mine and it's been brilliant. The toddler adores the baby (older boy younger girl - I think maybe it helps?) and he's out of nappies now. They go to bed at the same time (3y and 8m now) and baby's naps / toddles going 3 day pw in nursery have given me quality time with both while on a year's mat leave, they'll be into the same things within reason.

If I had another though I would wait a while. For me, two little ones take up all my hands, time, patience, ability to be touched/sicked on/grabbed and it wouldn't be fair on the two I have.

I’m currently pregnant and there will be 2.5 years difference. I think there are pros and cons to every gap. I am worried about coping with both of them as son is demanding and can’t be left alone so I can see the benefit in a bigger gap as the older child is more independent but then I’m hoping they’ll get on well together and share interests. I also think it’s good to get the baby stages over together.

I think there's pros and cons to all gaps, you'll get all different opinions. you can't change it so why worry about it.

I have the same age gap between my two, with daughter being the older one. They are grown up now but still really close. Big sister is very protective of her younger brother and we could always rely on her when we needed her to look after him.
They have similar interests as far as sport is concerned so have always had that in common including football, rugby and skiing.
The age gap worked for us. Have nothing else to go on really as my nearest sibling is 8 years older. Husband and his brother less than two years between them and were never close.

Ds is an only but there is 2yrs between me and db which was a great age gap

We have a 3.5 year gap, then a 2 year gap. If I could do it over again I'd aim for 3 years each time. A 1 year old and a 3 year old is a lot.

1st daughter born 2010 2nd daughter born 2023 and 3rd baby due 2024! There will be 13 months between 2nd and 3rd baby.

I have a 6 year gap, 7 year gap, and now a 23-month gap as I'm due in 4 weeks . I didn't like the big age gap. I'll soon find out about the close age gap when I get there.