Family Dynamics with 3 kids.

[Heaven]

How did the family dynamic change when you had a third child? How did the relationship between siblings change? Or did it stay pretty much the same? Do they all play together or do two tend to pair up at a time?

Just curious. My girls get on so great right now, I hope it's smooth sailing whenever we have number 3!

[black_rose]

We found it hard to settle into a routine at first, but ds had reflux so needed a lot of attention so it was hubby with the girls while I calmed down ds or vice versa. Dd2 has always been great she would happily get blankets, dummy's or give cuddles we just had to watch she wasn't too rough. Dd1 was in need of more attention and went backwards with toilet training in the beginning.

Nowadays we have a great routine we all eat together, the kids play happily they love getting the cars, trains or blocks out to play together. At times ds goes to a different area to play and dd1 has a table and chairs in her room she can escape to if it's too noisy.

I find I am busier but it's fun being around them.

[Trillian]

DD2 was a super cruisy baby so sometimes it was like she wasn't even here! She just slotted in so well to the way our family was at the time. I didn't notice any problems with the way they got on - they are all 20 months apart and they played together well. Of course there were times when they would fight and it would be 2 against one etc, but that's just a part of life - if you have 2 kids they can fight with each other too kwim? When she was first born though they ignored her really - DS1 wasn't interested in babies and DD1 was too little to be too worried about her too. It wouldn't have been till DD2 was 6mths+ that they really started to develop their relationships with each other.

[Jellyfish]

After both claiming to be 100% done after two, we started talking about a potential third last night so interested what people have to say! We have decided to at least wait two years before doing anything permanent in terms of birth control and if at that point we are keen, we will try. At first DP said he was thinking maybe another in 5yrs but I couldn't do that, I would want to have a similar age gap and he is willing to accept that for me it would have to be in about two years time or never. I could potentially be swayed to wait 5yrs IF we had another two haha DP is also open to considering that option.

I would love another CHILD... not sure how excited I am about the pregnancy, birth and adding another few years onto my breastfeeding journey but that might just be because it is way too soon after DD2 haha.

[Sterla]

Interested also... I'm not ready for a third just yet, but I can tell I'm not done yet. DH and I had always talked about having three or four anyway .

I'm loving having two right now, so I do wonder and worry about how a third would change things.

[Tegam]

Nothing much changed in our house. All the kids play nicely together. There's a lot of love in those kids

[beansbeans!]

Im loving having 3; yes its still early days but I love it. The big girls are so kind and loving to their little sister.
T

[Heaven]

It's sounding good! cluck cluck cluck

I was just worried I would change something between my DDs and I don't want to change anything, they love each other so much. I should know by now not to worry! Before DD1 was born I worried that things between DH and I would change, before DD2 was born I worried about not having enough time for DD1 and how it would change things between us. Of course, things did change, but only for the better! It's just the fear of the unknown I guess. And as we get closer to wanting to TTC again it's on my mind again.

[Trillian]

Heaven, I think for the kids it's very much like it is for us - you think there is no more room to love another one, but there is kwim? It just means that their relationship becomes a 3-way one instead of a two-way one.

[Shanti]

oooh i'm interested in this too! I think about this too, my girls are best friends and I wonder how having #3 will change things.....

I've always wanted 3 or 4 so definitely having more regardless of how it changes things!!

I often think though that it will be so good that they will have each other to play with while we are busy feeding baby #3 etc.....

[Shanti]

It's sounding good! cluck cluck cluck

I was just worried I would change something between my DDs and I don't want to change anything, they love each other so much. I should know by now not to worry! Before DD1 was born I worried that things between DH and I would change, before DD2 was born I worried about not having enough time for DD1 and how it would change things between us. Of course, things did change, but only for the better! It's just the fear of the unknown I guess. And as we get closer to wanting to TTC again it's on my mind again.

I think that's how a lot of us feel Heaven! Totally normal.

[Deedles]

Oh gosh, so great to hear what everyone is going through having 3 children!
I just found out I am pregnant with number 3, so I hope for my DS's it's a crusey transition!

My eldest keeps telling me he wants a baby in my tummy lol but I won't tell him until a lot later on.

Both my DS's love and hate each other countless times a day so I figure I could do 3 lol.

[Heaven]

lol, my DD1 asks me all the time 'Mummy, can you grow me a brother now??' Umm...I'll give it a try.

[DANNIIM]

I had a bigger age gap between no 1 & 2 (6yrs) which I found quite a large adjustment where as having DD she has just slotted into the family so easily, the boys both love her to bits, there's never been any jealousy or anything. I now couldn't imagine life without her

[diva det]

3 is a magic number- my twins adore their younger brother and it is awesome!!! Their bond between each other is still so strong and now they both have a bond with their younger brother as well!! Go for it heaven !! Just as you love 2 children - your kids love their 2nd sibling the same way!! Xxxx

[Tinks]

Nothing changed in my house when the 3rd came along. Well, nothing except the amount of washing

[megs]

Nothing really changed in my house when I had DS 3, my first 2 boys are only 16 months apart and have a great friendship, so if anything when I had No 3 they had each other for company so didn't really notice if I wasn't giving them as much attention. As number 3 got older he just fitted in with the older boys (he thinks he's 6 too). It did help that No 3 was an easy baby. Although now that the older 2 boys are both at school I can tell that he is quite lost without them.

[YoYo]

I'm interested to know too. DH said he could 'go' for Number 3....but I have a few pre-requisites first. 1. Got to be back in Australia 2. I've got to be under 40 and 3. Kids have to be at school already!

DS doesn't even like his Sister NOW....let alone another brother or Sister. I am also not sure I'd want DD to be a middle child...you know the stigma attached to that one...is it true!?