how soon is too soon?

Well, it takes approximately 2 years for a woman's body to fully recover from pregnancy and childbirth. I think that's why our bodies, on average, a re designed to naturally space children about this far with breastfeeding. Anyway, that said, every woman is not the same and there are many variables. If her body was not ready, chances are she would not have gotten pregnant in the first place or wouldn't have made it this far. I've known many women who get pregnant 2 months after a baby and do okay.

It may be rough on her, but it may not be. It all depends on the mama.

I have a sis who had 5 kids, including one set of twins, in less than four years. Her 5th child was born 11 1/2 months after her twins. Her only problem throughout all these pregnancies was going on bedrest with the twins at around 33 weeks to prevent pre-term labor, but she was chasing after two toddlers (2 & 3yo) at the time.

I also have a SIL who had 6 kids in just under six years. She had her first when she was only 15, so her pregnancies were much harder on her and the babies. Her 4th was born still at 22 weeks due to placenta previa, and with another (I think it was her 3rd) she was hospitalized several times for various issues, including a kidney infection.

I personally would probably avoid having two so close together (I can't even imagine being pregnant while chasing after my 8mo!) but she will probably be fine.

If she's doing meth, that's a completely different story. I hate to sound judgemental, but having grown up around a lot of people on the stuff, I don't think tweekers should have kids at all. Meth eats away at all that is good and I've never known a child of a tweeker that wasn't neglected.

I think the drugs are far worse than the time between children. People can't change until they're ready but, please, if she'll listen, try to get your friend some help.

Good luck.

I think the meth is a much huger issue than the spacing or her weight. It sounds like her and this child will have plenty of problems even if she had waited 5 years between kids. I would love to have kids 18 mos apart if my fertility cooperates. I've known many people with that spacing and there didn't seem to be any additional problems with the 2nd pregnancy (other than changing poopy diapers being no fun with morning sickness).

My DC are 14 mos apart and I had two healthy natural births. If this helps. My Mother had my brother and sis 18 mos (closer to what you're talking about) and they were both natural healthy births with successful BFing relationships.