Time for the Second Child?
Choosing the right time to have their first child is easy for couples who are basing their decision on outside factors like finances, age and career paths. Unfortunately, it becomes much harder to decide the appropriate time for a second child (or whether you should have another kid at all). Moms and dads who have made it through the midnight feeding phase of a first baby will likely consider whether they have the internal strength (rather than the external comfort) to go through the process all over again. If you’re wondering whether or not you should add a second baby to your brood, here are some things you should consider.
Couples are often limited by their own ages, as it becomes more and more difficult to conceive at later stages in life. Women should talk to their doctors and consider the amount of time they have left for healthy pregnancies. Additionally, families should think about the age difference that will separate their first and second child to figure out a gap that they are comfortable with.
Giving birth to a second child will change the entire dynamic of a family and could strain a couple’s marriage or make the firstborn feel alienated. Including your oldest child in the pregnancy process from it’s start can help to get him more comfortable with the idea of having a younger sibling in the future.