It's funny isn't it, my MIL wanted me to have 2 children after the first so he wouldn't be an only child but now we have two, she said she'd worry about an age gap between my eldest and another one. My mum who had three said I'd have to be in a position to give up work as I wouldn't be able to have a third and look after them all and go out t work. Sort of puts me in a no win situation as I'd have to go back to work so many days financially.

I think you should go for it i am expecting my second in a few weeks my baby will be born in june and my first daughter will be 5 in september and she is so excited to be having a new sister she has helped decided on equipement clothes etc for new baby and keeps asking when am i going in labour ahaah just the thought of her excitement of the new baby arriving is all worth the age gap. I never wanted there to be a big gap but i had trouble concieving but im sure when my daughter is older she would say the age gap was better than not having a sibling at all.

Hi Julia, u answered me the other day. As u know I dont have any children, but am trying. But I do know that my sister is 11 years older than me and my brother is 7 years older than me and it wasnt an issue when we were growing up. And now we all get along brillantly, I am very close to them. My sister in law is 13 years older than her younger sister and they get along fantastically and she loved helping with her younger sibling when they were growing up. Im sure ur son will love helping with the new baby. Anyway I know loads of families who have children all within a year of each other one after each other and they fight like cat and dog! And dont pay any attention to ur mother in law, Im sure she means well but mine is always making little comments to me too. And I know how u feel, my husbands family all have children and since we got married last year they r constantly asking me when were going to have one?! When r we starting a family?! Theres nothing worse than people constantly asking when u r really trying and nothing is happening! I feel angry now that people keep asking but I suppose theres nothing I can do. Anyway we just have to keep positive and hopefully it will happen. Just think how happy u will be when u announce u r pregnant! xx

My dh and I are currently trying for our second child. We already have a lovely 5 year old son. We haven't told our family we are ttc as we want it to be a surprise. My mother-in-law was talking to a mutual friend of ours about babies yesterday and made the comment that I wasn't having anymore children and I just happened to say, "you never know" and she all of a sudden said "there will be too much of an age gap between them, they will do nothing but argue, you shouldn't have another one". I didn't know quite what to say. Has anyone else had children with a large age gap? If so, how do they get on with each other. To be honest it really put me off wanting to have another child.....for about 1 minute and then her comment just made me cross.