Would 22 months apart be too close?

Question

I have a 13 month old and am thinking of having another baby now, but that would make them 22 months apart. For those of you who have children this close together, can you tell me the pros and cons. I'm young so time is not an issue.

Thanks for the pros and cons P5, but I dont think anything could drive me to do what Andrea Yates did.

Answer 1

Mine are 19 months apart and are now 1 and 2 and a half and they love each other to bits. they r best friends. mind u it was a hard pregnancy.. i couldnt lift my daughter much towards the end and she was moved out of her cot at 15 months, which she found esy and uneventful, but many ppl looked down on us for it. in the first months i was sick and tired not made any easier by the night wakings of my one year old. but now my kids get along great.. of course in the first months my first was always missing my attention which the baby always seemed to have. he was collicy and cried for 8 hours a day i was half insane by the 6 month mark i think lol. but like i said now the oldest helps out and tries to teach her bro things and wants to change him and feed him and get him up and pick his clothes. so i suppose it depends on the temperment of ur first and the preg u have, which will be different from ur first most likely. id probably wait till ulv had time to adjust to one. i sumtimes wish i still only had one as i find im stretched to thin so to speak with my time being shared with two little ones wanting me so badly. but its up to u.... email me if u wanna chat some.. other then that good luck.

Answer 2

I have two sons ages 11 and 9 who are 23 months apart and for the most part it is all pros. They are growing up together and are best friends. Of course they have moments when they fight like dogs, but that's boys for you. Also, I liked this age difference so that they could help each other out in school. My older son starts 6th grade this fall and will be in the 8th when my younger son starts middle school. So that will help my younger son (my emotional one) cope. Also, I have a daughter who is 10 months old and I am pregnant, due in January. These will be 16 months apart. We did this mostly because of my age. I turn 38 next spring and decided that was my limit for having children. So we decided to start trying when she was 6 months old and got pregnant the next month.

Answer 3

I had three children under the age of four, 25 years ago. They were all raised together, started and went through school together and are still extremely close. It was hectic, but I'm so glad that we did it that way. It is however more expensive (three kids in college at the same time). But it's over with so fast.

And to the people that say I didn't have enough alone time with each child, phooey! It' all in how you handle it. (and yes I was, and am, a working mom)

Answer 4

I have an 8 year old son and my daughters are 18 mths apart. I think my son misses out on the closeness that my daughters already have. I wouldn't put more than 2 or 3 years between siblings, they can get along better if they are closer in age.

Answer 5

My brother and I are 22 months apart and we're still best friends at 21 & 23 years. My kids are 14 months apart and too little to be friends yet but everyone I talk to says they will be. I think close is good.

Answer 6

That's just fine. The optimal time apart is 3 years, but large numbers of people choose 2 years. My own brother and I am seperated by about 22 months.

Answer 7

My girls are 18 months apart and do very well together. True they are at different stages at different times and makes things a little more trying...but have a little patience with them. They will both get to that stage were they can play together and help each other. I'm glad I had mine that close, I'm comforted knowing my children won't be lonely and have each other.

Answer 8

I think its great! My sister and I are 13 months apart and I loved us always going to the same school, but not in the same grade. We are very close because we are so close in age. My mother and my uncle are 11 yrs apart and don't hardly talk at all, its so sad :( They grew up with different interests,.... when my mom was graduating, my uncle was just starting school. Sweetie, you do whatever feels right to you.... If you are ready GO FOR IT!!! They will thank you for it :) good luck :)
Tanna

Answer 9

My brother and I are 12 months apart. I was 3 months old when my mom get pregnant for him. By the way, breast feeding is NOT a reliable form of birth control. LOL

Answer 10

My children are, unintentionally, eleven months apart. My daughter was two weeks short of her first birthday when my son was born. I wouldn't change anything for the world!!

It meant a lot of diapers all at once but mothers of twins and other multiples have that so it's not like I was the only one. Also, I had two people who couldn't talk to me but, please refer back to the multiple mom comment!!

My daughter, who is now just over two, was potty-trained at 19 mos. and is now helping encourage her little brother (17 mos). She gets me diapers and wipes and has taught him so much (I'm not turning her into a "little mommy," she just LOVES to help!). And my little boy ADORES her. He cries when I'm trying to put him to sleep at night if she leaves the room.
He looks for her first thing in the morning and they both greet each other with hugs and kisses.

I think their relationship is close b/c of their ages and also b/c of how we treat them. They're both babies and they both have individual milestones on a daily basis. They each get praised for good behaviour and disciplined for unacceptable behaviour.

If you feel like you're ready, go for it! It's all how you raise them and I'm sure you're doing a great job since you're making sure it's the right time for both you and you're baby!

G-d bless you and your pumpkin!