[peaceful mama]

I'm in shock. Tonight I took a pregnancy test because I haven't received my period yet, but didn't think much of it because I'm only on my 2nd period after my 2nd ds. It was a Target brand test and both tests turned out positive. I figured they were "broken" (ever heard of such a thing) so we bundle the boys up and drive to the grocery store for a more reliable brand, and guess what....the reliable brand was positive too. Oh My Gosh!

I have two sons. My first son turned three last week and my second son will be turning one this week. How am I going to to do this. They will be about 20 months apart. I need encouraging words and stories. All the searches on MDC that I've found are more scary than re-assuring. I know babies are always a good thing, but I'm worried about the spacing.

Also, my husband absolutely refuses to get a Mini-Van or SUV (and I agree with him, if it's possible to avoid these vehicles). I spend a lot of time driving around town and don't want a gas guzzler vehicle. Is it possible to fit three carseats (a Britax Husky, Britax Roundabout, and another Britax carseat) in a car?

I'm already sad that I'm going to loose my milk supply. Any ideas or suggestions to keep it going as long as possible?

Scattered post, I know....but that's how I'm feeling.

I love babies, and of course am excited but I'm also so scared! I just can't believe this....

 

[Kirsten]

Three kids is fun!

Mine are spaced a lot further than yours will be so I don't have any good tips there. Just that you will be through the diaper stage quicker - so focus on that! Unless you are one of the diaper forum moms....

I don't know of any cars that will fit three Britax seats across the back seat... and the Husky looked HUGE when I saw it in a store. You may need to rethink the no SUV/minivan stance.

No good advice - just wanted to reply with congrats!

 

[flapjack]

My boys are 21 months apart- it rocks. It's very hard work during pregnancy and the physical side of parenting (lifting, carrying- the high chair was the worst for me) but worth it- we had almost no jealousy at the time, and they are very very close (one thinks of something naughty to do, then the other one joins in so they BOTH get in trouble.) My eldest weaned at 17 months, probably because my milk supply was drying up, so can't reassure you there- but otherwise, the age difference is not, IMHO, a problem.
Good luck- it's going to be fun, honest

(you need a bigger car, though. We're having our third, and there's no way we can do it with a 7yo, 5yo and a newborn in the back without either an estate or a MPV. I quite like the look of the Fiat Multipla...)

 

[~*max*~]

Peaceful mama, first off - congratulations! I know you are in shock-mode right now, perfectly understandable. I have 3 little ones and one big one - I love my big family. My little ones are a year and a half and two years apart. I think this spacing has worked very nicely - you are doing all the baby and then toddler things one right after another, so you have all the things you need, you are in the groove of it all, and practice makes perfect!

You'll do great.

Re: the car, sorry love, but I can't imagine how you'll do that part w/out something bigger.

Best wishes to you.

 

[Sagesgirl]

I'd be very leery about trying to squeeze 3 car seats into any modern car. You need to realize that not all SUVs are gas-guzzlers, just as not all cars get good gas mileage. The Toyota RAV4 & Ford Escape small SUVs both get 24 mpg in city driving (and 30/29 highway, respectively) You can investigate MPG by class at this link: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byclass.htm

You probably would be able to squeeze 3 car seats into any but the smallest car...But I'd be worried about the safety. I don't personally care for the thought of having a car seat squished up against the door. The best car seat in the universe is only going to get you so far in a collision that knocks the side of your car inward several inches. Sorry to sound so harsh, but it's simple physics when you think about it.

Milk...My oldest daughter nursed right through my pregnancy with my second daughter, and my second daughter's made it a little more than halfway so far. I don't personally lose my milk totally, though some women do. I think I have more milk this time during pregnancy than last time. I can't squirt it across the room like I used to, but I can still pull back a milk-covered nipple.

I worry about adding a third into the mix--and my second will be about 20 or 21 months when this one's born too--but I firmly believe in self-fulfilling prophecies. If you expect things to be bad, then you'll see the bad things bigger than the good ones. And the obverse is also true. My older two are 22 months apart, and it's such good spacing for me.

Of course, I know from experience it's a shock to get pregnant when you're not expecting it. :LOL Take your time to get used to the idea, and feel free to cry about it, yell about it, whatever. I didn't start feeling really OK about it until I started to feel this baby moving good, but there's no timetable.

 

[OnTheFence]

I had three children under 5, the two youngest only 17m apart. I am due to have number 4 in six days. I didn't think the adjustment to three was as hard as my adjustment to two children.
On the car issue, I had a Ford Taurus at the time. A fairly large Sedan and we had two car seats in it. There is no way we could have safely fit a third carseat. Even two large carseats was problematic so we did decide to get a minivan. I would really reconsider getting a minivan or one of the smaller SUVs. Some minivans get just as much miles per gallons as some of the large sedans and it would be safer for your children than having three crammed in the back seat in carseats.

Lots of luck, and CONGRATS!

:

 

[3boobykins]

I got pg with a surprise 3rd baby when my then-youngest was 10.5 months old. The pg was pretty tiring, but I was so excited about a third that I didn't mind--we had planned to stop at two, but I really wanted another one! DD1 nursed through the pg, and my milk never completely dried up. DD1 is now 28 months, dd 2 is 9 months, and we're having lots of fun! It does take us a long time to get ready to go anywhere, but that's getting better. I've found this closer separation (19 months) easier to adjust to than the 2 yr. 10 mo. split between our first two--less jealousy. Overall, we're busy but so happy to have 3 kids.

The car issue--When dd2 was born we had a Corolla, and there's no way we could afford anything else at the time. We did have 3 car seats in the rear, and they were in it quite safely, too--I'm a stickler for correctly installed carseats. However, there's no way we could have fit 3 large Britax seats in it. We had an infant seat for the baby, and Cosco Touriva's for the older two. I believe these are the narrowest seats available. We were rearended a few months ago, and through insurance settlement and the help of family were able to buy a used Nissan Pathfinder. 3 seats fit in it easily. There are definietly SuVs with better gas mileage, though!

Congratulations--you'll have a wonderful adventure with 3 kiddos!

 

[atozmama]

Congratulatioons on the new one.

I too know he schock of suprise pregnancies. Take things one day at a time. La Leche League published a great book Adventures in Tandem Nursing that has lots of information on pregnancy and breastfeeding and tandem nursing afterwards. My oldest two nursed through a pregnancy and afterwards. My third shows no sign of slowing down but it is still early in this pregnancy, we will see what happens.

We drive a Mercury Sable Wagon. It fits three carseats across the back easily and even has the newer lower anchors for three. Then the back flips up for two more seats. Though I am leary about that because I feel like the front and middle seats are within the cage that are more protected in a crash and the way back will crush easier. I am a tall person and wish many times I had a minivan though for easier acess and side doors that slide instead of swing into other car doors when kids open them.

 

[TurboClaudia]

peaceful mama: oh my gosh! congratulations! it sounds like you feel overwhelmed, though. i'm thinking of you, and if you need any help with your other two, let me know... i'd be happy to help you out since you were so kind in helping us out before...

peaceful early pregnancy to you, mama...

~claudia

 

[Storm Bride]

I can't help with the car issue, because dh and I don't drive and don't own a car at all.

But, I will mention that I was still nursing dd when I got pregnant again. She did wean when I was about 5 months along, but my milk supply was still more than adequate. There are no guarantees, of course - but you may not lose your milk.

Good luck! I'm about to have number three myself - but my situation's totally different, because my oldest is twelve, and the next is two...this is more like adjusting to two babies than three, really.

 

[QueenMommy]

First off, Congratulations!

My first two are 20 months apart and they are best friends. I didn't find it too difficult as DD1 was nearing the 2 year old mark and wanted to do everything herself! lol! There were a few rough spots, but honestly, nothing too terrible. I love that she and her brother play together so nicely. We never had a problem with jealously or anything. I think this time around is going to be a little tougher. DD2 and DS2 will be less than a year apart. Talk about a shock...!

As for the car, I have to agree with pp. You really will have to invest in something bigger. I have a mini-van and it gets great gas mileage! Much better than DH's car even! lol!

Good luck!

 

[Maggi315]

Hi,
Congratulations! Three was also thenumber we broke down and bought a minivan. You will love it, you absolutely need the room. I agree with another poster that it is just not safe to squeeze 3 car seats in the back seat. If you are ever hit on the side, one of the kids is going to get seriously hurt squeezed up against the door.

As far as gas mileage, minivans are really comparable with midsize cars. We also have a gas guzzler, a big suburban, now that is ridiculous! But we needed to buy that for other reasons, right now we are looking at buying a little gas economy car for my husband to drive around for work (he works on the road-30,000+ miles per year). We couldn't up to now because we couldn't afford 3 car payments!

Good luck! There are lots of good deals around for minivans!

 

[kpinny]

hi there and congratulations!

I have a friend who had 3 in 3 years, they are now 4, 3, and 2 - all girls. They are the sweetest things in the world. They are each other's playmates and there doesn't seem to be any jealousy. My friend works and her dh stays home with the girls, which he loves (he left an engineering firm to stay home and has been offered his old job back and others - he loves being home though)...of course her mom had 7 in about 9 years, so maybe it is just normal for her family!

take care of yourself and the new little one!
kathy

 

[mauiwith3]

Congrats on your pregnancy.
I hope you work out something with the carseats that is safe and cheap on gas.

 

[Threnody]

I have a Mazda Tribute, which is a sister to the Ford Escape (they're built in the same plant side by side) - there is no way it will do 3 carseats.

The Ford Freestyle might be an option for you though. It's a new model. http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/freestyle/?section=SUV

 

[allgirls]

I have 3 children now and one on the way...we had to get a larger car...I too am very anti mini-van/SUV but we did lots of research and found the Ford Freestyle...it is awesome...sort of a mix of a SUV and a station Wagon. Very comfortable and it gets 6m more to the gallon than the Ford mini-van(freestar)at least I think so and about the same as most station wagons, large cars on the market.. If I could be convinced maybe your husband could be too...I am very very very hard to convince

eta we don't have one yet..we know it's what we are getting but we have to sell our current vehicle...we have until October.

The waste in a mini van or SUV in my opinion is when you see a single person driving one...when you see a family of 5 or more then it's not a waste, it's a necessity...using a car to it's maximum is the key.

Good Luck and Congratulations!!!

 

[shireen]

Peaceful Mama,

I know it's overwhelming for you right now, but believe me, you'll do just great! I have four daughters within 5.5 years, and another little one on the way! If things go well, I'll have 5 children in just over 8 years!

We obviously are mini-van people...there are no cars or SUVs that will seat 5 children. Anyway, you do what you have to; I resisted the mini-van, but I had to give in. :LOL

My daughters are very close; not only in age but they are great friends too. It's fun to send them off to play, and they actually enjoy it. Sure there are hard days when the baby is new and small, but it really does pay off in the long run. We're all here for you; take care and enjoy your pregnancy!!!!

 

[deathbygodiva]

Congrats, Peaceful Mama!!! I know you feel overwhelmed right now, but it will pass.

Mine were 3 and 2 when #3 was born. We continued to have 5 in 8 years. Still, finding out we were expecting #6 was a little overwhelming! I really appreciate the closeness in age now.
Boy, you think going from a car to a larger vehicle is hard, try going to a 12 passenger van!!

 

[mom2threenurslings]

Congratulations and

!!! You seem so overwhelmed right now, but it will get better, eventually.

My first two were 18 months apart, my second two were 23 months apart. I tandem nursed through pregnancy and triandem nursed for over 18 months after dd was born. (I'm currently tandem nursing my younger two during pregnancy and will most likely be triandem nursing again in September!)

Not all mamas lose thier mamamilk supply during pregnancy and many nurslings continue nursing. Some nurslings take a break during pregnancy and then get right back to nursing after baby is born. I also recomment "Adventures In Tandem Nursing" by Hilary Flower (although some of the stories in there aren't incredibly uplifting, it does have lots of good info!). As far as keeping your supply up...keep hydrated, eat well (lots of protein!), take care of yourself, and RELAX! (OK, so the last one isn't easy, but you'd be surprised how much relaxation plays a part in supply!)

 

[phathui5]

I'm due with number three in September. Dd will have turned two the week before my due date. I'm 28 weeks now and she's still nursing. I don't know exactly how much milk she's getting, but she is happy to still nurse and I'm planning to tandem nurse her and the new baby.

I think the reason that you've read more scary stories than reassuring ones is that people are more likely to post to ask for help than when things are going great. There's a moms of many tribe in the Finding Your Tribe forum you can go to and you could also start a thread asking for positive stories from moms of three or more. I'm sure you'll get plenty.