Anyone for 3 under 3?

Sligo1

Hi all, was just wondering of there are many of ye out there who have the experience of having 3 children under 3 years of age? Was it a big undertaking? Was it very different going from 2 to 3 at such young ages. Were ye working or stay at home parents? How did you find being pregnant with 2 babies to look after 5 days a week with no outside help (by this I mean the likes of childminders or au pairs etc).

Thanks in advance for your insight

dublinlady

Following with interest... I'll have 3 under 3&1/2 in late August! Fear

Moonbeam

I have jan 09,Jan 11,Jan 13 and April 14.
I love kids and found the 2 year age gap although not planned perfect.
I stay at home with them and have no help nearby and a husband that is often out of the country more then he is here.
I have awful pregnancies and hate being pregnant but love the babies,imo those 9 months are by far the worst.
My house is a constant mess and some days I long for "adult" company but it is lovely seeing them all grow up together.

In Sept I started a course 1 night a week as himself can't babysit my mother does it(she lives nearly 2 hours away) and it is a lovely break.

Hannibal Smith

dublinlady wrote: »

Following with interest... I'll have 3 under 3&1/2 in late August! Fear

Congratulations!

RoryW

Brother of a friend of mine had 5 under the age of 2.5 years

Triplets followed by twins......

Hannibal Smith

RoryW wrote: »

Brother of a friend of mine had 5 under the age of 2.5 years

Triplets followed by twins......

Yikes!

Suucee

RoryW wrote: »

Brother of a friend of mine had 5 under the age of 2.5 years

Triplets followed by twins......

Wow

a friend of mine has 6 mnth old, 2.5 yr old and just gone 4.
So when baba was born she had 3 1/2 , 2 and newborn. She said going from 1 to 2 was a huge change but 2 to 3 is nothing. Your already tired, changing nappies, not getting a day time rest so whats 1 more.

She didnt convince me though.

lazygal

We had two under 2 (15 month gap) and it helped that I was still on maternity leave for the first half of my second pregnancy. I don't know how I'd have coped working fulltime the whole time. While I love the close gap I'm in two minds about having a third. Having seen people with a third, it seems like tough going. I personally don't understand the 'new baby just fits right in' view. I find newborns very hard work, with breastfeeding and constant sleep interruption. With all that on top of two other very young children who still need a lot of minding, I'm not convinced that going from 2 to 3 or more is a walk in the park. Any parents I've seen who've had a third or more seem to find it a lot of work.

Sligo1

RoryW wrote: »

Brother of a friend of mine had 5 under the age of 2.5 years

Triplets followed by twins......

Omg!

Neyite

Moonbeam wrote: »

In Sept I started a course 1 night a week as himself can't babysit my mother does it(she lives nearly 2 hours away) and it is a lovely break.

I do a hobby one night a week, started it on maternity leave and I think that every mum needs even a couple of hours a week doing something just for her enjoyment that isn't work or kids or partner related. I love the adult interaction and fun of it.

Sligo1

Thanks for all the replies thus far. Currently I have a 9 month old and a 2 year old (just gone 2).

Moonbeam, you are not the first person I've heard praising the 2 year age gap. I've heard its a really nice gap to have. Like you, I love babies and would love a football team... It's more the pregnancies that I have problems with. Not that I've had any worrying problems as such. I just hate the way it makes me feel and the way my moods are when I'm pregnant. I found it very tough if I'm honest being pregnant with a young baby. Got pregnant when my first was 6 months.

However, even tho I may come on here sometimes tired and moaning and ranting etc etc... Overall, I feel we have the little ones in quite a good routine. Yes it's tough the first few months with the bfing while trying to run around after a 15 month old while OH is at work... But we made it work. And I spose I'm just wondering if adding another to the mix is madness? Lol. I've also started another course while I have been off from work. And starting back to work part time in the next couple weeks.

A big reason we are thinking of trying again so soon is my career. After being off for 2 years already
I feel what's another year or so. Then I can get my career back on track and give it my all for a good few years. However, if I go back now part time and then get pregnant in a couple years and then I'm off again... It will be like starting all over again as I prefer to take longer than the normal 6 months leave each time.

Another reason is the pregnancies... I'd
Like to get them over and done with as soon as I can! I think 3 under 3 could possibly take it's toll... But at the moment I'm kinda of the mindset... Well what's another year... Just get it over and done with and then I can relax... And I'll only be 33.. With lots of time to focus on my work... (And then maybe have another 5 years later ).

pwurple

I know two working women who had 3 under 3. They took it in their stride, both of them back on track with the career very quickly. Now... I remember myself the comments they got, plenty of "oh, that's the third now, we won't see you again", implying they would be automatically sahm from then on. They got on with it though. If anything they are far better at their jobs now, with some solid toddler-herding experience under their belts! Super-organised and efficient, and take no crap from anyone. I love working with them.

I think myself that the biggest change is 0 to 1. After that you are already stuck in at home. Biggest change they tell me from 2 to 3 was the car. Can't fit 3 carseats in most ordinary cars, so have to go for the mammy-wagons. But that's not a big deal either if you can suck up the lack of street-cred (any shred of that left me long ago, I don't even try to kid myself that I have any at all!).

If everyone is in decent health, your husband is able to scoop em all up and take over if needed, then you're in a good place for it.

Moonbeam

I didn't find 2 to 3 a big change at all,I found 3 to 4 more of a change but there is only 15 months between my 2 babies.
I want some sort of a life and a job back sooner rather then later so I choose to have 4 as quick as possible. In the end I had 4 in 5 years and 3 months.

Sligo1

Moonbeam you have pretty much hit the nail on the head here! This is exactly the reason why we are thinking sooner rather than later! I think a 2 year age gap Wpuld be somewhat easier than a 15mth age gap. I know as my son has turned 2 he is a good bit more independent than he was at 15mths. But I think we may be doing less than a 2 year gap this time around again.

Pwurple I found your post extremely positive and it gave me some hope reading it . So thank you. Also made me laugh aswell .

Would also be interesting in hearing any not so positive experiences? I don't mean regarding finances, housing, cars etc. more regarding life, quality time together, moods and business etc. thanks all so much .

Moonbeam

My girls were potty trained during the day at 2 years and 3 months so I only had 3 months of 2 in nappies where as this time I have 2 in nappies for a year and babies stink!!

It is very tiring but fun too,they are all in bed and asleep by 8 so that is when I should be cleaning the house etc but sometimes all that happens is the dishwasher goes on and i collapse in front of the tv!!
They play really well together and are very good at minding each other and really do entertain each other so in some ways having 4 is easier then 1;)
I am an only child and wish I had what my kids have.
I could not imagine being out of the baby and nappy stage and going back to it.

monflat

I have not had 3 under 3 but have had my third just as my oldest girl turned 4
I think the move from 2-3 was tricky but not as hard as having my first!
I think the 2 yr age gap for me was good cause my second used to nap while I was pregnant.
So as I was working full time too I found this very tough.
However I think I found the last few weeks being pregnant on no 3 more difficult than the first few weeks having no 3 home.

My second child gave up sleep during daytime once third arrived.
So she was like a bag of cats as she needed herssleep but refused.


My friend has only 15 months between her two and has suffered PND after second and still hasit and he is 18 months .
She was pure mad for another within weeks of having the first.
But now she regrets having them so soon as her oldest used to try drag the second (newborn) out of whatever he was lying in.
.

There's that to consider too.
If they are close together they don't understand ( or they do but choose not to) that the baby is fragile and could not be left alone with them for a moment.

I have 26 months between one and two and exactly 24 months between 2 and 3

It is fine for me. Working out well now.