I really don't think there is a "perfect" age gap. The "experts" said 3 years apart was a good gap, but there are pretty much 3 years between my 3, and I dunno. Number 3 was unexpected and just as we were finally getting back to some sort of "normality' - no waking in the night, no nappies etc, then along comes a newborn and throws a spanner in the works. But for me personally, I wouldn't have coped with close age gaps, especially as I had severe PND after my first two, which took a long time to go away.

But I like the age gaps we have, DS1 is at school (in year 2) and DS2 goes to preschool 2 days a week, and hopefully school next year, which will give me and DD some time together. I have a lot of trouble if I have to take the 3 of them out by myself, I couldn't imagine if they were all closer together in age, I would find it very difficult. I guess a lot depends on what sort of children they are, too, my two boys are very full-on and out of control lol, if you had obedient quiet children it might be easier with a closer age gap