is going from 3 to 4 really hard?

[carmel23]

I'm going to have my 4th child any day now. And I'm wondering if anyone can share some mind/sanity savers going from 3 kids to 4? Is it as difficult as going from 1 to 2?

2 to 3 was pretty easy for us, and our kids (mostly) get along well, and I enjoy the dynamic.... all my kids are basically 3 years apart, and this baby will be 3 years younger then my DD...

So tell me, what am I in for?

thank you!

[crittersmom]

I have four, my first two are 3 years apart and the others are both 16 months apart.I actually had a harder time going from 1 to 2, by the time I had baby #4 I realized that I really didn't have to stress about when we were eating and what we were wearing.My oldest really helped even though he dosen't think of it that way, he just helpes distract.DH and I trade off on who holds hands and a baby carrier is of course a worK horse.I have noticed that I need to remind myself to pay attention to #2 more because he tends to get drowned out by the others but that might be just our dynamic.
Easy birthing to you and spend lots of time in bed afterwards, it really does go too fast.

[orangefoot]

Three to four was easy for us in the early days but my kids are spaced out quite a bit. Having so many people to love a new little one is great.

Enjoy

[carmel23]

thanks mamas! It seems like it wouldn't be that hard, but you never know until you jump in, right? My guys are super excited about baby. Thanks orangefoot!

and I know what you mean about #2, crittersmom, I'm going to try extra hard to make sure he gets mama time.

[Drummer's Wife]

I didn't think it was that bad (my kids are each 2 years apart). I had help from my mom the first couple weeks (which was nice, b/c it was my 4th c-section) but really, adding one more LO wasn't that much more difficult. It was the first time I was tandem nursing, and co-sleeping with a newborn and toddler -- but even that all worked out well.

[pixiekisses]

It was easy peasy! It'll be fine.
Like orangefoot said, having so many siblings to love and care for the babe is awesome.

Good luck!

[pjs]

It sounds like it'll be a piece of cake for you. We just had our fourth- the baby is easy, it's the spicy 2.5 dd who has and continues to be a handful!

[Tav Mom]

It was not too hard going from 3 to 4 for us, either. Mine are all 2 years apart as well. The older ones entertain themselves with each other and love to help with the younger ones. It'll be fine. Just enjoy them all!!

[sanguine_speed]

Oh, it will totally depend on your baby! My first was hard. Going from one to two was easy for us. Going from two to three was a nightmare.

And all due to the babies themselves. DD1 was (and is) very spirited and exahausting to care for. DD2 was EASY. I couldn't believe it! DS1 (baby 3) was premature and sick for months. It was so, so, so hard. He is also very busy and spirited and takes twice the energy the first baby took. We're expecting number 4 in the spring and I see it more as a question of how/who this baby will be than whether the change from 3 to 4 will be hard. The number doesn't frighten me--the possibilities do! LOL

[chrissy]

It seems like everyone I've talked to said that going from 2-3 was hard, but 3-4 was easy. Not so for me! Going from 0-1 was probably my hardest. 1-2 was easy, 2-3 was easy. 3-4 was/is hard for me. Not impossible, and I certainly do NOT regret having the baby, not at ALL, but it has been a difficult transition for us. I think she (the baby) is lucky b/c she has so many older sibs who just love her to pieces. I just feel like I am having to spread myself so thin that nobody else ever seems to get enough of me.

But, you will probably be like everyone else in the world, and have no trouble with the 3-4 transition!

[flapjack]

3-4 was harder than 2-3 for me, but not by much: 0-1 and 1-2 were absolutely brutal by any set of standards. I did find that having a 9 and 7yo around to help entertain younger siblings was a big, big help though.