To Have a 3Rd Child??? Hmmm...

I stopped at two. I'm very glad. One-on-one rather than zone defense was a joke my husband and I had about bringing a third child into the mix.

Rosecity's post was really something I was afraid of, so there ya go!!

I spent 2 years contemplating a third. It turned out to be my easiest pregnancy, and thus far -she is just 4 months- my easiest baby.

I am so happy we did it!

Btw, I'm 41 :-)

Only you know the answer, but if a third is in your heart, GO FOR IT. You won't regret it, but you might always wonder about that third.

I've got 8.

The first to the second is the hardest, every child after that seems to just slip into the family.

All the 'things' people say will become an issue, really aren't issue's.

Not enough space in a car? Get a mini-van, doesn't have to be new.
Restaurants, push a few tables together.
Who's going to take the 3rd child? Well both parents have 2 hands, really there's enough space for 4 kids.
Kids ganging up on one or the other. This happens no matter how many kids you have.

The only thing I will say is that things (especially in the grocery store) come in even numbers, so you'll by a little more on certain things to keep the numbers even lol

If you want another go for. I've never seen people regret more kids, only people who wanted more, but didn't.

I had baby #3 when I was 38 years old. Baby #1 was a high maintenance girl (now a high maintence 7 year old) and Baby #2 was an easy-going boy (still is). I thought since #2 was so easy, that Baby #3 (a boy) would also be easy. All of my friends told me that #3 always falls in line, so it's an easy adjustment. Not my kid!

Baby #3 is now 2-1/2 years old, and my nicknames for him are "relentless" and "panic button". He has eclipsed his big sister as being the terrorist of the family. He will immediately scream if things don't go his way, steal toys from his siblings, and destroy anything that someone was trying to build. He has multiple allergies, and is a picky eater. He is also incredibly cute and super smart.

If your husband is onboard for another one, I'd say go for it. But here are some things to look forward to:

1. Baby's afternoon nap time will be right around the time you have to pick up your son from elementary school. If your son goes to half-day kindergarten, baby's morning nap might even be right around the time you have to drop-off or pick-up. Baby will always get screwed in the nap department. Might spend most naps in the car.

2. If you don't have family or friends that you trust with your children, you will not be able to volunteer to help at school until your youngest is in school.

3. You may show up at your 20 year high school reunion massively pregnant ;-)

4. You will be plagued with thoughts about having a baby with chromosomal abnormalities at your age. DON'T READ ANYTHING ABOUT BIRTH DEFECTS WHILE YOU'RE PREGNANT.

5. If you think it's hard to stop your son and daughter from fighting, just wait until you add another child into the mix. There will be even more crying, whining, and screaming. You might have to lock yourself in the bathroom on occasion just to get a little break.

I love having three, but it is more crazy than I anticipated. The good news is that at age 40, I still have plenty of energy for all of my kids, and I have lost all the baby weight. Good luck to you!

I was only able to have 1, so I can't tell you from personal experience as a mom - but as a child I was the middle of 3 and personally that was tough for the following reasons:

2 of the kids were always ganging up on the 3rd. Sometimes I was ganged up on and sometimes I did the ganging up.

If mom took one kid and dad took another kid there was always a 3rd that was sort of the 'left over' kid and there was this "who is going to take so-and-so" and you knew it was more difficult.

At restaurants you no longer fit into a booth.

Now all of you won't fit "comfortably" into a car - and NO ONE can bring a friend.

My SIL had 4 and it seemed to at least be fair... then you had 2 and 2 on each team.

I think you and hubby have to go with your gut. Because you'll hear from each side- do it. don't do it. it was great, it sucked.

Good Luck!

For me it all boiled down to money. I'd have to buy a bigger home, I didn't think I could afford university for three kids, I didn't want to be out of the work force that much longer, or pay for daycare for three kids. If money was no object I'm sure I would be fine with three. I do enjoy having a house full of kids.

One more child isn't going to overpopulate the earth!! Sheesh-I'm on my 4th and only 28!
Going from 1 to 2 was hardest for me, number 3(born in August) was so easy to add and I suspect adding our 4th(due in September) will be easy as well. At that point moms have seen alot and done it all already-it's a breeze!!!!

If you are feeling the need or the void, I say go for it.

~I *really* wanted a 3rd...which was strange, myself and my husband come from families that only have 2 children, generations of people with only 2 kids...so thinking about going for 3 was pretty foreign in our family, to say the least. We talked about it and went for it and it was THE best decision we have ever made! As far as someone being left out goes, like someone else on here said, that has never been an issue for us. When we pair off, one of us takes the boys and the other one takes the girl, easy! Having gone to an amusement park recently, the seating on rides was an issue so we just brought the cousins along to even things out. Problem solved!

I once read that if you are contemplating having more children that you will never regret having the child once they're here, but if you don't have one, you will always wonder what if. That being said, I took the plunge for 3. He will be turning 1 in a couple of weeks. I have enjoyed him so much. I asked my oldest just a couple days ago if she could remember how our lives were before he was born and her response was "no". That alone is enough for me to know I made the right decision.

Our 3rd wasn't my "adjustment" kid; our 5th was. Go for it!

Okay, I'll be the doubter here.

Please don't start another new person unless that "Hmmmm" in your title goes away.

The planet is already carrying so many people that natural systems (like the climate that supports all life as we know it) are beginning to fail, and other species are getting crowded out. We are filling up the air, water, and land with our trash. If parents keep giving in to that itch, which is generously provided by nature to most women and many men for the purpose of increasing the population of our species, then future generations will have less ability to have the comforts, or the children, that we still take for granted.

And yes, parents can and do regret having more kids. I'm 65, and have known quite a few women over three generations who had one (or more) medically-challenged, or mentally ill, or otherwise challenging kids whom they loved desperately but wished they hadn't given birth to. I've also known parents who, because of some unexpected turn of events, couldn't care for their kids as well as they hoped. There can be tremendous heartbreak in that.

So if you decide to have another, I hope it's only after you determine that you simply must, no matter what.

When ou have three you realize that amusement park rides seat two, dimming room sets come with six chairs etc. you get the picture. Then you need to have a fourth to balance things out. I always felt like there was someone missing from our table, so we had a other. We really wanted six.
I felt so complete when she was born. She filled in the chair lol.

Don't let age stop you. I had my first and only at 39. And if money is no object, than go for it.

Go for it. This is a great time for spacing. If you get pregnant and have the baby in the next year or two it's going to be really good for the 1 year old because they'll have each other to play with before that one starts school then a year or so later the next one will go too.