Child Spacing

It's not always possible to control the amount of time between the births of your children. However, many couples like to have a plan. It takes careful thought to decide how many children you want and how many years you would like to have between their births. You need to think about the kind of family life you want and the goals you and your partner share. You need to think about your age, health, work situation, and budget.

For health reasons, it is usually best to have children at least 2 years apart. Having another child sooner than this can put a physical strain on the mother. The next pregnancy may be healthier if a woman allows time for her body to recover after having a baby. There are more premature births and low-birth-weight babies when children are born within 15 months of each other, and there are fewer miscarriages when spacing is 2 or more years between babies.

Also think about the demands on your time. Young babies need a lot of parenting time. It may be easier to care for a new baby once your other children can separate from you for short periods of time and are toilet trained. On the other hand, you should also consider the demands on your time later in life if you space your children far apart.

Many families have found that 3 years is the best spacing between children. Three-year-olds can talk about their feelings about the new baby and so may be less likely to want to hurt the baby. They are more independent and probably out of diapers. Yet, children spaced 3 years apart are still close enough in age to enjoy playing together and have a lot of interests in common.

If you are thinking about having another child, talk it over with your partner and healthcare provider to figure out what is best for your health and family.