Hi pen - I also think it is important to involve the other children in the decision making. My boys say they want to have another one which is really sweet of them considering their little sister keeps biting and pinching them at the moment!!!
I feel the same way about breastfeeding too and am still bf Abigail who is 19 months now - it's not all for me as she enjoys it too!
I think the fact that I have decided to enjoy the 3 I already have and like you have planned a specific time to make a final decision (next October ish) has made me feel a lot calmer and at peace about the whole thing. You'll be making your decision before me so I look forward to hearing it!! xx

Hi all

We are now in a funny situation, I wanted 4 but doc said after no3 for health reasons i shdnt have any more, so dh was put on waiting list for snip. So i got my head around having three and was happy.

However health reasons have dramatically improved so have been told i can ttc.

Hubby who wasnt as keen on no 4 anyway has said we can ttc BUT he is gonna stay on waiting list and when his appoint comes up (4 months ish) he will have it done, he thinks if we are meant to have a 4th i will fall.

Im exclusivly breastfeeding so not really expecting too but fingers crossed xxDBxx

Hi DB

Great to hear your news - how is everything with your new baby? You are extremely brave ttc again so soon with 3 already. If you get pregnant straight away (more possible than you probably think!) you will have 4 very close together in age (? all under 4).
Are you trying so soon because you want another one so soon or because you are worried oh will have the snip or change his mind about having another before you get pregnant? I would completely understand if it was because you are worried that oh will change his mind and would probably do the same as you, but just make sure you are giving yourself enough time to enjoy each of your children. xxx

Hello Ladies,
I thought i would join you as I am 27 today and am mum to 4 under 5's
Leoni who is 4 and a half followed by her sister Lacey who is 3 , Leyton has just turned 2 and Luca 8 and a half months bless!

I always too loved the idea of having a really big family as I am one of 7 and my husband is one of 5 children, i just thought keep the tradition and a have a nice large young family who can all look after each other whilst there growing up!

Recently didn't know I was pregnant with number 5 who we wanted so badly but was not meant to be as it ended in a miscarriage at 8 wks i'm so determined to just try again but i'm thinking what are the possibilities of having another one and could I deal with it again and the emotion side of things!!!

Really want to though although you will never forget that day of youre lost child and I will carry that burden forever, although I am so happy to have the four beautiful children i have,
'well I mean I think to myself just look at all the women who are finding it really hard to conceive.

i'm hoping to try for nom 6 after the new year but I will keep you all posted if anything happens earlier, maybe I just love being pregnant as I don't suffer from any symptoms like morning sickness I just kind of sail through it all !!

5 children are seriously hard work but they are well worth it in the long run, I am so blessed literally as I have 2 girls and 2 boys and the girls will both be at primary school together next year together and i will be at home with the boys.

My husband is also coming up 27 and he works full time so I get to do all the fun things which he misses out on!! x x x x:D

im preg with my fourth and they r all under 6 lol i must b mad i suppose u just have to cope and it can b quite fun and rewarding tireing but i wudnt swap it 4 the world and i cant w8 to give birth to my 4th and im only 25 but its great im just as bad as the kids running round the house with thm and playing hide and seek i have more fun with my kids than i ever did b4 i had them xxx

Congratulations tinkerbell83! Did you always know you wanted lots of children or have you just enjoyed the ones you have so much that you want more? Do you think you will have any more after this one? you certainly have age on your side! x

I've just had my 5th......he arrived Monday 24th That's my family complete now....2 girls & 3 boys!! It's hard work and I do feel pulled in all directions sometimes but then you get the good moments like my girls doting over their new brother, my 4yr old boy kissing and hugging both his younger brothers and proudly telling everyone they're 'his' bubbas.....and Alex, who at 21 months doesn't really understand about the new baby but will still go to him, pat his head and say 'wow'!!! Yep, those moments make it all worth while

hi
my twins are both boys so i will have 5 boys and 2 girls lol...this is gonna b 1 mad house lol...

only bad thing about having twins is im going back to odd number which i have been trying to avoid,but im single now so no chance of having anymore(not that i do want more).

mandy 34+5 twins

hi. big congratulations mummy x5, if you feel anything like me , when i had my 5th i really felt complete. my youngest is now 18 months and i'm not really sure if i want another to make 6, although i have always said that i don't like odd numbers, so you never know. but theres alot to be said for a big family, i love it. wouldn't change it for the world.xx

HI yes congratulations mummyx5!
pen - did you really feel complete after your 5th? Sorry i'm asking because I do still worry that if I have a 4th I keep thinking that I will feel complete and definately won't have anymore anyway but am worried that I would still want more. It sounds as if you could be persuaded?
mms - WOW, you really are going to have your hands full. How old are your others? Do you have family to help? You certainly are going to have a mad christmas!! xx

Hello
never done this before.....
we have 4 kids aged 9, 4, 2 1/2 and 15 months. We are expecting our 5th baby due beginning April so there will be 19 months between the youngest two.. Exciting and a little daunting at the same time - just getting the 2 little ones into a routine following months of breastfeeding and sleepless nights.....still, wouldnt change it...

hi there i only have one child currently we are ttc baby No.2 but i would like maybe 4 children my husband is 1 of 9 children so i think he wants more than 3 we have disscussed it but i've never got a definate answer.
but anyway that not why i am writing i was wondering with those that have more than 3 children do alot of people think you are on benefits?
because someone said to me once that most people with big families are on benefits which i think personally was way out of line because i dont think so but i was just wondering do you find alot of people actually think this?

All the bl**dy time. I feel that people look down on me because i have 3 kids esp as they are close in age (21month twins 16 week baby n ttc) I always find myself saying to people that we do both work, my dh does 60+ hours work a week. we just forgo luxurys. xxDBxx

yeah I do the same or feel like I have to justify that we both work and look after our children well.... get a bit paranoid to be honest and I imagine it will be worse once our 5th is born......people assume you have never had any ambition other than to have kids.... lots of them!!

hi. i get it all the time, i have 5. and automatically get looked at as i have so many. people always presume that you are on benefits, but we aren't, my hubby works full time and i work part time. we keep our kids ourselves. when we were expecting our 5th child we had p[eople stop us in the streets and question us on why we were having another baby? as if it was anything to do with them. and we were called greedy for having 5. alot of negative comments. but you know when we are all out together as a family i am so proud to be a mum of 5. but sometimes i am made to feel that i am wrong for having 5 kids and i dread taking them out sometimes as the looks i get are awful. all my kids are well dressed, well mannered, don't want for anything. just makes me cross that people have to question why we want so many kids. xx

I also get those 'looks'.......however, at this moment, we are actually on benefits :( My hubby has now been refered to the spinal unit for xrays and and mri scan as they are not quite sure what else is going on with regard to his back & neck probs as it now affects his legs!

Thing is, up until I was 6months preg down the line with our 5th, he worked full time, 7 days a week, and I worked p/t up until I was made redundant when preggy with no4 (not a lot cud be done as the company went bust!). Neither of us particularly like not working, although we are not sure just what dh will be able to do due to the probs he has but I am making plans currently to find summat p/t in the Spring! P/t is easier for now as dh can only do so much with the kids currently....

Anyway, came off the subject there slightly lol Yes, those 'looks' from complete strangers who have nothing better to do with their time than sneer at others......grrrrrrr, bloody busy-bodies lol

hi girls, its been really interesting to read everyones comments. I am also trying to decide whether to stop at 3 or carry on for a 4th. Thing is my oh wants to wait 5 years at least b4 we have ne moe but I dont want a big gap as the other 3 are so close in age. So unless he changes his mind I think 3 will be it. What does everone think about having large gaps between siblings? my 3 girls are 4 in feb, 2 in march and 7 months x x x

Hi I am 50 50 on that one, my first 2 have 20 months between them and it is great, they are so close and have so much fun together - I hadn't planned to wait so long for no 3 but due to 2 mc there was 4 years 2 months between nos 2 and 3 and I love that too!! It is like having a first child again but with the experience of already having children and the older ones to help play with the youngest when I'm making tea!!
If we go for no4 (still no decision made!) I would be happy for a gap of about 3 1/2 - 4 years but probably not any bigger (am getting too old!).
I know lots of people with a variety of age differences and I love my age gaps now even though it wasn't planned like that. xx

Hi everyone, its great to read all your posts and i cant believe how many of us are in the same position, of whether or not we should go for a fourth baby!
I have twin boys aged 3 and a half and a little girl who is nearly 2, with only a small gap between my 3 of only 20months life was very chaotic for a while but now things seem to have calmed down and they all get on brilliantely. Which is why i am considering a fourth!! I would love another girl and would love my daughter to have a sister, i have found my boys much harder work. I dont know whether im just being selfish tho? Hubby isnt as keen as me but i think he would agree if i really want one. My kids all want a little bro or sis, eapecially my boys they are always saying (when we have another baby!!) which i think is so cute!

Hi everyone, its great to read all your posts and i cant believe how many of us are in the same position, of whether or not we should go for a fourth baby!
I have twin boys aged 3 and a half and a little girl who is nearly 2, with only a small gap between my 3 of only 20months life was very chaotic for a while but now things seem to have calmed down and they all get on brilliantely. Which is why i am considering a fourth!! I would love another girl and would love my daughter to have a sister, i have found my boys much harder work. I dont know whether im just being selfish tho? Hubby isnt as keen as me but i think he would agree if i really want one. My kids all want a little bro or sis, eapecially my boys they are always saying (when we have another baby!!) which i think is so cute!