How Do You Know When You Are Done Having Kids?

If you are questioning it then you are not done. I always wanted 3, and no more than that. Once my 3rd daughter arrived, I felt complete. We are completely done. I wouldn't let weight deter you from having another. You can always lose the weight again, but you only have a certain window to have another child.

When hubby says no more, he l l no, and I'm not touching you with a 10 foot pole until you go through the change!

You're right - you two are the only ones who can decide this AND there will always be a part of you that wants another baby.

I have two kids - an 8 year old boy and a 6 yr old daughter. When they about 3 and 5, I thought about this ALOT. My pregnancies went easy, not much weight gain and quick natural births - like I was born to do this! (we all are!). My husband was against having more kids - he said lets just focus on the 2 that we have.......and that's what we did and I couldn't be happier about it. No regrets. Of course if we would've had another one, there woulnd't have been any regrets either. I felt that if I had a newborn at the time they were 3 and 5, how would I take them to the zoo? the beach? We had been stuck around the house and such in "baby phase" for years and we were ready to GET OUT! By not having another child, I was more free to create very exciting toddler years for the 2 that I have and have continued to do so at their current ages. That's just MY story - you have to feel in your heart for YOUR story.
Good Luck with whatever you decide!

How do you know when your done? Well, for me its the thought of being pregnant again makes me want to throw myself out the window. :) I was on the fence with two kids as well. Now that Im 8.5 months pregnant with my third, thats really closure for me and will be getting my tubes tied when I deliver. Dont get me wrong, I love that Im having another baby, it was obviously meant to be. But, I KNOW im done!

I keep going through this as well. I have a 3 year old and 4 month old and I know the day is going to come when I feel that urge. After my last pregnancy and trying to keep up with an almost 3 year old, I was exhausted. I can't imagine trying to do that again. I think now I am 35 years old it's time to start having fun...with my spouse and my kids!

I think you will just know. I had the pulling of having one more after my 2nd child, discussed it with the man and at first we were both not sure...so much to think about going from 2 to 3 (being out numbered and all :)...we thought about it for a couple months, then both decided we wanted 1 more. Went for it, had our 3rd and then both were ABSOLUTELY sure we were finally DONE! I had my tubes tied right after my having my 3rd and am grateful we were both in agreement and happy with our choices.

~IMHO, I think when you are not sure if you want 1 more, then you probably really want 1 more...when there is that part of you that is thinking about the what-ifs and all, ya know? But when you know you are finished than you just know it with your WHOLE HEART!

Good Luck! I suggest you and your man talk about, put it on the back burner and see what happens...worked for us!

Well, we have 3 and I know that we are done. I know this because when I see a pregnant woman or a couple with a newborn, I think to myself "I am so glad we don't have to do that anymore." I think you get to a point in your life when your ready to move on to the next phase. For us, we were ready to start doing bigger things as a family, such as all of us attending a baseball game and actually being able to watch the game or travelling without having to worry about naps, diapers, etc. I really do think that you will know in your heart when you are done. Our family felt complete the day our 3rd child was born, but before that it felt like someone was missing.

Molly B. - I'm standing on the windowsill with ya, girl!

It is so different for every woman and you will probably know when you're done. For me, the thought of going through another 9 months of high risk pregnancy followed by the potential third child who has colic is a fate worse than death. Other mothers would be fine with it.

I have two boys and it's enough for me. I'm also 37 and am too old to think about more (that's me feeling old, not saying 37 is too old to have kids).

I knew when the pros of being done were more than the pros of a baby. Plus I feel pretty stretched right now with the 2 I have. They are finally old enough that when I go camping i throw them in life jackets and bathe them in sunscreen and I get to relax instead of having to worry about is it too hot, is it too cold, feedings, naps etc I finally have me back and I love it. Now I have two kids in sports and being fair when the third got old enough to do sports I just dont have enough "me" without totally losing it. If you are up to having another and know there is enough "you" to go around without affecting the other two then go for it. The desire really doesnt go away i still see a baby and go awwww i want one but then i think about it and im very content with the two that keep me going constantly.

I always wanted a boy and a girl, one of each. I had my first daughter when I was 21. My second daughter was born when I was 31. I had 2 miscarriages after that. Every time I saw a baby or a pregnant woman, I would get emotional. I just didn't feel as if I was done yet. I finally had my son when I was 38. I know that 38 is a good age to stop trying, but if he had been a girl......I don't think I would have felt as if I was done. I've never been emotional about babies or pregnant women since. I'm thrilled the babies belong to someone else, and as for the pregnant women.....I'm glad its them and not me. I think when your done, you just know it. At least it was that way for me.

Two kids is plenty. But if you feel the soul of another calling to you it won't go away. I sent one off and told him to come as my grandchild because at 35 I felt it was too late to start over. It was not until my daughter was pregnant that the soul stopped pulling on me. He is a child of my heart really special to me. And, I have been blessed with other grandchildren too whom I really love.

I knew I was done when my daughter and I both almost died during her birth. I made up my mind then and there that I was NEVER going through that again.
And quite frankly, even if I hadn't had a dangerous delivery, I don't think I would have wanted more. I adore my daughter, but parenthood was just not one of those experiences I wanted to repeat.

Well we would have probably had more if I had not landed up in the hospital on my death bed during my last post delivery. So I understand how you feel because if I had not had such a clear sign to be done having my own deliveries. We'll adobt next if we feel like we want more.

When our second is born the kids will be 2 years apart. For us, we'll be 'done' for at least 5 or 6 years, maybe more. Probably more. We both have college to finish and careers to start and I'm already tired of putting that on hold.
I grew up with 7 siblings and while I enjoyed my siblings, I didn't enjoy the cons of that. Never having enough money to go on vacation, never having enough money for new clothes or shoes, not getting to go to the zoo with other families because we couldn't afford it, etc etc. Money was the biggest thing. Then of course you simply never get enough parental attention when they're being pulled in 8 different ways. By the time I was a young teen I was all but raising my youngest siblings. It sucked.
So, I've thought about having a large family and that I would love it, but I don't want that financial burden that goes along with it... and I would like to sleep a good night through once more in my life eventually.

I'll see how I feel in 5 or 10 years. Hubs was good with one, he's happy about 2, but he could die happy without a third. It'll be up to me pulling for it if I want another ever.

Straddling the fence...same question here...except that I loved pregnancy (minus the morning sickness) and even delivery and newborn days. It's the toddler/preschool days that have me rethinking #3! (that and logistics and money)

you;re done when one or both parties don't question it at all

The second we found out our second child was a girl. One boy, one girl, done. For me, zero incentive to have more kids and made it official. We also knew we wanted to put our kids through college 100% funded and we could do that with two kids, but not three or more.

I think you know deep down if you're ready for more kids and whether it's right for your family. You can always talk it over with your husband to see where he's at, too, because that may greatly sway your views.

We were done when I was pregnant with #2.
My husband is a little older than I am. He does want to retire someday. :-)
The world is made for families of 4 - cars fit 4 people, amusement park rides fit 4 people, restaurant tables fit 4 people.. the list goes on.
You have 2 college tuitions, 2 weddings...
The kids get far more expensive the older that they get - trust me on this! What you do for 1 you have to do for the others.
Yearbooks, proms, etc.. the list goes on.
It's easy to travel with 2 kids. It's easy to do whatever we want to do with 2...
I love my 2 and am so happy we stopped at 2.
LBC

I felt complete with my 1 and never looked back. No regrets. She is 16 and I never had an urge for another.

Our family is perfect just like it is.