How close in age are your children? My ds is 8 mo old, and my husband is ready for another one. It is very important to him that they are close together in age. I can't imagine having a 1 1/2 year old and a newborn at the same time!!!
Anyways, it just made me wonder how far apart other siblings are!

By Melanie on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 12:52 pm:

My boys are 20 months apart. I love that age spread. They fight, of course, but they are also best friends. When ds #2 was a baby, ds#1 used to climb into his crib, along with two big tonka trucks, and snuggle up close. Even now they often climb into bed together to snuggle. Since they were both babies, I was able to get them on the same afternoon nap schedule so I always had two hours in the afternoon to get stuff done. I was able to put them in the same playgroups, swim lessons, etc. and now they are often on the same sports teams, which makes my life so much easier.

We also have a daughter who is 5 five years younger than the oldest and 3.5 years younger than the middle son. That spread also has advantages. The one who is five years older has always been like a "little daddy" to her. He takes care of her and always watches out for her. They get along great. I am not so crazy about the 3.5 year spread. Those two are too far apart to be really good friends but too close for the older one to take on that "little daddy" kind of role. Those two fight all the time, which is really draining.

Bottom line is every age spread has advantages and disadvantages. No matter what your family decides it will work out just right.

By Audreyj on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 12:53 pm:

40 months. My older child was 3 years 4 months when my second child was born, I liked the idea of having all the "little baby" stuff done, diapers, bottles, night time feedings, etc. before I had another baby.

My brother and I were 18 months apart and we never really got along. We always felt like we were "in each other's space." AJ

By Ladypeacek on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 12:58 pm:

Well my dd is 9 and my ds is 2 in a week, LOL!!! Did we wait long enough in between? I am pregnant with my 3rd now. Everyone told me how great it would be to have such a span in between them, how helpful dd would be, well hmmppphhhh....not so, lol. I have a friend that is pregnant with her 3rd as well and her kids are gonna be just 10 months apart. She must be nuts but at the same time, yes it will be rough in the early years with the diapers and such but once she gets through those years it may be better. AND....she only goes through it ONCE!! Where as i have had to do it 2 and now 3 times!!

By Trina~moderator on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 01:01 pm:

My two are 22 mos. apart (DS and DD). They're like night and day and aren't nearly as buddy-buddy as Melanie's two boys. LOL! I think there are more factors involved than age spread alone, such as gender and personality differences. It was tough in the beginning tending to an infant and a toddler but as they've grown older I've come to appreciate the age spread more.

This is a personal choice and sometimes God makes these decisions for us (LOL!) but I think most doctors recommend waiting at least a year so that your body can fully recover from pregnancy and childbirth.

By Mommyathome on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 01:15 pm:

My oldest two are 14 months apart. My oldest was just under 6 months old when I got preggo with #2. She wasn't even walking yet when #2 was born! Obviously not planned But now, they are the best of friends. They are great entertainment for each other. And, when they are adults I am so excited that they will have such a close sister/friend.

My DS was born when #2 was 27 months old. That was "easier" for me.

We would like to have one more, at least....we are just trying to decide when! My DS is now 31 months old.

By Marcia on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 02:01 pm:

My kids are 8,9,9,10 and 11. I love that they're all this close, because they all have similar interests. It helps that they're all girls, too!
Meghan was born when Nicole was just shy of 2. I also ran a full daycare, and started back when she was 6 weeks. I didn't have any problems, and Meg's development was way ahead, I'm sure because of all of the stimulation.
Kayla was 17 months when we adopted her, so Meghan was not quite 3, and Nicole was not quite 5.
Sonja moved in 3 weeks later, and although she was 15, she required total care. Still, everything was great!
I think it all depends on how relaxed you are, and how ready you are to handle another child.
Remember that you're the one who will be dealing with them all day!!

By Tunnia on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 03:50 pm:

My kids are 4 years and 2 days apart (not planned that way). They do fight a bit, but mainly because my oldest has decided that she doesn't want her baby brother getting into her stuff and he thinks all toys are fair game.

By Lauram on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 03:54 pm:

5 years apart (just about). They are VERY close.

By Tink on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 04:05 pm:

The differences between my three are 22 months and 26 months. My oldest and youngest are 4 years and 5 days apart.They all bicker and argue but my oldest is definitely the little mother. I think the way children get along is more due to personality types than closeness in age. My brother and I are 4 years apart and we were the best of friends growing up. As far as the difficulty for me, I hated never having a break between diapers (7 years of changing diapers!) but I would rather have gotten it all over with at once, especially considering how young I am. I firmly believe that how close siblings are depends on personality, rather than age differences.

By Kaye on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 04:29 pm:

My oldest are 20 months apart and my youngest is 28 months after the middle child. Personally I liked the closer spread better. Things like going to the park are easier when they are in similar age groups. There is almost exact 4 years between yongest and oldest and up until the past year we didn't have to split up too much when we went places. There is nothing more difficult that having a baby in a kid place or having a kid and wanting to take the baby to a storytime that is age appropriate. My only advice, stay in even numbers! With three I always have one left out and they really struggle, any two are just fine. I wish that I could have had just one more that close together now!

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 05:24 pm:

Almost exactly five years between the oldest and middle, which meant the oldest could fetch stuff for me and made each of them essentially "only" children. 16 months between the middle and youngest - would have been 17 but Scott was 6 weeks earlier. Not by plan and I would NOT recommend it.

By Jackie on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 05:27 pm:

All my kids will be/are 5 yrs apart. My son will be 10 on Aug 19th, my daughter turned 5 on July 17th, and new baby to be born around Aug 16th..I love the 5 yr age span becauseI have individual time withe each of them...When my daughter was born,my son was just entering Kindergarten. When this one will be born, my 2nd will be starting Kindergartgen..So I feel like with the 5 yr age span,I get alot of time alone with the new babies.

By Bellajoe on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 05:52 pm:

Mine are 18 months apart. My dd was 9 months old when we found out that ds was on his way! My dd was a pretty easy toddler so it actually wasn't that bad having a 18 month old and a baby. When he was born she would play with her baby doll that she named Joey, after her baby brother. She would put it in the baby swing, bassinet, car seat etc. anywhere that i put her brother. They are now 5 and 3 1/2. They are the best of friends and then they fight like crazy! But they love each other so much! They play nicely, they are in the same swimming lessons class which they both love.

By Karen~moderator on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 08:14 pm:

My oldest 2 (not birth children) are 14 months apart. My youngest 2 (birth children) are 15 months apart. They are matched sets, sort of, with 12 years between them.

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, August 7, 2004 - 08:20 pm:

I'm the oldest, Cheryl is 15 months younger than me and Margaret is 3 years younger than me.

My own two are 2 years and 7 months apart. I was not ready at 8 months to have another baby. When she was almost 2, I was ready. A 15 month old is still practically a baby themselves. I don't know how my mom did it with three kids 3 and under!

By Mrse on Sunday, August 8, 2004 - 01:33 am:

Well my girls are 17, 15, and 11, the only reason my last two are 4 years apart was because my sister had a baby and I was the sitter, and when she was almost two that is when I got pregnant. Otherwise, my last two would be 2 years apart. It is nice to have them closer together as they have more in common with each other, as right now, my older girls, don't really want to hang around the younger one. I say closer the better. If my youngest was not a premature very sick baby, I would have most likley had four, as three is an odd number, and their is always one guy out, strange but that is kind of the way it goes.

By Fraggle on Monday, August 9, 2004 - 01:03 pm:

Mine are 22 months apart. It was not planned that way, but it is really nice now. They are 3 and 5 and are great playmates for each other.