~2 year age gap?

[Tigerlily01]

Does anyone have a 2 year age gap?

 

[Cattia]

We have a 16 month age gap between my oldest two and I'm not going to lie, it was pretty tough for a while, especially when my younger one was about 12-18 months. However now they are older it's fantastic. I don't have to entertain them at all, they just play together and are best of friends. They have grown up together and my DD doesn't remember a time when DS was not around. In some ways having just one might be easier, going out with the two of them can be hard especially as my DS is pretty hyperactive and can be very naughty. However life at home with more than one is easier I think as they always have a play mate. I'm just waiting to see how the dynamic changes when DD2 gets a bit bigger!

 

[Reidfidleir]

There is almost 2 years 3 months between my two. I was an only child and was ok with it but I always wanted a sibling and was envious of larger families. So I knew I was having more! I was hoping for 2.5 years difference but things worked faster than I thought in the beginning it was challenging as my son acted out trying to get attention in the first month and I was also potty training him! but now he is fully potty trained and says "I love my sister so much!" Many times. He really is a great big brother. He talks to her and gives her the pacifier and is helpful to me too when I ask him to do or get little things (age appropriate like a wipe for example).
Some things are definitely more tricky like grocery shopping. I put her in a wrap that way he can ride in the carriage (grocery cart).
I'm looking forward to seeing the dynamics as they get older but so far it has been ok! Babysitters may be more of a hassle if you work having two. Most are ok with two but more than that and things get iffy.
I've also been blessed with good sleepers too so that definitely helps!! I have noticed that I've bounced back faster after this pregnancy too perhaps because I'm chasing a toddler around! Haha.
From having NO experience with babies at all and being an only child myself I've found it pretty manageable so far!

 

[whigfield]

I just want to say that I'm in the same boat! I followed your TTC blog and then your pregnancy blog and now I follow your parenting blog.

My LO is 7 months, nearly 8.. And I'm the same. I just find babies so boring, but I love kids! We're hoping for 2 and I think a 2 year age gap is nice too - there's 3 between my brother and I but my mom would have had him closer if she had been given the chance. I was talking to a friend who has 2 the other day and she has an 18 month age gap - I asked her if she'd have lengthened it, and she said no. She says she can get back to work quicker because they go to school sooner (both of them), and they're both into the same sort of things growing up, so you can do 1 activity with both.

 

[apple_20]

My gap is just over 2 years. Being pregnant and having a toddler is not easy but how hard will depend on your toddlers temperament, how much support you get and how smooth a pregnancy you have.

Unfortunately you can't control all these things so it's important to look more long term do you want two children? Can you imagine a family of four? How will it effect work/ money/ house.

I'm so happy with my age ago though potty training while dealing with a newborn has not been easy! My youngest is nearly 6 months and still up every 2-3 hours at night so something to think about if you don't do well with little sleep.

Overl though I have no regrets when it see the way my youngest watches my toddler and as he starts to become more interested. Importantly he won't remover a time when she wasn't there. He adapted to her so quickly!

 

[mazndave]

I've got 23 months between 1 and 2, and will have 15 months between 2 and 3! I think that's going to be hard work, but having 2 has been a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. She just seemed to slot into our routine, and my son took to her really well. She's 7 months now and is fascinated with watching her brother do stuff, I'm looking forward to when she will actually be able to join in with him properly. Just hoping that number 3 will be an easy baby!

 

[mummytobe_93]

Does anyone have a 2-year age gap between their kids, and if so...what is that like? Lol, I can't really picture it. (including being pregnant with such a young child?!)

Due to a lot of reasons, if we had a second this would definitely be the age gap, give or take a couple months. I am 90% certain we are one and done (my decision--OH is happy with either 1 or 2), but I've been a little broody now that lo is 8 months and starting to get interesting.

I'm not a baby person. Like, at all. I swore during the first 6-7 months (and during pregnancy!) that there was NO WAY I was doing this again, and made OH promise to remind me how miserable I was if I ever brought it up again, but now...I'm not sure. I hate to rock the boat, since we're happy with 1 and he was honestly a pretty easy baby. But I don't know...a sibling would be nice for him, especially since we move around a lot. And I do like kids, just not babies. Then again I know plenty of Only's who are perfectly happy, and I really value my self-time. Guess I'm just trying to get a feel for how it would be?

I am nearly 26 weeks pregnant with number 2 and have a 16 month old. We will have a 20 month age gap it wasn't planned but now I can't wait. Personally I've found pregnancy so far fine, morning sickness in early days weren't great but long forgotten about. Honestly this pregnanxy has flown by because im not constantly focusing on it and thinking about it like I did with my first, as I'm obviously too busy with number one. So for me that's a good thing as I don't have time to moan about being tired Etc I just get on with it.

I think the early days will be hard (obviously don't have ecoerience with this yet) but in the long run they will always have each other for company, to grow up with to grow old with etc so will be a lot easier once they are bigger. And I kike the fact they'll always grow up wih a sibling. I personally think that's inportant x

 

[busytulip]

I love the 2 year age gap! After my June and July birthdays my kids will be 15, 13, 11, 9, 7 and then our youngest at under a year old. It just really worked for us. Another poster mentioned the playmate advantage and I really agree with that. Plus they have someone relatively close in age to learn from. If you really don't care for the infant stage, but would love another child, it could be a very good decision for you to have a smaller gap. Best wishes!

 

[Rainstorm]

I can't provide a useful insight yet, but my DS will turn two a week after DD comes, and though I am a bit worried, I sorta happy with the age gap... we'll see I guess

 

[HoneyBee144]

I love it! There is a 22 month agebgap between my 2 and its definitely worked well for us. DS has been really good with the baby but I do think that's more down to his temperament than his age. I personally liked the idea of getting all the nappies, milk, bottles etc over with in one go and couldn't imagine getting DS1 potty trained etc and then having to start all over again. However that's my personal view and is what works best for me. I had a horrendous pregnancy and birth first time round but second time round my pregnancy was straight forward and relatively easy and even though my birth didn't go as planned I was still far more prepared and it didn't effect me like the first time.
Only you know what will work for your family but I certainly don't have any regrets and wouldn't hesitate to have the same age gap again.

 

[sethsmummy]

i have a 21 month gap and have loved it its not been too hard tbh.

i will say though most of ds3's newborn days were spent in hospital (1 week old - 5 weeks old) so i cant comment on that stage xx

 

[ourturnnext]

Pretty much two years to the day between my two and I love it... However, it's been a really hard slog to get to this stage. DD2 was a very fussy newborn but since about four months I've really enjoyed ththem and watching the bond growing between them. They adore each other. Ideally, I'd have rather been having my second baby now, or in the next couple of months, but DD2 was our happy surprise and I wouldn't change our crazy, noisy, chaotic life for anything now xx

 

[Tigerlily01]

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[horseybird]

It's a tricky dilemma as it's so personal. The age gap between my two is 2 years to the day. My first was easy, went into a routine, quite chilled. My 3 month old is different, naps all over the show, bit needy, and also born deaf. Combining this with my teething toddler it's been tough.

However I'm sure this is just a phase. I liked my brother being close in age, we played together all the time. We ve been lucky that my toddler isn't jealous, and quite caring towards her sister x I think you have to just think on it more and hopefully come to a decision. Would a 2.5 to 3.5 she gap not work for you?

 

[Tigerlily01]

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[SarahBear]

We have a 2 year, 4 month age gap. I aimed for this gap based on nursing and summer break. I'm a teacher and a March birthday means maternity leave takes me almost to summer break. In terms of nursing, the first two years are the most important and I wanted to give Violet as much of those two years as I could without pregnancy interrupting it. It did interrupt it, but we still got most of the way there before I dried up.

The hardest part about the gap so far was how aggressive Violet could be in the first few weeks. Sleep is hard too, but not nearly as bad as I anticipated. For now, my husband and I are both home, but I'm sure we'll face a new set of challenges when I go back to work.