How many children do you have ........and why?

I had DD1 in 1970, 4 days before her due date of 25/01/70. 18months later I was pregnant again. Baby's due date was again 25/01/72. I lost that baby (a son) but was pregnant again within the year - due date 25/01/73. DD2 was reluctant to put in an appearance and arrived, bright yellow, 12 days late and was taken straight to SCBU. After extensive tests and dozens of blood samples Doctors concluded that this was a rare and recently discovered blood group incompatibility. They reassured me that in any future pregnancy they would perform a full blood change on the baby in utero and everything would be fine. I immediately decided to count my blessings and that our family was complete.

Four - but first boy died at 10 days old. I went on to have a daughter and son. When I announced that no 4 was expected MIL was horrified and couldn't believe it was planned since we now had one of each. Quite funny really since she had 6 and her DH was one of 14! Had another boy and the three of them have gone on to give us 5 grandsons (and one grand-daughter). Must be something in the water up here!

Five children, not one of them planned! They were all born within less than 7 years, so when the youngest (3 girls first, then 2 boys) was a year old, I decided that enough was enough, but our GP, lovely as he was, was totally against birth control of any kind, so I talked to someone at the baby weighing clinic, when she heard who my GP was, she understood immediately, and arranged for me to have an appointment at the hospital, and when baby was 17 months old, I was sterilised, as hubby wouldn`t have anything done. They are now 51, 50, 48, 45 and 43. Oh, tere was a miscarriage between babies 1 and 2, but as I hadn`t realised I was pregnant, it didn`t really upset me too much. I hope that doesn`t sound too mercernary?

Four daughters, all born in seven years. I always wanted a big family but faced a lot of criticism.
None of my daughters has more than two children, they all work full-time and childcare costs the same as the mortgage now. Their friends all have one or two, noone can afford more, which is a shame. I think it's good for children to grow up in a big family.
I also lost a baby. Not being able to have five or seven children, we had LOTS of pets.

Two - our son first and then our daughter four years later. Neither was planned. We thought there was going to be a third, and if I'm honest, I wasn't all that happy about it, as we were just about in a position where I could go back to work full time and we could start saving some money towards buying a house when DH left the services. It was, however, a false alarm. I'm sure if it had come along, it would have been loved as much as the other two, but - and I know this sounds mercenary - it would have set us back years we could not really have afforded.

Yes Lona DS is 41 on Friday, DD 42 on 20th. She hated him being the same age for two weeks growing up and to a lesser extent still does.

DH = Darling Husband.

DD = Darling Daughter

And so on...

Agree with your friends re enjoying labour!

I must be thick but can someone tell me me what DH and Dd stands for I always use oh for my hubby (other half) by the way I had son and daughter
3 years apart never wanted any more was an older mum anyway and had toxaemia with both but Strangley enjoyed my labours friends say I am weird!!

Juliette How sad to lose your DS and for all the other babies that lost their way

Your dd and DS are, like mine, the same age for two weeks every year!

So much sadness on a thread that is but a snapshot of motherhood.
and love to all those who have loved and lost.

We had three, two boys and a girl.
DS1 was born three years and one month before his sister. Our 'coil' baby DS2 came along eleven months and two weeks after DD. The coil was 'delivered' the day before.
Sadly DS1 died aged sixteen from Meningitis. DS2 was obviously meant to be.

Most of you know my story, DS1 now 37, DS2, would be 26 but died at 19.

Terminated a pregnancy on Drs advice (had been on various drugs for pain management, didn't realise I was pregnant,) that baby would have been born when DS2 was about 16 months, then miscarried one twin and had to have the other induced at around 16 weeks gestation.

We were blessed with two healthy daughters and I and thankful that if my husband had to die young it wasn't after the two little orphans had come to call him Daddy , they had enough grief in their short lives

Anniebach and Downtoearth, and any of you who have lost children
Since I was a teenager I always wanted to have 2 boys and 2 girls. With husband no.1 we had 2 boys and one girl, within 5 years. Birth control wasn't very reliable in those days! But all very welcome.
Then when I married my present husband he had custody of his little girl, just a year younger than my daughter, so that was my dream come true . So we didn't try for any more, sometimes I wish we had but too late now.
It wasn't always easy as they were growing up, but they're a lovely family TG.

We have four children 2 girls and 2 boys. and one Grandchild.

Sorry Kitty! Didn't mean you were irresponsible or anything! (envious really) it's just the way I was often made to feel when mine were little. Especially as DS was so close (18 month gap). The assumption was always that he was an accident.

I'm so glad there are a lot of three's! I always felt A bit guilty having three. That it was a bit irresponsible in our overcrowded world! I feel better now that our DC have only four between them - it sort of evens things out!

Oh, I'd not tohugh about the rest of the family Penstemmon! DH is 3rd of 4 boys and his brother is 77. I'm the eldest and my youngest sibling is 56. Our children have 6 cousins around the same age as our eldest 3 but the younger ones have no cousins close to them in age. We have 6 DGC who range from 8 down to 2.5. Aren't families fascinating?

We have three children, two daughters and a son.Also three grandchildren, two boys and a girl.Would have liked four children really, but with no parents or anybody to help out , as they had all died by then, life was tiring enough with three!

Anniebach and Downtoearth

We started with twins too Grumpa which was a huge shock to the system! They were girls. I wondered what it was like to have a singleton birth and DS came along almost 3 years later. After 4 years, I got broody again as the older 3 had started school. DD3 came along. She was supposed to be a boy to keep DS company, but the best laid plans....... It has all led to 'interesting' family dynamics.

After that, DH had the snip..... Twice!

One - when I was 17 in 1968..... I was lucky enough to keep him and to be a grandma now. Never had any more, as it didn't seem fair to my son. My wonderful husband (of over 30 years - he has no children) was fine either way. I never regretted my choices. Feel we are so lucky to have the life and family we have, including grandchildren.

to those of you who have lost children.

I had DD1 5 years after we were married, discovered I was pregnant the day before my appointment at the sub-fertility clinic. DD2, unplanned but greatly loved, arrived 2yrs 6 weeks after her sister. I had had a coil in place but she did not let that stop her!

I am oldest of 3, DH is youngest of 4 so in-laws range from my SiL who is 82 and my younger brother who is 52! My DDs have no cousins of a similar age to them

DD1 and DD2 planned with 2 years and 9 months between them. DD3 a very happy surprise. I sometimes think I subconsciously wished that pregnancy as I would have loved more children. Financial and space reasons plus Dh not so keen to have any more.

So sorry for those of you who have lost children at any stage, I can't start to imagine what it would be like.

And Downtoearth

anniebach and Nfd

I know that life is never quite as straightforward as you think it is going to be when you're young and optimistic.

they do all get on well - most of the time, fingers and toes crossed, don't tempt fate .....