Child spacing

Planning to have more children and when to have them is a big decision. It is something that you should decide together, basing it on what you want to do and your lifestyle. Raising two or three children is a big responsibility and it affects you, your partner and the rest of your family. So, before you have more children, it is important that you see yourself dealing with the problems and pleasures each child will bring to your family life.

Having children one after another (within a year) puts a lot of strain and tension on the mother. Most of the time, in these cases, miscarriages, low birth weight, and premature births are likely to happen. The mother's health may also be affected during this time because of the high demands and attention the second baby will need. Therefore, doctors suggest that you wait at least for 18 to 23 months after a full-term birth before conceiving again.

However, child spacing varies from family to family. And some mothers feel that closely spaced children bond deeply and therefore, see a benefit to spacing children close together. Many feel that they can attend the same preschool, be each other's playmates and grow up very close together. And they all agree that there is less sibling rivalry. But spacing your children close together has its drawbacks as well. Parents with children three to fours years apart feel that they can give each child more individualized attention and when there is a bigger gap, and the older sibling is more able to take care of the younger sibling. This may make the older siblings feel important.

But whatever the case is, to have children is a blessing no matter how many and when you have them.