THIS is The Ideal Age Gap Between Children

The age gap between kids is not always something we have a choice in, but if you are considering when is the best time to start trying for number two, then here is the answer….

Dr Heather Rowe at Jean Hailes for Women’s Health recommends a two-year gap to allow your body to recover from the birth, restore iron and calcium levels and to revert back to pre-pregnancy weight.

Psychologists, such as Brisbane-based Larne Wellington, suggest a gap of two to three years which gives the child enough time to develop a secure attachment with the primary caregiver before another child is introduced.

It really is a personal choice as well. If you think your body can cope with another pregnancy earlier, then go for it!

I had a five year age gap, (not really by choice) and I did like the one on one time I had with baby number two when big brother started school. I had time for both of them

Did you consider the age gap before trying for more children? Or was the decision out of your hands?

Share your comments below.

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17 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 10 Mar 2022
    1:14 pm
I had big age gaps. 3 years between first and second and then 5 years berween second and third.

- - Blossom said
  - 07 Sep 2018
    10:59 pm
If there is 2 years between the birth of your 2 babies and birthday months are close, together your body has not had 2 years to recover.

- - rovermum said
  - 06 Aug 2018
    11:09 am
Nice to know… but as someone who had a child through IVF it was not something I could control at all.

- - Ellen said
  - 05 Aug 2018
    7:35 am
No we didn’t consider a specific age gap and have 1 year and 3 weeks between our eldest 2. Our kids are now 14, 13, 8 and 4,5 years old.

- - MuthaNita said
  - 29 Jul 2018
    7:52 pm
I think two years would be way too small for my liking. I waited nine years between mine (not purposely but the years definitely flew) my eldest is very much balanced and secure. Not to mention the horror of having two kids under the age of five who don’t yet sleep all night through.

- - mom101628 said
  - 21 May 2018
    2:55 pm
Never knew this but had roughly a 2 year gap between mine.

- - ella12 said
  - 07 Mar 2018
    4:30 pm
It is different for everyone, cheers. The age gap for one family may not work for another.

- - june11 said
  - 02 Mar 2018
    12:18 am
Friends of ours there is either 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 years between each baby. They have been lucky they have never had 2 in nappies for long at the same time.

- - robyn_smithwick said
  - 01 Mar 2018
    3:16 pm
That is exactly what my lovely OBGYN lady told me years ago.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 01 Mar 2018
    9:57 am
I listened to my mum’s advice and it has seemed to work for me- have one out of nappies before you have another one. Otherwise it is way too expensive! We started trying for baby number 2 when our daughter was 2 years old. We were lucky and fell straight away and by the time he was born our daughter was toilet trained. They seem to get along really well and enjoy playing with each other.

- - rovermum said
  - 01 Mar 2018
    9:30 am
Nice if you can have your fertility work that way. I think you need to take what you can get, and getting pregnant naturally is not a given.

- - Ellen said
  - 01 Mar 2018
    3:38 am
My kids are 13, 12, 10, 8, 7 and 4 years old. We didn’t really plan as such.

- - youngoldlady said
  - 28 Feb 2018
    10:11 pm
My older children I tried for about the two year mark and got that then. The other children were surprises, so their age gaps are bigger. My daughter was born when the youngest of her brothers was 15 and then the twins came along about ten years later. So that left me with more time for my oldest daughter as her brothers were mid to late teens. The twins was the ones that were the most work due to age of me (51) and twins need a bit more time then single births. Though had four other children, 3 adult by then to help.
- Ellen replied
  
  01 Mar 2018 , 3:35 am
  Wow !
  - rachel1970 replied
    
    01 Mar 2018 , 8:09 am
    
    Wow, super Mum, twins at 51! I had my twins at 38-have four children. Yep, twins is pretty tough especially if they were premmie like mine were.
- - ashna9 said
  - 28 Feb 2018
    6:35 pm
That’s quite a manageable gap for most families.

- - mom199367 said
  - 28 Feb 2018
    5:04 pm
I have 2 years and 4 months between my two. As older parents (I’m 39 and hubby 41) we find it tiring at the moment but as sleep improves for everyone and as Isla gets more interactive with her older brother I think we’ll all enjoy it more.
It has taken Thomas quite a while to adjust (especially to the crying and sharing mum!) but now he is coping a lot better.