5+ Years Between Children?

DH and I would like to get pregnant in September of this year, and if we are successful, that would make my children 6 years apart. I am a preschool teacher, and moms (and women in my family) are always telling me, "Oh you should have started trying sooner, your next labor will be hell!". I am just wondering how many of you who had children 5 or more years apart, how was that labor compared to the one years before?

That is nonsense. If anything it should be easier because your body had plenty of time to heal and get stronger in preparation for birth. Opposed to someone having babies back to back where their pelvic muscles are weak making pregnancy alone more difficult than the first.

I'm so glad I waited. My son and daughter will be almost 5 years apart. I would be a lot more worried about my VBAC if I had tried it sooner, I think... I know that there has been plenty of time for my uterus to heal up between my son and this one.

My kids are almost six years apart. My labor was just fine. In fact my second labor was easier than my first. We got to the hospital at 8:15 am and I had my son at 11:37 am.

lol that makes no sense why would it be harder? Aside from your being slightly older I don't see a correlation honestly.

My mom had my sister 5 years after she had me, and her labor was super fast and easy.

Thank you for the replies everyone! I didn't think that it made any sense, but when you hear it from so many people you start to worry a little.  

Maybe it's some dumb old wives tale from your area? lol That's all I can think of!

Quoting I AM TRON:" DH and I would like to get pregnant in September of this year, and if we are successful, that would make ... [snip!] ... am just wondering how many of you who had children 5 or more years apart, how was that labor compared to the one years before?"

My kids aren't 5 + years apart but they are 4 years apart not by choice though.. My labor was much quicker this time around and I pushed less time as well only difference is I had a hemmorage (daughter I just bled a lot) but this had nothing to do with how far apart my kids were and was told its very rare to have a hemmorage.. I don't think waiting makes things harder! My sisters kids are 5 years apart and there was no difference either..

My kids ARE less than 5 years apart. My oldest just turned 5 six days ago. All my labors have been simple. I'd be more worried about the children bonding that far apart. Labor is labor, no matter how long in between. But my labor time has been cut in half with each baby.

<blockquote><b>Quoting I AM TRON:</b>" Thank you for the replies everyone! I didn't think that it made any sense, but when you hear it from so many people you start to worry a little.  "</blockquote>




From a ppsychological standpoint, five years is considered the ideal age gap between first and second childern.

My son is four now and our careers have been holding us back so to speak but we are just now on the verge of trying for another and we are so excited! Good luck mama