Planning a Second Baby

It is important to think about the age gap between two children while planning a second baby. On the other hand it is also essential to be prepared physically, mentally and financially for having a second baby. Read on to find tips to plan for a second child.No sooner do couples have their first baby and busy with nappy changing, spending sleepless nights, they start worrying and thinking about the second kid. For first few months, they are in a totally confused state of mind, as they get no time for themselves. They are almost always exhausted. They are so mentally and physically tired looking after their baby that some even plan not to have a second kid at all.Immediately after a year or so, their friends and relatives start asking them as to when they plan to have the second child. But, some of them are in a hurry for the second kid as there are so many things that might worry them. There are so many factors like the age, their health conditions, both partners might be working, problems concerning infertility. The first conception would have taken long time. Both, small or big age differences have their own advantages and disadvantages. In this articleHealth IssuesPrepare Yourself MentallyFinancial ConditionsAgingWorking PartnersIdeal Age Gap between BabiesHealth IssuesAfter your first delivery, you need to completely recover before you can plan for the second one. For some of you there might have been some complications during your earlier pregnancy or some health problems, in that case it is better that you treat all those health issues and become more physically strong to conceive your second child. You must follow a proper diet schedule. You also would be very exhausted looking after your first baby. Relax, take some time for yourself. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and iron-rich food. You should not be anemic and you need lot of calcium-rich food too.Prepare Yourself MentallyPlan and prepare yourself for your second kid. You must be more emotionally strong to handle two kids. You must also prepare your first kid mentally. It could be a challenging task as your responsibilities are going to double. In case of a short age gap of 1 year or so, it could be quite strenuous looking after both of them. Both will need your attention. The first one will be still in the breastfeeding stage. You have to breastfeed both of them and it could tire you. You might not get enough sleep.Financial ConditionsYou need to have a stable financial condition to raise two children. For that, you need to wait till you are financially secure to go for second child. You would like to give a comfortable life to your family.AgingYour growing age could be bothering you. By 35years of age, a woman’s fertility rate starts diminishing. You cannot wait till you are 35 or above to conceive your second child. In that case it is wise to plan your second child before you reach 35, even if there is small gap between your first and the second child.Working PartnersBoth of you might be working. In that case, you would like to have a small gap between kids, so that it is easy for you to find a creche or baby care, to take care of your babies who are of similar age.Ideal Age Gap between BabiesAfter you have your first baby, wait for two to three years till you go for the second child. There is a risk of giving birth to premature and underweight babies if there is very less gap between your two pregnancies.You can give your first child lot of attention till he or she is out of the nappy changing and breast feeding stage. You will also get more time with your partner. Both of you can enjoy your first child. By two or three years, your child also would not need your continuous attention.More than the age gap couples need to be physically, mentally as well as financially prepared for the second child. Therefore, before planning a second child analyse yourself and find out if you would be able fulfil the needs of two children properly. Children should not suffer because of your incorrect decision so think wisely before you plan for a second child.What is the right age gap between two children? What things should be considered while planning a second baby? What are the disadvantages of having only one child? Discuss here.