Having a second child?

I have not even delivered DD #1 yet and already everyone is talking to me about having a second child (even DH!). I have always dreamed about having two kids (maybe even a third) but ever since getting pregnant- I feel like DD might be the only one. Not only does your body go through so much, we are already financially struggling and I know eventually we will be more secure, but with a second child I am not so sure of that.

DH insists it will be fine because we will already have all of the big items from DD (crib, pack n play, car seats, stroller, etc). However, I feel like the extra food, extra medical bills, extra diapers, extra education costs, extra clothes (even if we have same sex and can reuse some)... I feel like it will be a total financial burden. But all of our parents say "well we did it" and insist that we shouldn't make that kind of decision on money. I sort of disagree thinking that is irresponsible to ignore the financial factor.

It is hard for me to imagine only having one child instead of 2 also but I feel like I need to prepare myself for that life. Am I just being crazy? Is having a second child as expensive as the first? Is it doable?

Re: Having a second child?

I stress about finances all the time (i know its bad for my pregnancy) but i just figure, everyone else does it and gets through it, and i guess somehow you will make it work...

Re: Having a second child?

I am pregnant with #3 right now. It was a surprise and my dh freaked out when I told him I was pregnant. Mostly about education cost. We have a boy and a girl whose clothes we will reuse. I have bought very little for dd because she gets hand me downs from my nieces. I breast feed so we don't have to buy formula. We have reused all of #1's items like cribs and car seats.
One thing to look into is cloth diapers. I bought them with dd (#2) so now I only have to get small baby diapers. I have all the diapers new baby will need from 15lbs on. SO for about $150 I will have bought everything I need for the new baby (diapers, clothes ergo insert). We also do baby led weaning so no baby food costs. Will the kid cost money yeah but we are doing all we can to minimize it. My kids are 21 months apart. And the new baby will be 4.5 years younger then #1 and 3 years younger then #2.

ETA: I'm a WAHM so I don't have to worry about daycare costs. If I did my kids would not be so close in age. I would prob be pregnant with #2 right now not #3.

Message edited 4/25/2012 10:15:08 AM.

Re: Having a second child?

I definitely don't think you need to worry about #2 yet BUT you aren't wrong for considering all of the factors involved.

Enjoy #1 and when the time comes to think about it you can figure it out. It is a huge expense and responsibility but I think most of the time things work out. I'm a little panicy right now about having #2 but I really wanted 2 children and want my DC to have a sibling and really feel it will work out. We might struggle for a little while but we are able to provide the necesseties.

Re: Having a second child?

I'm expecting number 2 in 5 weeks. I'm sort of the mentality That where there is a will there is a way. That doesn't mean I don't worry. We would love 3 but feel blessed with two. However if we do go for three obviously we have to sacrifice more. Right now we do what we can to save money. Dh brings his lunch 4 days a week, I clip coupon and shop sales. Dh drives an old car that we paid cash for to work. We are reusing all of our big baby items. There will be a lot of extra expenses with having a second but I rather have less materially than put off expanding our family.