How much did your works opinion of maternity leave/pregnancy affect your decision on when to have children?

[verybusyspider]

I'm starting to think having 1 or 2 is viewed as ok but if its more than that then some companies view it as taking the p, I also have friends who are delaying children until they have finished a project or similar as they think it wouldn't go down well to be leaving the company in the lurch...

I didn't think about it for number 1 - but it was so difficult coming back (lack of maternity cover, lack of support on return) that I am actually thinking about it for number 2- I also have a potential promotion (my boss is supposed to retire at some point in the next 1-3 years) which I'd like to factor in - . Also I can sense that my bosses almost expect me to have number 2 so are sort of disregarding me at the moment- but I think if I'd had two they would assume I was done (or rather they wouldn't presume I was going to go off on leave ant any minute) and i could get back on tracy.
That said I am trying to think about timing based on the whole of my life/family not just work and also am very aware that you could plan it perfectly time wise for work and just not get pregnant

Times have changed since I had my two children. I waited 2 years in the job I took when I got married, then I was made a partner so I felt it only fair to wait another two years. I changed jobs before I got pregnant so I gave my new employer 2 years before I tried again. I was married 7 years before DS1 was born and I took 6 weeks off. I would not have dreamed of getting pregnant very quickly again so I waited another 2 years before trying again, and took 8 weeks off with DS2. I earned a lot of respect from my male colleagues because of this.