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

Anniebach and * Nfd* hugs for you bothxxx

an unexpected multiple into the mix
soontobe I do like that expression!

Because DD2 was a 'Lammas Lamb' (another great term) I have often thought it would have been nice if she had had a twin to keep her company, although they do all get on well despite the gap between her and the other two.

After a 28 week miscarriage (a boy), I rebelliously got pregnant again within 10 weeks. - DD1. Second planned DD2 two yeas later. She was such an easy baby I thought I must have got the hang of this baby lark and was so impossibly broody we decided to have number 3. Allowed a bit of time to get pregnant which I didn't need. DS was born 7 weeks prem 18 months later.

I would have loved four but we couldn't afford it so I childminded instead. I don't think DD2 feels hard done by being the middle one. They're all too different.

When my DGD1 was born, also 7 weeks prem, daughter having severe pre-eclampsia, I was surprised by my reaction when she pointed to a baby in a nearby incubator. He'd been born at 27 weeks. I'd thought I was reasonably unsentimental about loosing that first baby but found I couldn't look at this child. 'What if's' came to the surface I didn't know where there. (After all I wouldn't have the wonderful children I do have if my first born had lived)

When we got together my husband already had two children from previous marriage, both late teens. I was early 30s and didn't have any children, he knew I wanted them and agreed to having two more. If we hadn't got together he probably wouldn't have had anymore. I left it nearly 4 years between our boys, my choice, my husband urged me to get on with it as he was well into his 40s whilst I was thinking about number 2. 10 years ago, his son from his first marriage died. Whilst no child can ever be replaced, he has told me, although he had misgivings about starting a second family, he is glad he did, as it has been all of us, me, daughter, daughter in law, our two sons and three granddaughters, his son's girls who got him through those dark days. Since that time we now have two grandchildren of our own.

11

But only 3 home grown (in under 4 years) Have adopted 8 but sadly 3 have died. The ages now range from 45-10 yikes loos bad on paper

2 sons, DS1 born exactly a year after our wedding; DS2 born 21 months later exactly as planned. Each one was born on his predicted date. Might have had another but DS2 had health probems which made him very demanding and another baby would have made life much more difficult. Both grew up healthy and are great dads.

2 sons, DS1 born exactly a year after our wedding; DS2 born 21 months later exactly as planned. Each one was born on his predicted date. Might have had another but DS2 had health probems which made him very demanding and another baby would have made life much more difficult. Both grew up healthy and are great dads.

AnnieB and Downtoearth

I wanted a honeymoon baby but she arrived 16 months after the honeymoon followed 3 years later by DD2 and then 4 years later by DD3. I thought they were all boys but wouldn't have changed them for the world. Both DH and I were only children so sadly, ours didn't have aunts, uncles or cousins. However they have all made up for that by marrying into big families and producing 8 beautiful children between them.

downtoearth and Anniebach.

I was determined not to repeat the 13 year gap between my sister and me, so we'd three under 4, and would have had four if I hadn't miscarried DS's twin. We decided not to go for a fourth purely for reasons of finance and space, but I would have loved another. No problems with the three though, and no sign of DD2 ever suffering as a middle child.

2 DDs with 21 months between. Got on waiting list for sterilisation 14 years on and lo and behold was pregnant with DS a month later. He was obviously meant to be and I got to the top of the list!!

husband no 1 miscarriage 3months,twins
husband no2, DD died aged 7 weeks old,1year 9months later DD 2 (Died aged 23),1year 11 months later DS.
troublesome preganancies,pre eclampsia with DS,so tubes tied.
would have loved more but not to be.
Have brought DGD since she was 4,she is now 16.

Such a sad story Anniebach - enjoy and cherish the two you have

2 girls- first one was definitely not planned (she knows- we always say she is the best ever mistake that was ever made), second one was and arrived 2 years and 3 months later. We knew then that our family was complete- for all sorts of reasons I won't go into here- for us it was perfect. I was the youngest of 3, and DH the typical middle-child, which he hated.

Friends of our had 2, and then a surprise, that turned out to be triplets. Others had 1 and triplets 18 months later. Just too terrifying for words ;)

Anniebach

We spent 11yrs trying before I had DD. No miscarriages just inability to conceive. We were so chuffed when we had DD we didn't plan any more. Three years later whilst as far as I knew I still had a coil in place. I was pregnant with DS but once we'd recovered we were delighted.
They coil was never found

I have two, a D and 4yrs 7mths later a S. I would have liked more but it never happened and we just accepted that. That gap wasn't ideal and they are not close at all.

So sorry, Anniebach. What a lot of heartache for you

Four daughters , but third and fourth died at birth. We were accepted as adoptive parents for two little Vietnamese sisters but my husband died before the adoption was finalised so lost those too

Kicked off with twins and decided two was enough.

We had two children because we couldn't afford to have four. We are both the middle one of three and were determined that we wouldn't ever have a middle child. My son has three children and we put a lot of effort into alleviating 'middle child syndrome'.

We have 2 DSs, 2 years 9 months apart. Two miscarriages after DS2, so thought we'd better quit whilst we were ahead!

We never really 'planned' as such, but having come from a family of three girls I knew I didn't want an 'odd' number of children,

DD1 and DD2 were born 2years and 6 weeks apart and we sort of thought that our family was complete. However, DD3 arrived after a five year gap and DS was quite a surprise when he arrived 2years 4months after her!

Couldn't have planned it better - such happy memories of them growing up and, thankfully, they seem to think they had great childhoods too

None! I don't have a maternal bone in my entire body!! Fortunately DH didn't want children (he came from a very large family and there were always babies around).

Do I regret it? No. Now I am on my own I do sometimes think it might be nice to have a son or daughter to watch out for me but then I realise that's not what you have children for and DH and I did lots of things together we couldn't have done if we had children.

We have two, DD and DS. I wanted another, but it never happened. Maybe age was against me as I didn't marry my DH until I was 30. There are 22 months between them. I suppose it worked out well really as we were able to give them a good childhood, and being a girl and boy they couldn't pass clothes on to each other. I was lucky in that respect, I am the eldest of three sisters!

Had 2 sons, just under 3 years apart. Both planned, the gap was due to a house move and not wanting a new baby in a house where there was building work!

Might have tried for a third, but told after number 2 that becoming pregnant again would not physically a good idea.

Happy with two.

x