2 year age gap?! Pros and cons?!!

[Paloma123]

So I'm pregnant with baby number 2 and over the moon.

My little girl will be 23 months when the new baby comes and slightly apprehensive and worried I've got my work cut out for me!!

Anyone else have a 2 year gap between siblings? What the pros and cons?!

X

 

[Bellaloo12]

I have a 2 1/2 year age gap between my 4 year old and 19 month old. I am 18 weeks pregnant with baby number 3 and its due 2 days after my 19month olds 2nd birthday lol dont worry you will be fine its always hard work having more then one child....you adapt quick and will be a busy mummy but im sure you will love it. I love having my children close in age its lovely to see the bond they have as they grow up. x

 

[seoj]

There are 14yrs between my girls- so can't speak to that from a parent perspective! but my brother and I are 2.5yrs apart- my mom loved it, and always said it was lovely. I always had a buddy on family vacations and such... we weren't super close as bigger kids (like from high school on...) as we both lead seperate and busy lives- but it's lovely as adults to live pretty close (30mins apart) and have our girls only 7mos apart and it's great to hang out and reconnect as parents and share that common bond.

I can imagine every situation is so unique- it all varies on the kids and parent involved.

Congrats!!!

 

[aimee-lou]

It'll work don't worry. I have 2.5 years between ds1 and ds2 and then 15m between ds2 and ds3. Both age gaps are lovely and each has its pros and cons. Try not to worry..... They will be fine and so will you x

 

[Julesillini8]

Hi, there is a 23 months gap between my girls I LOVE it. In the beginning when baby was a newborn, my older daughter was so loving of the new baby, don't think she understood to be jealous! At 2 she didn't really have tantrums, ( not big ones anyways) I could trick her into being busy while I had to nurse so often ( sticker books, new book, playdoh, etc)
When the baby is bigger and can walk and play, I think they will play a lot together ( ESP since both being girls I guess) the older one wants to " teach" her little sister everything. In the fall when my daughter is 3 she will go to preschool a couple mornings a week, which gives me a few hours those days of 1 on 1 time with my little one.
I think if I had my baby now that my older one is a bit over 2 1/2, it would be rougher. Now she is starting to have bigger tantrums and is more stubborn, but the baby is no trouble now.... So I can deal with the toddlers crazy mood swings easier while the baby sits and plays with toys...
Anyhow, I love the gap, any gap has good days and bad days. Just roll wi the punches and do the best you can. There are definitely hectic moments, but don't be hard on yourself. If somebody is crying a few minutes while you have fix the lunches, it's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. They will get attended to once your hands are free, and life will go on. ( just hopefully YOU'RE not the one crying hahaha)
Best wishes!

 

[Julesillini8]

Oh the cons... Well I had two in diapers, that sucks! I didn't even want to have a thought of potty training with a young baby, I waited until my older one was 2 1/2 and she was potty trained the first day we tried. If you wanted the first one out of diapers when the baby comes, well then I think that would be a lot of work. For me, I just shelled out the $ for diapering two kids and waited until things were settled into a routine here with the baby, and potty training was a piece of cake then. I AM glad now to have only one in diapers but i think that can be a con of two young ones...

 

[Kiddo]

There's a 23 month age gap between my two and I love it. They are really close and into all the same stuff so play with each other all the time. The only down side was that we needed a buggy board for the first year or so as Harvey wasn't that keen on walking very far. Not much of a con though really!

We had planned to have an extra year between them but Vincent came along earlier than we expected and now I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[alicecooper]

22 months between my DD and DS1, and25 months between DS1 and DS2

pros : they have similar interests and play together well as they're peers
cons : the bickering

 

[jd83]

Mine are 2 yrs apart.
Pros: They LOVE each other, and entertain each other most of the time
They always have each other to play with rather than not having a sibling to play with and needing you to play with them all the time (which is fine sometimes, but sometimes you need a break!)
Amazing to watch the older one teach the younger one how to do things, or the watch the younger one learn to do things because he wants to do what his brother is doing

Cons: Its hard at first just learning to balance the needs of 2.
Having 2 in diapers, as pp said. It sucks and is expensive. I wouldn't even bother trying to potty train before baby either, as could regress to diapers anyways in defiance about baby being in diapers. Best to wait a while and let older child adjust to having baby at home, then try.
The fighting. While they get along most of the time, there are definitely times they just drive you up the wall fighting with each other, screaming at each other, crying...but I still wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[cjwn]

Edited.

 

[liz1985]

There pretty much exactly two years between mine and so far im finding it ok. I think as dd gets bigger and they play together more it will be great. Ds loves her so much and weve not really had any jealousy, I thinks he's too young to remember a time she wasn't here. He's old enough to do help out a little,bringing nappies etc.

The cons are both in nappies. Ds always wanting everything right now, he doesnt understand he has to wait while I feed the feed the baby etc and I do sometimes find baby groups hard, having 2 to watch but the more I do it the easier it gets.

It was hard the first couple of weeks but it gets easier and now I love it and love how close they already are.

 

[geordiemammy]

I had a 2yr 4 month gap then an 18 month gap then 3 and a half years gap and a 4 year gap and I can honestly say I think the smaller the gap the easier it is I'm having a nightmare with my 4 year old since baby number 5 has came and I honestly think its the bigger age gap as it was harder when ds4 came along with ds 3 I would totally recommend a small age gap

 

[Pixie19]

Im going to have a 23 month gap and im worried but excited!
Logan already talks about the baby and calls my belly 'Poppy' which is our name for a girl even though we don't know what we're having yet.
I think he'll be a great big brother! He loves to help with everything and im hoping that carries on once the baby is born as it will be a great way to get him involved with the baby

 

[babybaker2011]

There is almost 27 months between my two girls and the first month was a little rough trying to adjust, but it's been wonderful. DD1 is great with DD2 and I hope they'll be close growing up.

I have to agree with the others that the con is having two in diapers, but that's the only thing I can think of.

There's a 21 month age gap between my sister and I and we're besties.

 

[TryinFor1]

So I'm pregnant with baby number 2 and over the moon.

My little girl will be 23 months when the new baby comes and slightly apprehensive and worried I've got my work cut out for me!!

Anyone else have a 2 year gap between siblings? What the pros and cons?!

X

Ha could have written this! Total unplanned pregnancy but very excited! My boy will be 22 months when this baby comes. I hope it all goes ok. Luckily I have a lot of family I can lean on for help but boy am I nervous!!!! I hope lo doesn't get jealous or upset. He is very independent anyway so I don't think it will be THAT big of a deal but still freaking scared!

 

[wifey29]

This thread is so helpful. We will have a 22 month gap and I have been worrying a little about how DS will react etc, but I'm sure everything will be fine. I'm very excited about having them grow up close in age. My sister and I are 15 months apart and I have such amazing memories of playing together. My mum said that she found a small gap very easy as the second baby just slots in.

Pixie19, it's so funny that Logan is already calling the baby Poppy. DS tells everyone that there's a sister in my belly even though we're team yellow. I wonder if they know!

 

[bubblychick]

28 month gap between my two and it's brilliant, they're always playing together. It can be hard work especially when you have a toddler and a new born but you get used to it. Prepare to be very very busy.