When is Best Time to Get Pregnant with Second Child?
This question has been looked into by scientists. Undoubtedly, this is a very personal point that allows no strict obligations, but many experts agree that a woman should let two or three years pass after delivering her first child.
Let us see what experts have to say about it.
New Baby’s Health
If we consider the health of the second baby, several studies advise to wait for a year and a half – two years after the previous delivery. Deciding to bear again in less than 18 months after giving the first birth can increase the risk of premature birth and the baby being born underweight. You run even higher risks if the gap between births is less than half a year. And if you let pass a longer period like four or five years, this risk will also be higher in comparison to babies coming 18 to 23 months after their older sibling.
Mother’s Health
Delivery is a stress that a woman’s body needs to get over; besides, the first pregnancy used up a lot of natural body nutrients. 18 to 23 months is an adequate gap allowing the body sufficient rest after the previous pregnancy and therefore the most beneficial for bearing the next baby.
Relationships between Siblings Depending on the Age Gap
When the kids grow up relationship issues will set in, especially that of rivalry between siblings with an impact on the buildup of their self-esteem. These issues are less critical if the older child is under one year old at the time of the second birth, or four years old and older. In the first case babies who are only several months old are not fully conscious yet of their status change, and in the second case older children no longer need constant attention from their parents but have their own interests to pursue. Both these sibling spacings will remain favorable through pre-teen years.
The Age of the Closest Sibling
Although the abovementioned studies urge you not to get pregnant too soon after the first birth, there are certain benefits in it in terms of sibling relationships. Having your children coming on top of one another may ensure they’ll make good playmates and grow up together along with you in an age-knit family. But if you don’t mind having to care for babies for years to come, you will enjoy other kinds of benefits like spending a lot of time with your each child; also they will be able to understand the changes in the life of the family with the next birth.
Will the Second Kid Change Your Life?
Second child will require all your attention, and that is the main consideration when you’re thinking of bearing again. Are your children getting enough care? Do they allow you to have a good night’s sleep? Or your other dormant interests wake up and take over, and you feel like spending more time with your partner or picking up your career. Think over your time and energy resources as well as your other children: are you sure they will accept the changes?
Can You Afford Another Child?
The financial side of the question ought to get its share of consideration, too. Another baby will mean an additional sum of thousands of pounds’ expenditure every year, and you are supposed to know where the money will be coming from. Give a thought to your work – maybe it would be worth your while (and you will be able to afford) to do part-time work to cover your growing expenses, or you will go back to your job and pay for the baby’s childcare? Better have the answers to these questions at your fingertips.
What’s the Mother’s Age?
When planning the next pregnancy, bear in mind the all-important age factor – especially if you mean to beget more than one more child. If you’re well into your 30s and don’t want to stop at one child, you’ll have to consider a short gap between deliveries. If you’re in your 20s with no major health problems that could wreak havoc with the conception, you have wider spacing choices. Though, it’s all very different from one woman to another: statistics say fertility rates decline significantly after 35, nevertheless pregnancy at 40 and over is by no means an unheard-of occurrency.
Are Parents Ready for the Second Child?
If you go too deep into the question, you can get snowed under the multiple considerations related to having another child; while some pointers say yes, others say no. Maybe you have gotten too mental over it! Then you may do well to scratch off all these pros and cons and listen to what your heart tell you. If you and your partner are keen on having another baby, it may be the best argument there can ever be.
