Why I Waited 3 Years Between Pregnancies

There are three big reasons I waited three years between pregnancies. In this post, I share the details, plus explain a couple of disadvantages to the gap.

Written by Genevieve Howland
Updated on May 27, 2024

While many people congratulated me with the pregnancy news, I did get several “it’s about time” comments. And believe me, I got those from my parents and in-laws too. But Mike and I intentionally tried to space our children 3 years apart, and here I’ll explain why.

Let’s me start off by saying that creating life is a gift and a mystery and we only have so much say in it. It’s like that Woody Allen saying, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.”

Also, I don’t want to sound like I’m judging here. Whatever spacing you do is up you, your partner, and God.

With that said, Mike and I intentionally tried to space our children out 3 years apart, and we did so for three reasons.

1. My body

Creating life is a huge undertaking for the mother’s body and it takes time to rebuild the nutritional stores… from your fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, not to mention the ever-important vitamins A & D.

I also wanted to nurse Griffin for 2 full years as this is what the studies say result in peak health benefits for child and mother. I didn’t want to get pregnant and nurse as I knew that many women struggled with diminished milk supply caused by pregnancy hormones. Plus, nursing can cause uterine contractions which can be a slight risk in the early months of pregnancy. Finally, nursing does deplete us a little and I didn’t want to add that to a pregnancy.

2. Weston A Price

He was a dentist that travelled in the early 1900’s visited the cultures with the highest longevity rates. He found that these cultures almost had a taboo of having another child until at least 3 years since their last. They knew instinctively that it takes time to rebuild the woman’s body and that 3 years significantly reduced complications with baby. This wisdom is validated with studies that show children born fewer than 18 months from the previous child are more likely to struggle with low birth weight, autism, and other health conditions.

3. My friends

I had several friends that had babies exactly 2 years apart and they said it was extremely hard. The 2 year old still depended on them for so much… from diaper changes to feeding to dressing. The moms were just overwhelmed. There was also a lot of sibling rivalry. By waiting till Griffin is 3, he is weaned, can feed himself, mostly dress himself and is potty trained. Three year olds also tend to be more independent and can even help out with the baby. Griffin will also probably go to some kind of pre-school a few days a week, which will give me some time with baby alone.

Disadvantages

Having said all of this, there are some disadvantages to waiting 3 years.

For one, it’s been a long time since I’ve had to cluster nurse, wake up in the middle of the night, or change a diaper 12 times a day. It will probably be tougher for me to get back into the baby swing of things than someone who has babies closer together. Also, babies closer in age are usually better play mates and friends since they have more in common. It’s also easier to “batch” activities since they will have somewhat similar interests and developmental needs.

You also can’t have as many children when you wait 3 years in between each child. I always wanted 2, but if we wanted a larger family, we would of had to start much earlier.

So, what about YOU? How many years are between your babies? Did you like the age gap? Share with us!

Resources:

https://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20060418/pregnancy-spacing-affects-outcome
http://healthland.time.com/2011/11/21/spacing-kids-at-least-two-years-apart-makes-for-smarter-siblings/
https://www.westonaprice.org/

Health and child spacing:

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jan/9/close-birth-spacing-linked-to-autism/
https://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20060418/pregnancy-spacing-affects-outcome
http://healthland.time.com/2011/11/21/spacing-kids-at-least-two-years-apart-makes-for-smarter-siblings/

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About the Author

Genevieve Howland is a doula and childbirth educator. She is the bestselling author of The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth and creator of the Mama Natural Birth Course. A mother of three, graduate of the University of Colorado, and YouTuber with over 135,000,000 views, she helps mothers and moms-to-be lead healthier and more natural lives.

128 Comments

Megan Dec 20 at 7:13 am

Thanks for your honesty in posting this! I know I want to wait at least 18 months before getting pregnant again so my body can heal and my son can have two years without having to share me. But you gave me some other things to think about! One of my issues is that I am already 34 and my son is not quite a year old. I feel my age! It’s hard to think about starting over with a newborn as it is!

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- Janee Jul 8 at 5:48 pm
  
  I too am 34 years old and my son will be 1 next month.
  
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Sarah Dec 1 at 12:08 pm

I had my 15 months apart (unplanned). I love that they’re so close to each other. My oldest, Rowan, is 2 and he loves playing with his 10 month old brother, Dorian. They chase each other through the house, play with toys and feed off each other’s energy. The hardest part was/is recovery and the fact that I don’t have friends or family close by. We only just found childcare so I can continue working through the holiday peak season at UPS (I worked a 12hr shift from 3am to 4pm, yesterday). It’s been rough but I wouldn’t change a thing.

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Caitie Oct 30 at 6:42 pm

I have two kids and they are 7 years apart. I was nervous about the age gap at first but honestly, it’s been great!
My 7 year old really is independent and there wasn’t any fighting for mom’s attention when the new baby arrived. Yes, my husband and I virtually had to start over because we had been out of the baby stage for so long, but with my son being independent we were able to focus on the baby and she’s kind of had her “only child” like time too. Brother’s in school all day and she gets her alone time with Mom and Dad. We are still really good about taking our oldest out on dates just him and us so he still feels special too. All in all, we have enjoyed the age gap; I don’t know how I would handle a new baby and a toddler still hanging on me 24/7.

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Erin Muller Jul 4 at 7:30 pm

I agree mostly. My son was 3.5 when my daughter was born and I felt like my body was ready and did well. I liked having my so mostly potty trained and able to discuss with him all the aspects of having a sister and he is helpful.

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Shelbi Jun 3 at 10:36 am

I waited 3 years after my daughter was born to have my son and it was wayyyyy too big of a gap in my opinion BUT my goodness she was the biggest helper to me and I was so thankful I waited!!! The next 3 babies I had/am having every year lol I had a 2020 baby, a 2021 baby, & now growing my 2022 baby lol My oldest is about to be 6 and is just the best helper I could ever ask for! It’s A LOT on my body but children are such a blessing and I plan to have 7 so will keep having them very close together! I will have MANY years to “get back to normal and healthy” after my child bearing years are over. I will never get these child bearing years back so we are taking FULL advantage of them! 🤗

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Jeannette May 26 at 12:03 pm

I did not think about the age gap when we tried for our second child, it was more so my age. My first was born just before I turned 35 and I wanted my second while I was still 36. He ended up being born 5 days before I turned 37… so now my kids are 26 months apart. Sometimes I wish my kids were more like 2.5 years or more apart… potty training would’ve been easier. Overall, I think it all would have been easier… but my daughter is currently more advanced in her age than a lot of her peers and she loves her brother so much. She is a big helper, bringing me diapers, throwing items away, grabbing some wipes… running to check on brother the second he starts crying…. but she definitely still needs mommy and daddy and it’s hard when baby and toddler both want/need me… I’m currently parenting solo while hubs is deployed overseas… it’s been ROUGH.

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Megan Mar 20 at 2:11 pm

I planned my children to be two years apart and I really like that spacing.
I have 9 and 7 year old boys who are into all the same things… including the same grade so that makes school easier. They are both December babies so they celebrate their bdays together too.
I have 5 and 3 year old girls who are fantastic playmates and best friends and they are learning how to read together. They are August babies, so again, one party for two kids! Winning!

and then I have my surprise baby who is now 10 months old and he doesn’t have his own buddy, so on that hand, I’d like to have another, but on the other hand…. pregnancy… larger vehicle… extention of juggling school and babies… it’s a lot. but babies are a blessing… so if I’m blessed again, I know I can do it… it’s just a couple of years out of a lifetime afterall…. totally worth it.

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- Megan Mar 20 at 2:14 pm
  
  Oh and I always potty train between 15 and 22 months, so a two year gap works really well in that regard.
  
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  - Michelle Dec 21 at 9:19 am
    
    How do you manage that? Any tips/tricks?
    
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Meaghen Feb 15 at 10:35 am

I hate to be this guy, but in the last sentence, it’s supposed to be would *have*. That being said, my children will be 3 years apart.

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Maryzurcher May 30 at 11:41 pm

My kids are like 5 years apart
4-25-2006 jordan
9-18-2010 Corynna
7-22-2015 Kasey (kj)
7-15-2020 AidenRay

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Holly Apr 27 at 8:21 am

My second son was born exactly 2.5 years after my first. The space was perfect for me and my family. Potty-training while pregnant was hard, but I was so glad that he had it down by the time the baby came! Because he was 2.5 and nearing 3 as the baby grew, he was getting more and more independent and could do a lot of things himself. They’re both at the perfect playing stage now. My oldest is 3 and my baby is 10 months. I wouldn’t change a thing! The only con is that there have been moments of jealousy. He loves his brother but he will pout if he doesn’t get to do the same thing as baby. We work through it. But like I said, the age gap was perfect for us.

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Tasha Townzen Jan 19 at 1:44 pm

I have 4 kids. They are each 2 years apart. My oldest is 8 while my youngest is nearly 1. My only complaint is the fighting! ? They fight about everything all the time. The 3 year old and 5 year old are in the same sizes. So they fight over “that’s my shirt” “I wanna wear those shoes” lol !!every day!

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Raelyne Jan 4 at 10:16 am

My daughter is about to be 5 and my son is 10 months old. The large gap is nice for me since my daughter is at that age where she can do most things on her own and I was able to focus on baby more. The down side is that my daughter had almost 5 years if mommy all to herself so she gets very jealous and can be mean to her brother in order to get my attention. Im hoping if we decide to have another baby we dont wait as long.

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ERIN Aug 1 at 9:29 am

My son is 10 months old now and I’ll start trying to conceive as soon as I get my period back. I’m only 15 months younger than my sister and enjoyed growing up with her and I being so close. I’m also 38 years old, waiting longer will just increase any risks associated with age. I put a high priority on nutrition and eating foods that will nourish my body. My sister just had her 2nd baby after waiting 3 years and is having a hard time managing with her oldest who still needs tons of attention.

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- Megan Mar 20 at 2:17 pm
  
  I agree with you… clingy 3 year olds are definitely harder than 1-2 year olds! I like a closer age gap as well 🙂 And having kids so close together gives them an instant playmate… I was watching my 3 and 5 year old girls building with their big brothers’ legos today and just felt so so grateful that they have each other. <3
  
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Erin Velotti Mar 10 at 9:59 pm

My two are roughly 9 years apart. (She turned 9 less than 3 months after he was born). I never intended to have kids that many years apart. But life happens – divorce, dating, remarriage, struggling to conceive – dictated that age gap. Unsure if we will try for another one, but if we do, probably soon after he turns one in April 2020. My husband is 40, I’m 38 – so our age is more of a factor.

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Cat Feb 8 at 1:01 am

My first was born at 26 weeks and I hit pregnant 13 months later. She was born exactly 22 months after my first. I found the gap good.
My third was born almost 5 years after (I lost 3 to miscarriage in between) and I found it a lot harder.
Then my fourth came 22 months later. I am now juggling 9, 7, 2.5 and 10 month old. Home schooling can be tricky but fortunately my baby still has 2 naps.

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Val Jan 7 at 9:19 am

My two children are 17 years apart. To say my little one was a surprised (but welcomed) is an understatement. Even though my eldest is now away at college, when she is home it’s an extreme help!

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Sarah Kurtz Aug 29 at 1:26 pm

We have 4 children. The gaps between them are 34 months, 32 months, and 5 years. We were intentional about spacing for the same reasons you have mentioned and are very happy with it. I have not found any disadvantages. They all play together great. I was 10 years older with my last than I was with my first. It was definitely more difficult being pregnant in my upper 30’s than upper 20’s, but it was doable. I feel that our children are healthy because of the spacing, and my body has had time between each pregnancy to replenish and heal.

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Kayla Jun 17 at 6:17 am

I have three kids. A 4 yr old girl, 2 yr old boy, and 10 month old baby girl. First gap is 21 months a part. Second gap is almost exactly 24 months. I have been pregnant or nursing for over 5 years straight. The second time I got pregnant I really did feel like my first was still such a baby!!!! It was crippling imagining how to divide my time and love… but as corny as it sounds, your heart really does just grow! By the time we had our third baby our oldest was 3 years old and could help with the younger two. My husband travels a lot for work and we recently moved to Florida from NJ. We moved away from family’s help and It’s a demanding time but now my older two really are best friends and they can go into the same childcare room at church and can play sports together. I always wanted a big family and am praying for another baby. Love your posts!

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Cherry Masters May 31 at 3:47 pm

Hello,
I am wondering if you mean waiting 3 years before getting pregnant or to giving birth?
Thank you!

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- Kate Apr 21 at 2:58 am
  
  I was wondering the same thing. 3 years between pregnancies or 3-year age gap?
  
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christine May 22 at 3:00 am

My first is fourteen years , my second is 8 years and waiting for the third (now expecting)

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Leah Rubin Aug 6 at 4:52 pm

Mine are 2 years 4 months apart. And I really can’t think of any drawbacks. But my daughter was already potty trained, feeding herself, transitioned to real bed and generally quite independent so maybe that is why. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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- Alyssa Aug 23 at 10:12 am
  
  Hi Leah, wow! Congratulations on your 2 yo being potty trained! I’m sure that was such a big help once you had your new baby. I was curious if you did elimination communication for her or if it was that she was just ready? I have a 10 month old right now and am hoping we can space her out 2 years from our next baby (Lord willing) but have heard it is hard when they’re still dependent on you for everything. I would be interested to hear your approach to potty training.
  
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  - Megan Mar 23 at 8:13 am
    
    In case anyone here is interested in potty training info… I have four potty trained children and I used the book OH CRAP POTTY TRAINING for each of them and I highly recommend. the author busts the myths of modern-day trends of needing to wait until they are three or four to potty train. I didn’t know how to potty train with my first, so I did a lot of research and then when I was settled on the method I was comfortable with, we had our son PT at 28 months old.. Then with our younger children, we had a handle on what we were doing and didn’t need to wait so long. My second son would fight me every diaper change after he was 12 months old, and I was pregnant with#3 so we nixed the battle and potty trained him at 15 months. Maybe that isn’t for every child… he’s now 7 and in third grade and has phonics skills mastered, so I get that he’s not an average child and this is perhaps the exception to the norm… my third child, a daughter, potty trained successfully at 22 months.. she was ready earlier around 20 months, but I wanted to wait until spring/warmer weather so we wouldn’t be dealing with pulling up and down pants. My fourth child, another girl, was potty trained no problem in winter at 17 months old. I can see a huge difference in a child’s confidence level and overall attitude and how they confront new experiences between children who are potty trained and children who are not. Plus, getting them out of the habit of sitting in their own waste/wetness gives them much deserved dignity. If you are still on FB, there was a very helpful group for those using this book to PT.
    
    OH one more important tip. Starting with my second child, I put my children on the potty seat on out toilet every time they make the poop face from the time they are confidently sitting up on their own, so about 7 months old. This does two things: 1. gives me less diapers to spray out in the toilet, and 2. eliminates fear that children often have of the big giant porcelain abyss. I have found that this little trick that I started to make my cloth diapering easier was so so helpful with potty training earlier. We didn’t have any of the pooping problems that are very common in potty training with my last three children. ( I did have them with my first child who didn’t have this same early “training”. Shalom.
    
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Chelsie Oct 10 at 4:59 am

I currently have 2: my oldest is almost 4 and my youngest is 3 months (3 years, 8 months between them-almost to the day). I didn’t really have a choice in their spacing-my daughter’s father and I got a divorce and my son is with my fiance. I will say though that I’m pretty happy with the spacing. My daughter was potty trained, she is a huge help. She is still pretty dependent on me, but also helpful. It’s a great balance. I love it.

That said I’d like to have 1 more (actually I would like 2 more, but I only want to go through pregnancy 1 more time. Pregnancy takes a lot out of me and starting over with each baby is hard work so I am hoping for twins this time around) and this time around I think the spacing will be closer. I’m going back to school and would like to have our 3rd before I graduate. When I graduate i won’t be working from home anymore, and as hard as it can be to work from home with the kids here, I love being here for them. So we are aiming to conceive somewhere between when our youngest is 19 months (which would be about a 6 year gap between my oldest and our youngest, and a 2 year, 5 month gap between our 2 youngests) and when our youngest is 2 (which would make for 2 year 10 month gap between our youngests/6 year, 6 month gap between our oldest and the baby). Either way the kids would all be 3 grades apart in school.

I think even though my son will be younger than my daughter was, I think the spacing will work for us. My older 2 will be able to entertain each other when I need to take care of the baby (or babies if we happen to win the lottery)

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Naomi Aug 27 at 5:23 am

My first born was such a handful, and pregnancy while working so difficult, I waited till my son was three.
I didn’t want two in diapers, and I depended on family for help, so spacing them was vital to not overburden them (I put my first born in preschool 3 full days a week at age 3)
I don’t regret it, it was the right move for us.
Now I have a 4 and 1 year old. Love it.
Two little boys ?

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Heidi Dec 19 at 2:34 pm

i totally understand the healing of waiting to have children. But my husband and I put our children, fertility, family, and pregnancy in God’s hands. He knows excatly when it’s best for us to have children. After we got married it took 9 months before I get pregnant. Then I got pregnant when our daughter was 11 1/2 months. She self weaned around her first birthday (she never was a huge nurser). We believe that God will give us as many children as He wants us to have an I love not worrying about getting pregnant or not getting pregnant. Because God is in control. 🙂

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- Mazaya Mar 5 at 7:15 pm
  
  So wonderful to hear your story Heidi! After getting married, whenever I’d think about having kids, I always had a million worries, one of them being that I felt like I wasn’t ready and that I needed to focus on my mental health first. I’ve had depression my whole life and have only started focusing on my mental health now. After praying about children and discussing with my husband, I felt like my worries were so numerous and hard to pinpoint, but whenever I’d think about God and how He’d take care of me, all my worries would fade away. Now I’m a mom to a beautiful 11 month old boy and I feel very blessed. In hindsight though, I realize that my life was pretty chaotic at the time – trying to finish school, moving to one city, then moving to another city. The whirlwind made it pretty hard for me to see that my depression needed to take a front seat before anything else. My life right now is what it is and I wouldn’t change it for anything, but if I could do it again, I would wait to have kids. My son deserves a mom who can give him a healthy, balanced life. He’s such a sweet boy, it makes me sad that sometimes I can’t take him outside to play because my depression is acting up that day. I just wanted to share my experience in case any moms with mental health concerns are worried the way I was. Praying you and your families are in the best of faith and health always!
  
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Sara Aug 16 at 5:48 pm

Genevieve,
Can you tell us if you’re happy that you waited 3 years in between babies? Was it a good decision for you now looking back? Thank you! Sara

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krystle Mar 21 at 3:00 pm

Right now I have 3 kids and my oldest is 3 1/2. My daughter was 19 months when my son was born and my son was 21 months when my other daughter was born. I love that my kids are so close in age! the oldest two play so well together and they just absolutely adore their baby sister. Neither of my oldest two have had any problems when the next baby came along. Sure it gets crazy and diapering two kids at once isn’t the greatest, but I always wanted to have my babies close and then be out of the stage. I didn’t want to keep going back into baby phase. It was a sacrifice on my part but I nursed my two oldest past their first birthday and all my kids have had a healthy birth weight. I ate really well throughout and exercised. I never gained too much weight and had always lost it all between each pregnancy.

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Diana Jan 3 at 5:40 pm

Our child spacing has ranged from 3 to 4,5 to 6 years, with the latter being the ideal for me. I also read a large piece on the psychological maturity of a child which would make 6 years ideal.

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Breanna Nov 23 at 11:00 pm

We got pregnant with our son when our daughter was 19 months. He was born when she was 27 months. It hasn’t really been that challenging, because she’s very smart, was potty trained when he was 3 months (took less than a month for day and night potty training) and she loves him and helps me with him. She self weaned at 15 months, so that wasn’t a problem either. I do wish I would’ve had more time with just her though. My entire pregnancy I felt like I was ‘cheating her’. It may be because both my husband be I are only children though. We didn’t want to get pregnant so quickly, but began trying in fear of it taking a while due to my preeclampsia.

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amy Nov 20 at 2:08 pm

I had my first four boys in 28 months. My oldest was 5 months old when i got pregnant. My second son was 5 months old when I got pregnant with my third & fourth (twins). They were born 7 weeks premature. So I had 4 babies under 2 and a half. None were potty trained and only one was even walking. I must say, it was extremely challanging at the time. We had two babies in the NICU and two at home who still needed us. I look back and it is all a blur. It soon became a blessing however. They were all close enough in age that they always had a sibling on their sports team. They’ve always had lunch together at school and for the most part spend time with the same group of friends. They are in high school now and play on the same football and basketball teams. Two of them run track and one still plays baseball. They still keep us busy…BUT I would’nt change it for the world!!!
Let me add…3 years and 3 months later, we were blessed with a baby girl she’s 12 now).
God bless all of you and your precious families! ENJOY them no matter how many or how few or how close together or far apart. IT GOES WAY TOO FAST!!!

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- Aanisah Dec 10 at 11:20 pm
  
  This is just so BEAUTIFUL!! God bless you and your wonderful family, Supermum x
  
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Sara Oct 31 at 2:59 pm

We are also thinking that about three to four years will be good for us. I had a really rough pregnancy and was on hospital bed rest, an unexpected c-section and then had a preemie in the NICU for three weeks. Mentally, it’s taken me about two years to even want to go through that again, even knowing the second could be worlds different). And, I’d really like to have a VBAC and my instructions were to give my body at least two years to heal. We’ll see what happens, but I’m three years younger than my sister and I think it was good spacing.

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Helen Beaufort Jul 29 at 6:24 pm

#1 and #2 are 16 months apart; #2 and #3 are also 16 months apart. We weren’t trying and weren’t preventing….it seems my fertility comes back like clockwork. This time we have been preventing (and yes, my fertility came back around the same time) but are thinking about trying for #4 in a few months, which will probably end up being a 2 year age gap. The close pregnancies took their toll on my body – hence the longer gap for healing and replenishing now. I had planned to wait 3 years this time but it turns out the internal pull to conceive is too strong to ignore and I do not feel like the schedule is my call to make. The soul of the waiting baby has been a persistently growing presence in my awareness for months now (and #3 is only 11 months old!). I’m putting it off a few more months to step up my body preparation (weight loss, nutrition, cleansing).

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Cheryl Jun 25 at 6:18 pm

I had some of my babies close and some far apart–9 in all. My first 2 were 17 months apart. The last 2 are 5 years apart (during perimenopause!). I was able to nurse all of them for at least one year–longer if they would let me. Of course that meant tandem nursing a few times 🙂 I only weaned intentionally if they were still nursing by age 3.
I think you are very accurate about the advantages and disadvantages of spacing. My children who are close in age are definitely good friends. But all those pregnancies took a toll on my body. I’m just thankful for good overall health so I can enjoy children and now grandchildren.

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Sam Jun 25 at 2:43 pm

We are expecting #3 this fall. My oldest will be 3.5 and my second-born will turn 2 the month before the new one’s due date. 17 months between #1 and #2 then 25 months between #2 and #3.

I always liked the idea of having kids close. My husband and I have always talked about a big family. We are young so there’s no rush but there’s no regrets either in adding to our family quickly. It was very hard at first with my girls but that could be attributed to any number of things. The days or weeks I have to go it alone (daddy is gone for work and no family in town) without any help it’s very much a challenge.

However, my girls adore eachother. I can’t imagine them without the other one anymore. They are truly best friends. I only hope I’m able to encourage that relationship so that it blossoms into their adulthood. I’m looking forward to seeing how they are with the new baby too. My first was very much a baby herself when her sister came along but she was present for her birth and was so very aware of the new little being. She didn’t take any time to step up to the roll of big sister and embrace that new baby with every ounce of love she was capable of giving. I’m seriously looking forward to each of their reactions when their brother is born.

I’m also certain, if even hopeful, (even mid-pregnancy) that we’ll have more in the future. While I won’t say for certain that we’ll have another one within 1.5-3 years I simply don’t know how things will change. Adoption and fostering is also on our minds for the future. I love being a mom. I love parenting, teaching, comforting. This has got to be the most beautiful, fruitful, awesome job on the planet.

The PPD, the physical changes, and the “wear and tear” has been challenging but beyond worthwhile. I only have one life, one body, and with each moment passing I lose opportunity to create the story I want to leave behind. I’m looking forward to seeing how many we have in the end, whether we’ll stop after this and adopt, or foster in the distant future, or have 3 more back-to-back. We’ll see!

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Brittney Jun 25 at 10:58 am

My first two are 13 months apart and are best friends. They are two very different kids and they make a great team. #3 was born 2 1/2 years later. #4 didn’t join our family until #3 was 4! Which turned out great since our youngest was born with a cleft lip and palate. My older boys have all been able to be helpful and supportive through the last year and a half since he joined us. But I guess my family worked out kind of the opposite of what you’ve said here. However, I must say, the closely spaced pregnancies were very tough on my body. Pregnancy was significantly easier when I’d had time to recover. I did nurse during two of my pregnancies too though.

And I agree with you, these decisions are best made between a couple and God. I love that we don’t have to make such a tremendous decision without the help of someone who knows ours and our kids’ past, present and future. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

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Lisa Jun 25 at 12:53 am

I planned to have them a bit closer, but due to multiple miscarriages, my eldest 2 are 3 years 11 months apart, my 2nd and 3rd are 3 years 7 months apart and my 3rd & 4th are 2 yrs 10mths apart. My main reason is the same as one of yours; I want my kids to have the benefit of a full 2 years of breastfeeding. My 3rd did nurse until the night the baby was born and then he decided he was done, but I’m not sure how much milk he actually got and the last 3 months or so, I could not handle the sensation of him nursing, so I usually only let him do it for a minute or so at a time. My youngest is 17mths and IF we have another, it probably won’t be for at least another 6 months, even though I’m already 39 and feeling way too old for this.

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- Taryn Jul 10 at 4:10 pm
  
  Are they close?
  I just wonder about the sibling bond at 3 yrs+ apart.
  
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sara Jun 24 at 9:15 pm

my two kids are 18 months apart. my son was so much fun as a baby that we wanted another. and we felt that having them close together would help them be good friends and playmates. my first pregnancy was incredibly easy, but the second pregnancy took more of a toll on my body. i took longer to recover. i never considered that it was due to having them close together! my kids are now 4 and 3 and they are good friends, but if i had to do it over again i would have waited longer so that i could have enjoyed my son as an only child longer. once my daughter came along, it was like i stopped seeing my son as a baby. now i look at pictures and i think, “wow, he was still so young! he was a big brother, but he was just a toddler.” and he had to be a little more independent because so much of my time and attention went towards the new baby. i wish i could have “babied” him and enjoyed that one-on-one time with him a little bit longer 🙂 another thing is that once my daughter turned 2, it was like, “that’s it? no more babies in the house? but it all happened so fast!” i mean, i know everyone tells you to enjoy your baby because it goes by so quickly. but if you space them out, then you get to enjoy those baby times spread out over a few more years. so if you’re only planning to have two, i would recommend spacing it apart so that you get to enjoy having a baby in the house for longer. we are actually trying for a third now 🙂

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erin Jun 24 at 7:07 pm

I also intentionally waiting 4 years before trying again, then had my second (and third) when my oldest was 5 1/2. 🙂 It was for all of the reasons you stated as well. It couldn’t be better! No jealousy, oldest self weaned at 5 while I was pregnant. She understood everything that was happening and loves every minute of it!

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Kez Jun 24 at 6:27 pm

Mine are 2 yrs & 2 months apart and yes it was very hard – but worth the extra work IMO. Now they are 4 & 2 and are the best of friends most of the time. The age gap was planned and I don’t think I would change it. I’m almost finished with nappies and baby stuff and looking forward to moving on to the next stage with both of them.

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Kerry Eady Jun 24 at 6:14 pm

My kids are 20, 13, 8 (almost 9) and 5 (almost 6) (plus a 22 yr old stepson). The easiest transition was from 2 kids to 3 with my daughter turning 4 just before her baby brother arrived. I practice child led weaning but as it’s a relationship we were able to wean before her brother arrived. She was a doting big sister and there’s never been any sibling rivalry between them. The toughest transition was from 3 to 4 and it had to do with my 3 year old not being at all ready to wean when his little brother arrived. So tandem nursing became our norm, and it really made mothering a 24/7 job for me, but part of that was the circumstances of a rough pregnancy and birth and then a baby with severe reflux…I didn’t sleep more than 2 hours at a stretch for 3 years!…it certainly made me feel done! My oldest and youngest were my intensely high needs babies,the middle kids were a breeze 🙂 ….and yes it’s a very wide spread – I have one graduating with his bachelors this year and one starting kindergarten at the local Waldorf school 🙂

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May Jun 24 at 6:05 pm

Being Swedish we have a financial reason for having children closer together. If you conceive before your prior child is 1 year 9 months, you have the benefit of keeping your parental leave pay from your first child. It makes a huge financial difference, since I will get the same amount of money as if I had worked full time on my job, but I have instead been home full time w our first born for 18 months and then only worked a few hrs part time. Had I gotten my parental leave calculated on my actual income these past years, I would have the lowest pay, now, instead, I have the highest. Which means we can affoard to stay home longer w our children. We did however wait for as long as we dared, and got pregnant w #2 when #1 was 1 year and 8 months old. He will be almost 2,5 when the baby is born. If we didn’t have to care about money I too would probably have waited another 6 months or so to get pregnant w #2. Felt like I would have needed to have some more time to get back to full strenght from my first pregnancy.

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Danelle Jun 24 at 5:45 pm

Bravo!! It is refreshing to hear from more mothers taking conscious steps to space babies for the wellbeing of everyone – mom, baby 1 and baby 2. Thank you for writing this piece.

We elected to wait 4 years between pregnancies for many of the same reasons you listed, and more. There is ample research from around the world, and over the course of human history on this topic. Hope the case for child spacing sees a bit more highlighting in modern parenting culture for the sake of the mother/baby unit and all involved.

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Erin Jun 7 at 8:32 am

Our second baby was born just last month…two weeks before his big brother’s third birthday. We waited two years to start trying to get pregnant for your very same body recovery reasons. My further stipulation was that our first son had to go down easily for naps before we could start so that when I got pregnant I could always anticipate a nap for me during the day! It was so fun to talk to my older son during the pregnancy and answer his questions and build his anticipation for the new baby. We started preparing him early on for the fact that Mom wasn’t always going to be available and almost simultaneously he started to only wanting to hang out with and cuddle with Dad. We also had less anxiety about leaving him with whomever when it came time for the birth because he was pretty self-sufficient and could verbalize what he needed. And when baby came, the look on big brother’s face when he met his baby brother for the first time was unforgettable.

So we are a month into this newborn + 3 year old business and, while it is still hard, I am glad for the age difference. Big brother is very independent…sometimes too much…but it is a huge help that he can do so much by himself. He is interested in helping with the baby, too. He understands when I can not do something because I am feeding the baby and he doesn’t seem to hold it against his brother. We have noticed that he requests me more at bedtime and to do other things for him that Dad used to do. This is fine by me (when the baby isn’t crying) because I had anxieties about losing time with my first baby once the second came along. Overall, Dad and I are managing to hold it all together. And don’t worry too much about the newborn “culture shock”. You jump right back into it!

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Alicia Jun 4 at 8:58 pm

We’re expecting our first now, but we want to space about 4 years between babies. My first reason is the same as yours – I’ve had severe hyperemesis my whole pregnancy so far, so I know my body will need a long time to heal and mentally I’ll need to be distanced from the trauma of this pregnancy before I can consider doing it again.

My other, probably more important, reason is my own family history. I am one of seven kids. I am closest to my brother who is four years older than I am and to my sister who is four years younger than me. I have a sister who is 18 months younger than me who I don’t remember ever getting along with for more than a day or two at a time. I feel like we were too close in age – our accomplishments were always compared, she ended up with a lot of the same teachers I had so she was constantly being compared to me, we also had a lot of the same peer group so we were constantly competing over friends, etc. Plus I know that in some ways my mother wishes we hadn’t been so close together because being pregnant and having a newborn when I was still so young meant she didn’t get to do the things with/for me as a very young child that she did with/for the other kids (I turned out alright, but mommy guilt is powerful!) My two younger brothers are 11 and 14 years younger than I am (they’re about 3 and a half years apart) and they’ve always gotten on pretty well together, so to me around that age difference just seems perfect for family harmony.

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- Genevieve Jun 5 at 3:35 pm
  
  Thanks for sharing! I love hearing other people’s stories and perspectives.
  
  Sorry to hear about HG! You are a tough mama and will get through it but it’s brutal. XO
  
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Heather Boyd May 31 at 7:50 pm

I appreciate first hand why the consensus is 3 years. We had our boys 2 years and 3 months apart and it was hard. Every month got easier by leaps and bounds, and by 3 years old our son was a doting brother and ‘do it myself’ preschooler. Had we been younger we may have spaced things out a bit more. I wholeheartedly agree with the evidence, and would disagree with naysayers about the impact of such spacing on the ‘closeness’ of siblings. When older siblings are more secure in who they are, they are more open to being a nurturing sibling rather than a sibling competing for limited resources from an exhausted mama!

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Sarah May 31 at 9:13 am

Love this! Please, please make your next video on HOW you, as a natural mama waited 3 years.

Our two kids are 13 months apart. The youngest is 4 weeks old, and we would like to wait 3 years or so before our next child. We are committed to not using chemical birth controls as I am allergic to some and we’ve read horror stories about the pill.

How did you successfully wait 3 years?

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Jill C May 31 at 6:22 am

My first two were 17 months apart (we couldn’t get pregnant that fast twice in a row, could we?). Then the third came along when the first two were 5 & 4. Then I waited….and waited…and waited…and gave up and counted my blessings. Until I had my tonsils out two years ago, got pregnant a month later, and gave birth to a baby girl last June. Two days after her next youngest sibling left for boot camp. We had an empty nest for TWO DAYS!
I am loving having a “caboose” – she is the delight of our lives! Seriously. Everybody should do this.

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Agnes May 30 at 11:23 pm

I’ve heard it said before that kids closer in age are better friends. I don’t agree with that. My sister and I are 3 years and 4 months apart and we’ve been best friends since we were tiny. Also, my two kids are almost 3 years apart and they’re awesome friends. On the other hand, I’ve seen twins who didn’t get along at all once past the toddler stage.

I think it really depends on personalities, the family they’re born into, etc. more than age difference (unless it’s a huge age difference).

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- Nicole Aug 27 at 6:42 pm
  
  I definitely have to agree. I am nine years older than my sister (and 10 years younger than my brother), and we have been best friends for as long as I can remember. I was so excited to become a big sister, and I am so happy that we have stayed close all these years. My fiance and his brother are 14 months apart, and while he wishes that they were close, I don’t think they are. Ironically, he acts like the older brother and is super caring and concerned while his brother does not show much empathy or concern towards him. From what I have heard, this dynamic has been the same ever since they were little (toddlers). I recently read a book that explored empathy in children. It quoted several newer studies, and the evidence showed that for whatever reason having second and third graders around an infant allows them to better harness their ability to feel and express empathy and to harness their nurturing abilities. I think this view makes sense.
  
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Tracey Rose May 30 at 10:39 pm

Mine are only 20 months apart – then I ended up a single mummy when my 2nd bub was only 5 months. OMG! It was soooo hard in the beginning, but now they are soooo close and are best friends <3

Congrats again on your pregnancy .. xx

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Tessa May 30 at 9:48 pm

I would tend to agree whole heartedly with Daja at the Provision Room. I am currently 21 weeks pregnant with #5. And I’ve run the gamut as far as birthing experiences and child spacing. My first two are almost exactly 2 years apart. Two and three are exactly 18 months apart. And three and four are nearly 3 solid years apart. Four and five will be exactly 19 months apart. The spacing with all of our children was intentional. And quite honestly the ideal for us is 18-24 months apart. As much as the 3 year space is nice, there is very little playmate connect between #3 and #4. The space is just too much. However, the oldest 3 are the best of friends and they are the first to say it. #2 and #3 are closest. And though it was pretty crazy for about 18 months with those two, it was completely worth it. And honestly, having kids makes life a bit crazy and out of control……what difference does it make if your kids are super close together? Then they GROW UP together.

And I completely agree with her statement of fertility being a huge gift. I’ve miscarried twice and those losses have left a huge hole in my heart. As I creep further into my 30s, pregnancy becomes harder and harder to achieve (you being a woman of statistics would understand that).

One other thing, said with so much charity, please don’t limit the gifts God is willing to bestow upon you. Yes, two children is wonderful, but please don’t limit that. If you truly understood the beauty of siblings both for eachother and for a family unit, you’d give your children as many as God is willing to bless you with without reservation. I grew up with 4 siblings and am so grateful to my parents for them all. Two of them have since passed away of very unfortunate circumstances (illness and accident) which leaves me with (only) 2.

A person who sets out to make a living doesn’t usually say “Okay, I’m only going to make $100,000 a year. Once I hit that mark, I refuse to make any more.” or a person who wins the lottery doesn’t usually say “I’m only going to win the jackpot once. And I hope I never win it again because that would completely mess up my life plan.” Biblically, children are what made a man rich. Not money, not land, not status, but children.

Something to think about.

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Daja at The Provision Room May 30 at 9:24 pm

We have seven children with the eighth due in July. The closest spacing is 12 months almost exactly. The furthest apart is just under three years. So, our oldest is 12. The youngest (outside the womb) is 19 months.

From my personal experience, believe it or not, closer is EASIER. Much easier, actually. Sure there are a few months of being incredibly busy, but that is very short lived. And then those children are so incredibly sweet with one another, growing up together, loving one another and being best of friends. I would tend to think that having babies close together would reduce sibling rivalry not increase it.

It seems that so many people worry about nursing through pregnancy. But with a really healthy diet, rest and commitment to it, it is not only possible, it’s WONDERFUL! I have essentially been nursing for 12 years straight. Every child has self-weaned.

And the toll on my body? I know this also may be difficult to believe, but this current pregnancy (number eight) is my healthiest. I feel amazing! Sometimes I practically forget I’m pregnant!

All that said, I don’t take my fertility for granted. It’s a gift. And who knows when it will be over. I would, personally (maybe not all women feel this way!) feel so sad if I purposely put off having a baby only to discover that when the timing was “perfect” I wasn’t able. I’ve seen this story play out so many times with friends and loved ones and it’s heartbreaking! I don’t see a perfect number of children for our family. We have no goals to have many or few. With each child, we have experienced our love multiply and blessings increase and our family become more perfect than we could have orchestrated in our limited understanding of perfection.

Anyway…. 🙂 CONGRATULATIONS on your pregnancy!!!! We are super happy for you! Can’t wait to see what a great big brother Griffin will be!!!

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emma May 30 at 9:15 pm

congratulations on your pregnancy! We have an 8 month old baby girl, I would love 3 or 4 children but am concerned about 3 years spacing with my age, I just turned 31. What do you think about pregnancy after 35? I have heard people say it’s an issue and yet I know many women that have had children in their 40’s.
I would like some input as we start to think about when (God willing) we could start thinking about another baby, now is too soon for me but I’ll want a little one again.

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Maria May 30 at 6:14 pm

Congratulations! Wish my husband and I could “try” for a baby and be able to get pregnant, then “try” for another child a few years later and again be able to get pregnant. Impossible to do when you got married a little later in life and the same year you got married you recieve a diagnosis of endometriosis stage five. My husband and I have been “trying” to have a child for the almost six years we have been married, but haven’t been able to get pregnant even once. So disapointing, discouraging, and frustrating. My arms and heart ache for a child of my own. I’m often in tears over this.

Ladies, if you are blessed to be able to “try” for a baby, get pregnant, and have children you are blessed! Husband and I would love to be able to adopt a child, but we can’t even afford adoption. So sad. I’ve been a preschool teacher for twenty five years, love children, but can’t even have a child of my own! Stupid endometriosis! My heart is broken. I do not think anybody can help us. Nobody really cares. 🙁

[email protected]

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Brandi B May 30 at 5:07 pm

My children will be exactly 26 months apart (I’m due in July). I did try to breastfeed throughout pregnancy, but it became very painful about halfway through, and my daughter was starting to ease up on it anyway, not really wanting much anymore. Therefore, I decided to wean her and it was very natural and easy. Seeing how easy it was for her allowed me to feel less guilt overall about forcing her to wean early.

I will say that we always planned on 3 years, so we planned to try to get pregnant this summer, about the time this one is due. But, God had other plans and therefore, we’ll rejoice in the blessing he is giving us at this time. I really think if we have another one (this pregnancy has been incredibly hard on me, as I have also just started running a small in-home daycare and many days am running after 5 kids who are all 2 and under) we will probably wait 3-4 years before even becoming pregnant to give my body some time to heal so I can get back into shape. I also just want to focus on our little family of 4 for awhile rather than be pregnant again where I’m just not as much fun for awhile! 🙂

Congrats again on your pregnancy, and I’m excited to follow along with you!!

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Mandy May 30 at 3:29 pm

QUESTION: When you say 3 years apart, do you mean that Griffin is 3 yrs old NOW, or that he’ll be 3 by the time the baby is born?

Just last weekend, at a big family party, we were getting questioned in front of EVERYONE: “SO, when’s the next one coming?” – I was like “SLOW DOWN THERE!!! Our baby’s only SIX MONTHS OLD!” Sheesh!!!

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Elizabeth May 30 at 2:48 pm

I don’t usually comment (normally just read others’ comments), but I wanted to thank you for the encouragement. My babies are 19 months apart. I was still nursing my first, a son, when I got pregnant (surprise!) and continued nursing through the first trimester of my second pregnancy. I didn’t have any trouble nursing my son and did so for 13 months. I planned to do the same with my daughter but then developed nursing issues. My body did not produce much milk. I kept having plugged ducts (which lowered my milk more). I was exhausted (beyond that which comes with having a newborn). At 4 months, my milk was very low, and I had to go on a medicine I did not feel comfortable taking while nursing. I sadly, sadly, sadly switched to formula. I HATED to have to do that. I know breastfeeding is best. I wanted, longed, ached to breastfeed. I felt that I would be judged if someone saw me feeding my child with a bottle. I judged myself. I had many, many sleepless nights of guilt wondering if there was something I could have done to produce more milk. I felt like I let my daughter down. I read so many articles that said it is very uncommon for a mother to not produce enough milk for her baby. I thought, “I did something wrong. It’s not common to not produce much milk.” It took me close to two years (and tons of reflection) to realize that I really did everything possible during those tough 4 months – seeing a lactation consultant, talking with my doctor, talking with loved ones who had experience nursing, remembering that I had done it successfully for 13 months prior to this!). I really do think that my nursing issues came about because my body did not have time to rest in between pregnancies/nursing. – I was exhausted – physically, emotionally. I don’t doubt that my nutrients were depleted (even though I ate well and took prenatal vitamins – let’s face it -pregnancy and nursing take it out of you!) Both babies are happy and healthy, but it has taken a long time for me to get to feeling back to normal (and I’m still working on it 2 1/2 years later.) I have concluded that each family has their own dynamics, and what works for one may not work for another. I have had friends in similar situations to mine who had no trouble with their bodies recovering and no nursing issues. I think it is a good idea that you have waited 3 years. Sometimes we forget how hard our bodies work during pregnancy/nursing. Congratulations!

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Michelle May 30 at 2:29 pm

I’m still pregnant with my first, but I’m hoping for a 2-3 year spacing (getting pregnant with the next when my last is 2). I want to space my pregnancies for the same reasons you mentioned, but I also wanted to try to fit in more pregnancies before I turn 30 (I’m almost 25 now). I’d like 4 kids, but my husband wants 3, so at least we may be able to fit in 3 kids by age 30 with that spacing. 🙂

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MamaCassi May 30 at 1:53 pm

Between my first and second, I was unaware of child spacing and wanted a nice 2 year gap. We LOVED it. my son had chosen to wean right about the time i got pregnant (i still had plenty of milk and missed him as i leaked through that pregnancy) and he was potty trained at 22 months during the end of my pregnancy. 2 years was perfect- he loved his new baby ‘sister birthday’ and we thought we’d wait 2-3 years before we had any more. at this point i was learning about health, replenishing my body, and i had memorized WAPF rules and information.

surprise! i was pregnant (using birth control) when my 2nd baby was 10 months old. I nursed throughout that pregnancy and prayed the since God saw fit to give us this little one, that He would meet her nutritional needs (also juiced 2-3x a day, and ate very cleanly focused on both my daughter’s needs as well as my own)- she was born 8lbs 8oz and stayed in the 95th percentile to this day. I was blessed to be able to tandem nurse until my first daughter was 2 1/2.

Then was pregnant right when my 2nd daughter was 9 months. delayed ovulation (hard to chart w/ nursing at night and ovulation is day 35 or later….) so kept up doing what worked for me- juicing, fermented cod liver oil, organ meats, bone stocks, and nursed again through pregnancy.

i have felt condemnation for myself for failing at spacing my children better even knowing what i knew. but also felt that God gave me great wisdom ahead of time so that i would have blessed pregnancies and births and amazingly healthy children. i knew about stocks, cod liver oil, organ meats, natural health, no plastics, no cosmetics, etc. BEFORE having children. and while they may have been given some more benefits if i had spaced them correctly, i felt that each one was given to me in spite of my attempts to avoid them and i am grateful.

we tried for our 5th one (aiming for what seemed like a nice LONG 2 year gap) and were blessed to become pregnant immediately. we always wanted 5. suddenly, we feel done. and charting has been going well and if we choose to have one down the line, it will be at least 5 years. but i’m glad to have my kiddos close together- they are very precious to each other and we’re loving this season.

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Elisa May 30 at 1:43 pm

Everyone’s family planning is different for different reasons, but it sounds like you guys really thought it out, and THAT’S what’s most important! Also, WHO recommends 2 years in between *pregnancies*!

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Christina May 30 at 1:27 pm

My son is 10 in July and my baby is 2 in October. That’s the way it happened and that’s the way we like it. 😉

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Michelle May 30 at 1:05 pm

We tried natural family planning to space my pregnancies and ended up with two babies twelve months apart! While I wouldn’t recommend people actually choosing this spacing it does have certain advantages. Namely, no jealousy at all. DS and DD adore each other and are 100% used to sharing mommy’s attention. The first three months were a nightmare though and I never want to do that again! We’re hoping for a three year gap for the next baby. 🙂

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EB May 30 at 12:57 pm

My first two children are 3.5 years apart. We planned it that way because of several of the reasons you listed. I have some fertility issues so we really “stopped preventing” when my daughter was 2, expecting it to take a while, and it did. When my younger daughter arrived, the timing really was perfect. The older one understood more that I needed to do certain things for the baby. It was hard for her at times, yes, but I was able to reason with her to a certain extent.

My second and third children are 2.5 years apart. This pregnancy wasn’t planned (at all!) and I was really sad because I felt like they were too close together. My second daughter weaned early in my pregnancy, on her second birthday, and I think she would have nursed longer had I not been pregnant. Her weaning was bittersweet because nursing had been painful and I wanted her to stop, but I was sad that it was not really on her terms. (She did initiate the weaning but I don’t think she would have had my milk not changed/had I not stopped offering because it was painful.) When the baby arrived she was 2.5. It wasn’t as bad as I feared, but it was still harder in some ways. Now the baby is 9 months old and we have our groove, but I still feel like my middle child has lost out on some things that I wanted her to have, like special time with me while my oldest was in school before we had another baby. In any case, it is what it is. I just know based on my experiences what feels right for my family.

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Amanda May 30 at 12:42 pm

We didn’t plan anything. We just allowed for natural child spacing between our children. Even with extended nursing, my kids are all 2 1/2 -3 years apart. 2 of them have continued to nurse through pregnancy and after birth until they were over 4!. Contractions were never an issue, and neither was low birth weight either. The smallest was 7# 8 oz, and my most recent babe was 9# 12 oz. with 3 of the 4 born at home. 🙂

Congratulations on your pregnancy! May it be a wonderful journey of even more learning and joy!

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lidia s May 30 at 12:32 pm

My son is 15 months old and I weaned him at 12m because I was about about 8 weeks pregnant and he was biting but he is doing so well and a smart boy, I think if you plan on waiting that might not be Gods plan and out the window goes your plan. Lol that’s what happened to me I was going to wait longer but God had a different plan for my family and I couldn’t be any happier we are having baby #2 a girl in Sept.

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corie feiner May 30 at 12:27 pm

i waited 5 year and 11 months. not exactly intentional, but my body just didn’t want any more kids earlier. i have to say, my 6 year old and 4 month old get along great! we also homeschool and have a close family. the only disadvantage is being a little older and more physically worn out.

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Courtney May 30 at 12:20 pm

Our boys are pretty much exactly 3 years apart. June 27 and June 30. Our reasons were pretty much the same as yours and I do not regret it. I love that spacing so far, although it has only been about a year with two kids. But I definitely “polled” friends and family about what their favorite spacing was and the biggest majority seemed to say 3 years. Some said 2, but they added that they enjoyed it once the kids were grown, not the first few years. My brother and I are 2 years apart (also both born in June;) ) and I loved it as a kid. But, as a parent, my well being and ability to be the best mother that I could be, needed three years. And I do think that it is close enough for the kids to still have strong bonds with each other. A lot of that depends on the family then the spacing, I feel like.

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Lisa C May 30 at 12:20 pm

I wanted a four year gap between kids but as my first approached his 3rd birthday, I found out my body had a lot of healing to do before getting pregnant again. It was nice that my son got to breastfeed till age four, when it was finally easy to wean him. He’s four and half now and I’m not pregnant yet, but hopefully soon. I’m glad I have given my body time to heal and let my body build up its reserves. My son will be school age and so helpful whenever we have our second, and considering I stress easily, that will be a very good thing.

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Jamie May 30 at 12:15 pm

Mine is bittersweet, my sister &I are 8 days less than 12 months apart, so…my mother got pregnant with me while my sister wad only the months. She was only 22 and abandoned us when I was 1.5 and sister 2.5. My dad fought for full custody, and won, which was very rare in the 80’a for a father to get full custody of 2 little girls.
With that said, I have a 7 month old and do plan to wait to savor and give my little girl special attention till her new sibling comes a perfect 3 years later, If on How’s plan of course. Blessings. Children heal so many wounds, I know she has helped me to walk in my mother’s shoes to forgive and show grace, because my mother wants to meet her (we stay in mild contact).

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Kristie @ Marbles: Misplaced May 30 at 12:07 pm

My husband and I were married in 2003. Twenty-two months later, our first was born. 22 months after that, our second was born. 22 months after that, our third was born. 24 months later, our fourth was born. And 22 months after that, our fifth was born. The youngest is almost 8 months now, so I figue I’ve got about four or five months left. And that was with no planning at all. We figure the Father knows best! But He leads us each differently to make the decisions He wants for us. Having children so close does present challenges, but having kids AT ALL is challenging!

All the best to you in your pregnancy! Children are a blessing!
~Kristie

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heather May 30 at 12:01 pm

I’m pregnant with the second now and they will be about 32 months apart… We initially wanted them 2 years apart, but when the time came to start trying….we werent at all ready. I’m feeling so much better now. I was able to nurse my first for 26 months before she weaned/my milk dried up from being pregnant. DD1 is close to being potty trained and is very independent. I have a feeling she will be very helpful with DD2.

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richelle May 30 at 11:59 am

Genevieve,
Initially we wanted to space ours about 5-6 years apart however that was not the Lord’s plan….we tried, but our girls are 12.5 years apart! His timing is perfect thought because in the past 6 years we have traveled a long road to better eating habits and healthy living and I am so thankful. “Lil Bit” is now almost 7 months old – what an amazing journey this has been the second time around (from a SAD diet to a whole foods diet including broth – ferments – probiotics & FCLO, hospital birth to home birth, hoping to do CD soon – couldn’t afford the upfront cost. It has been such a joy & her big sister is a huge help! Congratulations to you! Listened to you on the conference!
Blessings!

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- Rae Feb 7 at 10:28 am
  
  What is CD?
  
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Sara - My Merry Messy Life May 30 at 11:50 am

I think your reasons are great! I also think that it’s a very personal, family decision that is different for everyone. So, hats off to you for doing what you feel is best and right for YOUR family! That is the right thing to do. We didn’t start having kids until my hubby was 36, so we wanted them close together so we’d be able to have 3 or 4 by the time he was 40. It has been very hard having 3 kids in 4 years, I won’t deny that. We are both exhausted all of the time. But, we see it as a short-term sacrifice for our family and we’ll be out of the diaper phase sooner than later.

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Kate May 30 at 11:42 am

We wanted a 2.5-3 year spacing. We were actually going to try one month and then not try the next two to avoid a Thanksgiving/Christmas baby so I figured we’d wind up closer to the 3 year mark. Of course we got pregnant on the first try and my daughter was born 3 days before her brother hit 2.5. It was manageable even with my son’s developmental issues but next time we’re waiting an additional 3-4 months to start trying. With the way the kids b-days fall that would mean that even if we get pregnant the first time again as long as I go full term my oldest will have started full day kindergarten by the time my husband has to go back to work after the baby’s born.

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Alicia Owen May 30 at 11:40 am

I was starting to think I was the only person in the world who wanted to wait around 3 years before having another baby, so thank you for sharing this! I know there are some people out there who purposely have their children closer together, and that’s great for them, but I think I would lose my sanity! We only plan on having one or two more, so we should be good. 😉 Plus it gives me time to get back in shape!

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Tanya May 30 at 11:37 am

Our son and daughter are 20 months apart and let me tell you it is HARD!!! The adjustment from 1 child to 2 was difficult. My husband and I both work full time as well. Our son (who just turned 3) was nursing until I got pregnant, but weaned shortly after I got pregnant (probably because my milk supply dropped). Our daughter (now a little over 15 months) was born 7 weeks early. Now, I don’t know if that had anything to do with my pregnancies being so close together, but I often wonder if that is why. Luckily she had no major complications and is developing and growing normally now. If we decide to have another baby, we will wait until our daugher is at least 3. I do not want to risk my body not being ready and having another preemie.
Now that our kids are a little older and both sleeping better, I am glad we had them close together, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. They are starting to play together and it is adorable! I know they will be great friends as they grow up. If we decide to have a 3rd, I fear that the relationship between him/her and our now 3 year old son would not be very close due to a 5 or 6 year age difference. Either way, I think you made a good choice:)

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Andrea Gardner May 30 at 11:36 am

My oldest 2 are 23 months apart. It was hard and draining and I do not think having the boys that close was a good idea for my sanity and for their ultimate benefit. However, now they are older (9 and 11) and it is easy and they are best friends. My third came 3 years later and my fourth 3 years after that. I planned it that way. In my opinion 3 is the ideal spacing. They are still close enough in age to have a close relationship but at the same time I feel I was able to meet the needs of all my littles far better than I did when I had just my boys. My fifth came 3.5 years later. Although he was unplanned I am thrilled he will still be fairly close in age to his sister. I thought I was done so I was raising my daughter as the baby of the family but because she is older I feel like she was able to handle the transition better than if she had been younger. She isn’t jealous and she is a great helper.

I agree that 3 years age difference between kids is perfect 🙂

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Becca May 30 at 11:30 am

And, I did nurse my older daughter for 2 years. The twins are still nursing.

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Dayna May 30 at 11:28 am

Hi! I am pregnant with our 4th daughter right now! 28 weeks along tomorrow! 🙂 We had 3 kiddos in 2 years & 8 months! But, # 2 & 3 are twins! Our oldest daughter was 2 years, 8 months and still in diapers herself but she was (and still is at 6 years old) such a sweetheart and easy going little girl- that part wasn’t hard. Having 2 newborns was hard though but such an amazing gift and blessing! (They are 2 hours apart!). I was able to nurse them both wonderfully. 1 for 18 months til she weaned herself and the other til 25 months. I am so thankful for that experience. 🙂 For our last baby I wanted the twins to be over 3 years old so they would be more independent and potty trained (especially since there are 2 of them!). They are now 3 1/2 and are getting so big and grown up-they are going to be awesome big sisters! We are praying our little one arrives in August & not sooner. She just had open fetal surgery 3 weeks ago due to being diagnosed with spina bifida at 20 weeks along. We are on quite the journey but feel very blessed throughout it all! And I am even more thankful that our twins are over 3 so that makes things a little easier when our sweet baby girl arrives this summer! 🙂 It’s all in God’s hands and He has been with us through it all!

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- Becca May 30 at 11:33 am
  
  Oh my, Dayna, we have similar stories! (Although you’re a little ahead of me). All the best with your 4th little one!
  
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  - Dayna May 30 at 11:50 am
    
    Hi Becca! Thank you! I just read your story too! 🙂 Don’t you just feel so blessed?!
    
    Our girls bring us so much joy everyday. 🙂
    
    And that is awesome that you are still nursing! We are so lucky to be able to nurse twins!!
    
    Take care!
    Dayna
    
    Reply
    - Becca May 30 at 12:02 pm
      
      Nursing twins is definitely different! I have so many stories that I just never would have had with my singleton or any future singletons. :). The girls are so much fun! I just love it when they are all rocking baby dolls and pushing strollers in the house! My hubby has resolved to the idea of girls and has even said it would just be easier if the 4th were a girl. Only time will tell. So, your 4th is also a girl! How fun!
      
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      - Dayna May 30 at 12:52 pm
        
        Yes our 4th is a girl! We are very excited to have another girl. I think the dynamics of 4 sisters will be a lot of fun for them and us! 🙂
Becca May 30 at 11:27 am

We had my first and then my twins 2.5 years apart. I felt that 2.5 years was pretty good and I just happened to get pregnant to make it that way. I, however, had no control over having twins the second go around. They are identical, and therefore, spontaneous (anyone can have them, and there aren’t any twins in my family as far back as we can find in genealogy). I think the gap was good, but having two babies at once was definitely crazy. I hear all the stuff about sibling rivalry, but I believe a lot of that has to do with parenting. My older daughter was happy and unsure in the beginning, but she never resented her sisters. We involved her and made her feel needed (as a big sister to help Mommy and her sisters). She did really well with it. We didn’t do preschool as that is not part of my plans. I didn’t want my older daughter to feel as though she got kicked out while Mommy stayed at home with her sisters. I also am not too thrilled with preschool itself, but that’s another discussion. It was definitely a challenge for the first 6-8months while my hubby and I tried to manage two babies and taking care of the older one. At this point, she is 4 and the twins are 20months. They play well together and they absolutely love their big sister. My older daughter also loves her sisters and can’t wait to get them up to play with in the morning. I have said that I would like the twins to be nearly 3 by the time I’m pregnant with a 4th (I’ve always wanted 4). They would be more help and a little less work at that age. I do believe that some women are just good and childbearing. I have a friend who just had her 8th and they have all been healthy pregnancies with good birth weights, no autism, and she is in great shape. I think it’s not something everyone can handle, but there are some who can. Her children also are very loving towards each other. It’s just something each person has to figure themselves.

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Julie May 30 at 11:26 am

I had my son 2 weeks after my daughter turned 2 and in retrospect I kind of wish I had waited a bit longer. My daughter is still so needy, still in diapers, sleeps in a crib and is non verbal with a handful of health issues and needs to be carried a lot. Luckily my son is doing great (2 months old) but wow, it is so hard sometimes. I want to space my third child closer to 3 years

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Lauren S May 30 at 11:22 am

We are on the 3 year plan as well 🙂

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Dana Oswald May 30 at 11:14 am

We are also on the 3 year plan. My daughter is 2.5 and we will try to conceive in the fall. My friend had 2 under two and I see how she really struggles and I just don’t want that! DD is potty trained and is getting more independent everyday. When the new baby co Ed along she will hopefully be 3.5….. Like you said when God. Me and my partner decide, hopefully will be next summer! I can’t wait to pull out my cloth diaper stash!

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Lena May 30 at 9:55 am

Could you do a video on why you decided to nurse for 2 years? You briefly mentioned it is the peak time for both mother and baby – could you go a little more in depth? I LOVE your vids!!!!

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Cookinitup May 29 at 7:55 pm

My son is 17.5 months old and I just gave birth to my daughter one week ago. The second pregnancy was a surprise, but we had difficulty getting pregnant the first time. We were delighted even though they would be close in age. My daughter is perfectly healthy and I had a great pregnancy – even though I only had nine months between pregnancies. I also nursed through the entire pregnancy and my son is still nursing (he certainly seems happy to have lots more milk again!) It’s not impossible to have healthy children and pregnancies close together, you just have to make sure that you’re getting adequate nutrition. That being said – we plan to have more children, but we’re planning to wait several years before we “try” for more, mostly because I have my hands full and I do want to give my body some rest.

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- Sarh Apr 19 at 2:53 pm
  
  Thank you for this comment! I am 8 weeks pregnant and have a 10 month old and a 3 year old. Still nursing the 10 month old. Obviously, it won’t be easy, but was kind of discouraged after reading this article! Just need to remember that ultimately God is te one who opens the womb and children are always a blessing from Him!
  
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Tara May 29 at 11:08 am

We waited 3 years to TTC, honestly because it took me that long to finally feel up to the challenge. Right up until DD turned 3 I was still thinking I wanted to stop at one child. Then, I decided I’d be willing to give it a “try.” I’d spent the last 3 years literally in recovery mode from the previous pregnancy. Apparently I did a good job because we got pregnant the very first try and, you know, it has been the perfect age gap. The exhaustion and adjustment phase was so much less. DD has been nothing but helpful and excited about DS. We have not noticed any signs of jealousy etc. it’s been pretty darn blissful. I have not had nearly as many health and chemical imbalance issues. And all the crazy schedule, although it wont be your favorite thing…you’re able to fall into the routine more easily. You don’t have that crazy adjustment period you did the first time. It’s like riding a bike. 🙂 I think you picked a great time to have another. But I do agree, new life at any time is always a blessing.

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Aralena May 29 at 9:04 am

Interesting anthropological perspective on waiting for 3 years! I didn’t know about that, but have always felt that having kids too close in age would do me in! 🙂 Just changing poop diapers in the first trimester was enough to conclude that discussion.

We knew we wanted 2 (or 3, we’ll see), but we also knew we wanted our older son to be potty trained, able to feed himself, and in preschool so that he could have a somewhat autonomous life outside the home, his own daily set-up, so to speak. Baby #2 arrives in 3 weeks, and they’ll be 3.5 years apart. I am so, so glad it worked out this way.

Of course, like you noted, having to go through sleep deprivation, diapers, etc. after being out of that period for a while is going to be a rude shock!

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Rebecca May 29 at 7:59 am

Our 2 sons are 2 years 4 months apart. Even an extra few months makes a big difference! Our 2 1/2 year old son is relatively mature for his age. He’s already potty trained (except for nighttime) and is learning to amuse himself when necessary. I could see how waiting a few more months would make it even easier, though. We hope to have maybe 1 or 2 more children in the future, but I’d like to wait longer between our 9 week old and the next one. At least 3 years, possibly 4.

Though I was hoping to nurse longer, our first son self weaned at 16 months (due to his personality, as well as other variables out of my control, like early return of my period which affected supply monthly, as well as an overactive letdown/oversupply that really discouraged comfort nursing right from the get-go). We had a homebirth and our son spent most of the time upstairs with Grammie while I labored in our downstairs. He did GREAT with the new baby! So sweet 🙂 I was thinking about this being “it” during pregnancy, but as soon as I gave birth, I KNEW that we had to go through that amazing experience at least one more time… and I’d love to have a daughter someday, Lord-willing.

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Sarah May 29 at 12:10 am

Hey Genevieve,

Congrats on your new life! I don’t have any kids of my own yet, but spacing of children is definitely a tough issue. I totally agree with you that it is between you, your spouse and God. I believe if you truly go to Him and pray about it, He will lead you towards the right path. God bless you and your family!

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Beth May 28 at 11:04 pm

I think you can plan all you want. I wanted at least 2 and a 1/2 years and bang we got pregnant the first try. At nine weeks my sweet baby left this earth, and now although we have been pregnant on the first time twice I cannot get pregnant again. So the gap will be 3 years plus.

I think God plans best, and the idea that we can plan it all out is not always true.

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Jacqueline May 28 at 9:45 pm

My son is a few months younger than Griffin (born near Thanksgiving) and I’m currently 11 weeks pregnant with #2 as well! I have read that 3-5 years is optimal spacing for kids, and my body kinda made that decision for me: I nursed on demand and didn’t get my cycles back until the kiddo’s around 26 months, after some unintentional “holiday weaning”. I actually didn’t expect to conceive so quickly since I had trouble with it the first time, but my (slightly) improved diet must have helped 🙂 He is currently still nursing but I have had to limit the duration and frequency due to the nipple pain and general discomfort. At this point I’m okay on weaning or tandem nursing, depending on how we feel throughout this pregnancy. I’m also glad that he’s potty “trained” and can effectively communicate with us in words before we have to worry about the baby. Here’s to a happy and healthy pregnancy for both of us!

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Rachel May 28 at 8:14 pm

I would like to thank you for mentioning in your video about how any time a baby enters our womb it is a celebration. Being blessed with a child truly is a gift from God. After trying for many years to have my son I truly feel blessed everday to have him (even on the temper tantrum, trying my patience x 100 days). I think our society tries to “plan” things and plan our life out so much that we sometimes lose sight of the great gifts we have – a child being one of the greatest gifts of all. I wear the title mom very proudly.

I am so happy for you and your husband. I love your page, facebook page etc. You inspire me to continue my commitment to natural living. Thanks so much Mama Natural! Hope your pregnancy is fantastic and can’t wait to see baby number 2!

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Jaime May 28 at 3:13 pm

Great video Mama Natural. Congratulations to you and your hubby!
I’m 19 weeks pregnant and I am wondering what you eat on a daily basis?
That sounds super stalker-ish but it would be a huge help to know how another super healthy pregnant woman eats! I find it hard to get all the foods in during the day that I’m suppose to eat! (I’m a big Westom Price fan too!) Thanks and congrats again!!

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- Genevieve May 28 at 3:52 pm
  
  Thank you Jaime! Follow me on Instagram as I post a lot of food/meals there.
  
  Reply
  - Jaime May 28 at 4:12 pm
    
    Ohh excellent!! Thank you 🙂
    
    Reply
Kelsye May 28 at 12:59 pm

I got pregnant with my first on our wedding night. So we had Emma exactly 9 months after. Since I had a LOT of problems when I was pregnant. Vaginal bacterial infections caused a lot of pre labor and contractions. Literally I had contractions 6 min apart for the last month of pregnancy. Then developing severe preeclampsia at 39 wks 3 days. We decided to try to wait at least 1-2 years or even more so my body can repair itself and I can be in better health. Plus I am nursing to 2 because we don’t do shots and I just love nursing her :). Both my husband and I come from large families. Mine 11 and my husbands 9 so it’s kind of expected for me to be pregnant already. Emma’s only 8 months old now.

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SunshineMom May 28 at 12:43 pm

My son is now 15 months and the pressure is there already since my husband’s cousin is expecting baby #2 and her oldest will be 26 mos when his little brother will arrive. So of course his side of the family are expecting baby news on our end :s. I want my son to be breastfed up until he is 2yrs and here’s my suggestion to you Genieve it will so great to hear your experience with he weaning. I’m not worried about that but I do question myself at times on how to go about that. He still nurses in the middle of the night and right before he goes to bed at night. I do want to have baby #2 when my son passes the 2 yrs mark I want my body to be able to recover and be as healthy as I was on my first pregnancy, of course I want a natural birth again and I think after 2 years your body is ready for that. Congrats again on your pregnancy, tons of goods thoughts and best of wishes for your family.

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- Genevieve May 28 at 3:48 pm
  
  I am doing a video on weaning a.s.a.p. Can’t wait to share with you all!
  
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Nikia May 28 at 12:03 pm

My stepdaughter is almost six and our daughter is 17 months, I think there is a definite gap now but it will probably get better once Ramona is out of the baby toddler stage maybe closer to their teens. But my sister and I are 3 years apart and we are very close we have done everything together since we were little we may as well have been twins. So I think 3 years is just perfect, I still got to be a big sis but we were close enough in age that we had the same interests and even friends!

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- Genevieve May 28 at 3:47 pm
  
  So good to hear! Thanks for sharing!
  
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Mabyn May 28 at 11:18 am

My first and second are 3 years apart (almost to the day!) but we just found out a little unexpectedly that we’re having #3 and this new one and our second child will only be 22 mos apart. We were hoping to have them 3 years apart also because it worked out so well the first time but I guess it is what it is! Three years apart was good for us because my daughter was potty trained, out of the crib, feeding herself, dressing herself (mostly) and generally out of that baby phase. However, this time around my little guy will likely still be in diapers, still be in a crib, still be in his car seat when the new baby is ready to move on from the infant seat. Oh, and I’m still nursing my little guy and can’t help but feel like that’ll have to stop before the new baby arrives. I think this is going to be a bit of a stressful/trying time in our lives!

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- Genevieve May 28 at 3:47 pm
  
  You’ll totally get through it. And, I think the fact that he’s a BOY will help you out a lot. You see, in my experience, boys are much more independent and rather easy in those early years. Sure, there are tantrums but they are less “needy.” You’ll do great!
  
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carrie May 28 at 10:34 am

I agree with all you said, mine are 23 months to 33 months apart. All age differences have advantages and disadvantages but for optimal health, 3 years is great. And it is nobodys business what you decide anyway!! Blessings to you 🙂

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- Genevieve May 28 at 3:45 pm
  
  Thank you Carrie! You are incredible with all of your babies… wow!
  
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Brandi May 28 at 9:48 am

Wow, yes! Considering my son turned 6 weeks old yesterday and my daughter turned 3 years old on Sunday, they are almost exactly 6 weeks shy of 3 years apart and YES we planned it that way! I agree with all of your reasons and my biggest concern was having 2 kids in diapers at the same time. In fact, when I found out I was pregnant last July, I potty trained my daughter in August! She was 2 years and 3 months then and now, 9 months later, we’re at the point where she’s practically self sufficient in the PT department and rarely if ever has accidents anymore (we still wipe #2). She gets herself dressed in the mornings and she is also VERY helpful! My daughter will hand me diapers, she will even take them out of the dryer for me and bring them into “baby brothers” room, even help me stuff them, but we’re still working on that one. 🙂 I nursed my daughter for almost 2 years and plan to do the same with her brother. AND last but not least, I practice attachment parenting as much as possible so I was anxious about her ever spending the night away from me, even if it was just at my mom, nanna’s house. Sure enough they had a practice sleepover a couple months before my due date and she did GREAT! When I went into labor I did not want my daughter present for the birth, we had him at home, but I had no reservations or worries whatsoever for her to go happily skipping off to nanna’s to spend the night so myself, and my husband, and new baby could spend that first night without putting a toddler to bed. Congratulations!!! 3 years is PERFECT in my opinion.

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- Genevieve May 28 at 3:44 pm
  
  Beautiful! Didn’t even think about sleepovers, etc. Thanks so much for sharing!
  
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Laurel May 28 at 9:07 am

Ugh – such a tough one. I want to get through the ‘baby years’ as a cluster, but my 1st child still needs so much holding & nursing that the additional physical demands of pregnancy seem impossible to handle. We are past the two year spacing, but I want to get the next babe baking as soon as this one shows a little bit more independence – probably closer to the 3 year mark. To me, it seems like it would be hard to get back into diapers, sleep deprivation, and baby-proofing if your other children are 5+ yrs (although they can help entertain baby!).

You guys already share so much (thanks!) but I would be interested in knowing more about your weaning experience. Did he gradually lose interest over time? It definitely seems like teething needs to be totally over with – my 16 mo nurses far more every time a new tooth comes in. I want him to nurse as long as he needs to, but would also like to start on the next one and look forward to not having a toddler yanking my shirt up/down in public. ; ). Do you actually know any moms who nursed during pregnancy? The Internet is encouraging of this, but I’d rather get the scoop from people with recent experience.

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- Genevieve May 28 at 3:44 pm
  
  Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Laurel! I’m doing a weaning video a.s.a.p. Hope to have out next week and give you a few tips to help the process. Ours was smooth and easy! XOXO Oh, yes, I know MANY moms that nursed while pregnant successfully. They usually set a time limit or keep it short. Hope that helps!
  
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- Julia May 29 at 10:49 am
  
  Wanted to let you know that I did nurse through my second pregnancy with no issues. We followed the 7 rules of ecological breastfeeding, trusting God, and our first born, that as his suckling needs diminished, that my body would know when I/he could handle another baby! When my toddler reached 18 months, I got pregnant. My milk supply did diminish greatly starting around 16 weeks. However, my toddler was determined to suckle for every nap and throughout the night, no matter what my body did or did not produce! I made gradual steps with weaning by distracting my toddler when he would normally ask to nurse. I was actually planning on tandem feeding, but out of the blue, one week before our baby was born, he stopped asking to nurse at every night/nap! On about 3-4 occasions after our second was born, I let our toddler nurse when he was tired and particularly upset! God really planned our family pretty perfectly! Our toddler wasn’t even sleeping regularly through the night, and now is doing so much better, and beginning potty training! He is very welcoming to our little addition with hugs and hellos!
  
  Also, I am from a family of 8! We were spaced at 2 years, 2.5 years, several 3 years apart, and then finally, 4 years (22 years from start to finish)! I believe that no matter how close or far apart siblings are, if the parents have the expectation that the children will and MUST get along, that will lead to closeness! Dissension among the siblings was not tolerated! I’m very close with all my siblings, and my son is best buds with my youngest sibs who are 4 yrs older and 8 yrs older than he is!
  
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  - Michelle @ iHeartBudgets.net May 30 at 3:43 pm
    
    Love this!! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Sounds similar to my situation, hope it goes as smoothly for me as it did for you!
    
    Reply
- M Elaine May 30 at 11:34 am
  
  We had troubles with shirt pulling until we started using ASL & @ 16 months, most ppl think she’s waving instead. Much better for outings!
  
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- Karen May 30 at 3:09 pm
  
  We planned that I would continue to nurse during pregnancy and tandam nurse after the baby was born if my son still needed to. He was still an avid nurser at 27 months (10 times a day!). Unfortunately I got extremely sick with morning sickness that nothing helped for the first four months of pregnancy. I dropped down to 96 lbs and my milk dried up overnight. It was the worst experience for my son who sobbed through the night for half a month when this happened. Once the baby was born I was willing to let him nurse again but he had forgotten how, and wasn’t so interested anymore. My children are 3 years and 3 days apart. I’m so glad we didn’t have them any closer together! Ironically my kids are so different from each other that my high-needs son still requires more intense parenting than my 2.5 month old.
  
  Reply

Why I Waited 3 Years Between Pregnancies

1. My body

2. Weston A Price

3. My friends

Disadvantages

So, what about YOU? How many years are between your babies? Did you like the age gap? Share with us!

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