Third baby!

[tangobravo]

My second baby is 20 months, my eldest is nearly 4. I'm BFing still (the youngest). I had my first period since giving birth in September, and was due last week but just thought my body was readjusting. Well I've just taken a pregnancy test and it's an unmistakable BFP. So, does anyone have three kids under five who can talk me out of this panic I'm in??! On the whole I'm happy, I love my kids and being a mum, but god it's scary financially etc. Words of wisdom welcome!

i never had three under 5, but 3 under 7 at one point.

oh my gosh it’s a lot of work (and finance, and logistics) but it’s even more love and fun. the best thing that happened to us as a family.

having said that: it’s ok not to want a third.

I had 4 yo 1yo and newborn (surprise baby!).

it wasn’t half as bad as everyone mad out it was going to be. Then I had 3 aged 5 and under (eldest only 4 for a bit with the baby) I had 5 yo 2 yo and 1 yo. Honestly it was doable!! I’ve had loads of fun. Fine I’m tired but I would do it again in a heartbeat. They all hug and kiss each other lots. Baby is now a toddler and runs and hugs the big kids. It’s been the best experience. I will answer any questions!!

I’ve even done most bedtimes solo for almost 2 years

Thanks both for sharing, in my gut I know it'll be great but I'm a bit anxious about finances, our house is probably big enough although we don't have a garden which is a faff. We'll need a new car (what cars fit three seats??). Watching my boys relationship blossom has been amazing so I'm excited at the prospect of giving them another sibling!

Sounds like hell to me personally, but good luck to you. The ideal age gap between children is 5 yrs imo.

Ha thanks - that ship has sailed as I have a 20 month old and a nearly 4 year old.

I’ve just had a third with a 5yo and 3yo.

Baby was planned and we’re very happy with the age gaps.

My older one is old enough now to be sensible around the baby, the younger one is completely in love with the baby and wants to cuddle her all the time.

The older two play really nicely together. If I’m not focusing on them they just get on and play together which is quite different to when I had my second and my first didn’t have anyone to play with.

I’m in a similar position - 11 weeks pregnant with my third. When he’s born my older two will be 21 months and just over 4. So 3 kids in just over 4 years which sounds crazy. However, I have a friend with similar age gaps between her kids and she’s survived! Think it mostly takes a lot of organisation.
Our house isn’t very big - 3 bedrooms but they’re quite small. But whilst the kids are young we’ll all squeeze in ok.
The car situation is more of a worry for me - I don’t want anything too big, but also how do you fit 3 car seats in and actually reach them to strap them in properly?
I know it’ll be hard in the early weeks and months. But it’ll be worth it in the end.
Good luck!

I don't have a third. My husband put off having a third and we now have a 5YO and 9YO and he is desperate for a third but I am not keen to restart the pre school years now my youngest is in year one and in a different life stage to young DC. Your age gaps sound perfect to me, it is the gap lots of Mums have between their DC at school and you'll have your freedom back over a much shorter period. By the time baby arrives, your middle will be almost ready to start pre school.

It will be wonderful. The lack of garden is not ideal but not a deal breaker. Plenty of kids thrive going to parks and playgrounds.

i can’t think of anything better that I have given my kids other than each other. We did have to get a new car…we now have a 7 seater and husband said it would be good to have a 4th baby to use the space we now have … hahaha

If I was going to have 3 I'd have wanted 3 under 5. They'll grow up together and your older ones are young enough that it will be all they've really known.

Thank you - yes we are a twice (minimum) a day in the park family! It's ok. What car did you get!

Thanks all for your insights! I'm excited!

I was in a similar situation at the start of the year. My youngest was turning 2 and I had a 4 year old. Still breastfeeding the youngest when I got a surprise BFP!

it's still early days as baby is only 2 weeks old but so far it's been fine. Bit full on with it being half term and everyone at home but totally doable as you're already used to juggling and for us it's been true (so far) that baby has just slotted in and life has pretty much continued as before. My eldest has been so good, my 2 year old is a bit like a blender with the lid off so he needs watching like a hawk but he was like that before baby was born 😂 so it's just more of the same.

Financially I've just had to tell myself it will work out. Thankfully we're comfortable and we will just adjust and live within our means. Ideally we'll need to move to a 4 bed house at some point but there's no urgency and whilst they're all still little they will just share for a bit. We already have a 7 seater but my advice would be if you're buying one make sure the seats don't take up the boot space. We're currently looking for a new car now for that reason because although we can fit them all in, we have no boot. So we're actually looking at vw transporter style cars now where we can fit 3 across one row and still have a huge boot!

I had 3 under 3.5. We have a SEAT Alhambra. Having three was great and nowhere near as bad as everyone tried to tell me it would be. We now have a fourth 😂 congratulations on your pregnancy.

Good double pram, Stairgates and a good baby carrier and you’ll be grand.

I have a just turned 3yo, a 14mo and I’m expecting number 3. I can’t wait 🥰 still BF my youngest too. Pregnancy is exhausting but will be so worth it when they are all little friends ☺️

We have a Skoda Kodiaq. It fits 3 across and has 7 seats if we ever want to split the children up.

Lots of people love the Ford galaxy but they stopped being made a few years ago so are harder to get hold of.

We got a Hyundai Santa Fe in the end

This is my exact experience with my third, older two can play together so it’s been less hectic in some ways than I thought. Pinch points like tea time and school run are a juggling act but it’s certainly been doable.

Ah this is all so encouraging. Thank you all 🙏