Because I am soon to become a mother for the first time, I am probably more interested in debates and discussions to do with children than I used to be.
One debate that recently caught my attention on a website I was reading was one about how much age gap you should ideally have between your children.
Of course, often we don’t have a choice about how far apart our kids are spaced in age, but I was surprised to learn that for those who are planning a family, however far apart or how close one chooses to have their children in proximity to each other, the issue can lead to some heavy debates.
Some parents have their own specific reasons for choosing to having their children in quick succession, while others think it’s better to leave more time in between each child.
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Both reasons are just as valid as each other and there will eventually come a point where the difference in your children’s ages won’t really matter that much.
Most importantly, the gap you leave between babies should really depend on when you (and your partner) feel ready to have another child, as well as when you are able to conceive.
One baby website says that leaving an age gap of at least 18 months will give you enough time to recover your energy and replenish the nutrients you lost during pregnancy, as well as giving you the time to mentally and physically prepare yourself for getting pregnant again and having a new addition to the family.
And pregnancy the second time round will not be the same as it was the first time because there will be a child there to take up your time and energy! It’s not all bad though, because you will at least have the benefit of experience and the second time round are more aware of what to expect.
There are advantages and disadvantages to having a smaller age gap in between your children than leaving it a good few years.
A shorter gap between siblings at least gets the difficult and challenging baby years over with more quickly, like sleepless nights and difficult night feeds for a start.
But it also means the expense comes thicker and faster. It also might mean that your children are more likely to squabble as their interests in things they like overlap.
Whereas leaving a larger gap between your children gives you more chance to give each child your undivided attention for the first few years, as well as giving you the chance to reuse a lot of your baby equipment!
But whatever age gap you choose, if you are lucky enough to be able to choose – only you will know how to make it work for you and your family.
There is no perfect age gap, and however much you do end up planning – babies rarely stick to order anyway!
