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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

2 babies within a year...(not twins!)

36 replies

CatharsisItIs · 28/05/2008 11:12

My youngest is just over three months and I'm pg again.

How does the body cope with two pregnancies so close together? ...and the mind!

Can anyone who has children very close in age reassure or offer hints and tips on how to cope best please?

This is #4!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 28/05/2008 11:16

I have no experience, but want to say congratulations

4andnotout · 28/05/2008 11:18

Congratulations, my gap is slightly larger as there will be 13 months (just) between dd3 and dc4 when its born in october!

GrapefruitMoon · 28/05/2008 11:21

No personal experience but it was very common when I was growing up - have close friends (sisters) who are 12 months (less a week) apart.

So I guess it is possible to cope with it (given that people had less household gadgets, etc then and healthcare was probably not as good...)

How old are your other two?

Original poster

CatharsisItIs · 28/05/2008 11:30

Thank you

I'm finding coping alone quite daunting. xP had an affair when I was 8 months pg with DC3 and due to a moment of comfort during the aftermath of it all...#4, who'd have thought it! Just when I thought things couldn't become more surreal.

The elder two are 6 and 3.

OP posts:

4andnotout · 28/05/2008 11:34

Your 2 eldest are the same as mine Mine are 6,3 and 8 months and im 18 weeks pregnant.
I was a single parent when i had dd1 and dp and i briefly split up last year. I found a routine helped and plenty of cheap activities like walks out and playing in the garden to wear everyone out and make bedtime easier

hanaflower · 28/05/2008 11:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

daftpunk · 28/05/2008 11:36

ds1 was only 2.5 months old when i got pregnant with dd2...dd1 was only 1 and a half years.

had 3 under 3..... you'll be fine!

congratulations!

LadyThompson · 28/05/2008 11:41

I hope you have got a nice family and/or friends to pamper you every now and then or give you a break. In my view you need rest and treats. I have no experience of this at all but just wanted to say congratulations x

Didylicious · 28/05/2008 13:45

My husband is only 10 months younger than his brother - they were even in the same year at school!

Their mum did find it quite hard when they were little - a bit like having twins - only the babies were at different stages of development and had differing needs.

However hubby and his brother were quite close and great playmates for each other being so similar in age.

I think things got a lot easier as they passed the toddler stage.

Best wishes for the future - eat well and sleep when you can!

Izzywhizzy · 28/05/2008 13:48

My partner and his sister are 11 months apart. He was #5 and his sister is #6. Both happy and healthy now.

I think their mum deserves a medal.

purpleflower · 28/05/2008 13:51

DP and his sister are 13 months apart and then there is a 10 year gap and another 2 13 months apart. I think that you really do need a great diet and possibly some supplements. MIL has realy weak teeth etc now. She wouldn't change the age gaps at all though and DP even wanted our children to be within a year as he loved growing up so close to his sister.

MarshaBrady · 28/05/2008 13:52

My brother is 10 months older. But we weren't in the same year at school.

I think my mother loved it, and said it was easier to bring us up together, and there were 4 of us too. I know this because she keeps telling me to hurry up and have another!

Congratulations!

hertsnessex · 28/05/2008 13:59

my 2 are 11mths apart. after the first 6 mths its great!

talilac · 28/05/2008 14:13

16m gap here.

Good diet, as much sleep as you can get. If you are suffering from any physical issues or have in previous pregs, ie back problems, postural probs, spd, etc - get physio now don't wait. Your GP / midwife will refer you if you push. Make sure you get your stomach muscles checked for separation in case they haven't had time to heal. Do your pelvic floor exercises religiously!

What else? Oh I love it, its great. But DD2 is the most chilled baby ever, which helps..

charlotte121 · 28/05/2008 14:26

hi... im in the same boat! My ds is 11 months old and im due with dc2 in 4 days time. Im a single parent so i think the next year or two is going to be a bit of a rolercoaster. Im quite frightened of the whole thing!
however its a comfort to know that there are lots of other people out there with small age gaps and the fact that the kids were so close x

charlotte121 · 28/05/2008 14:29

P.S i know this is going to sound very vein but is it possible to have any sort of figure when you have had 2 kids so close together. I hadnt lost all of the weight from my previous pg when i fell pg again... being young and single i do wanna be able to meet someone new one day however the way im looking right now no man in their right mind would wanna be with me.
Any chance of getting bk into my size 10/12 jeans again? charlotte x

kerryk · 28/05/2008 14:32

not really what the op is about but there is only a year between my db and i, he was born on the 9th of dec and i was born on the 22nd of dec a year later.

we were so close growing up (still are now) and even though the first few years must have been hard on my mum she says that we were no bother once we were a bit older as we always played together and did not bother her

FruitynNutty · 28/05/2008 14:35

you're very lucky to be so fertile. Count your lucky stars and Congratulations. Hopefully I'll be joining you all in pregnancy soon

10 months down the line and still no positive.

I would have loved to have mine close together, it gets it all out of the way earlier

no1putsbabyinthecorner · 28/05/2008 14:45

My friend fell pregnant when her ds was almost 3 months. Apart from doctors saying it wasnt such a good idea after a cs, but she is/was fine and another cs too.
there will be an 18 month gap between my dd and baby due in august.
Congratulations and good luck

talilac · 28/05/2008 16:34

Charlotte - am in my size 12s, no bother.

Just follow the 2 under 2 exercise and diet plan - BF the baby, run round after the toddler, eat and sleep only when you remember to (ie rarely!)

Seriously, I'm doing okay, still a bit of tummy flab but I reckon if I sorted my diet out and did some "proper" exercise that would go.. I reckon most of the weight loss was due to BFing and keeping quite active with DD1.

Original poster

CatharsisItIs · 28/05/2008 16:59

Thanks all! I'm lapping up the positivity

My brother and I are 18 months apart and always have been very close but it's interesting hearing things from a parents perspective (can't rely on my mum for that, we were considered something between the bane of her life and spawn of the devil IIRC ;))

Charlotte, I should hope so. Different people respond differently to different situations I suppose, it's hard to say for sure! After #3 I'm enjoying a brief spell back in my size 8/10's before beaching once more with #4!

FruitynNutty, I do feel blessed, just a wee bit terrified too. Terror being more about my capabilities than anything else. Strangely, prior to having children I was told by a consultant that I wouldn't be able to have children 'without help'. Lying sod! After #3 I was told my FT's were most probably damaged, rendering me infertile. LS#2! It's always taken me at least a year TTC before a +, right up until now that is. Best wishes with TTC, have faith xx

OP posts:

whomovedmychocolate · 28/05/2008 17:04

There are nine and a half months between me and my brother and he was born by cs and I was a vbac. So it's doable. My mum swears blind it was easier (we were number 3 and 4) because she was just so knackered she ignored what she couldn't do and concentrated on what she could.

Blithe positivity is what's called for I believe!

Oh and we were told I couldn't conceive naturally, I'm now on my fourth pregnancy and second child (two miscarriages) and I've acquired a healthy skepticism for the edicts of overqualified medics!

Congratulations!

carolcupcake · 28/05/2008 17:10

My DS will be 13 months when I have my next baby in August. Not planned but very much wanted, well now we are over the shock anyway!
I'm apprehensive but excited too.

bogie · 28/05/2008 17:11

No tips but a friend of mine has a 4month old and is preg with TWINS!

SAEJ · 28/05/2008 17:57

Hi, I am 13 months younger than my big brother and 14 months older than my sister. My mum often says that it could be tricky juggling the three of us but that in some ways it was easier then having a bigger gap because she was able to pass clothes from one of us to the next, we all left nappies etc in succesion and we were good company for one another.
I think we were a bit of a handful in our teens butwe are very close now and have had our seperate children at similar age gaps so even they are close.

Sarah

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