the age gap conundrum

photo by luisa brimble - mid-summer in Brooklyn (they've both grown so much in 6 months!)

There's a pattern emerging - a primal pattern that reaffirms just how powerful nature and instinct is.

It seems that soon after I wean, my body basks in the new energy and independence for a couple of months. And then, seemingly overnight, there is a shift; I start thinking about another baby. 

In my pre-natal classes I am reminded, twice weekly, of the joy and challenge of pregnancy. Those bountiful bellies are beautiful and beg to be rubbed but then there's the perpetual aches and pains - growing new life is exhausting and the depth of that exhaustion can never be underestimated. I leave each class wondering: is my body ready for that journey yet and, more importantly, am I emotionally ready? 

With subsequent children there is the preferred age gap too - a highly personal decision that some parents take very seriously. There's 3years 9months between Che and Poet - a lovely gap for us and one that I would consider again.

There is of course the complete irony of this conundrum; whilst we can plan a baby we have little control over the outcome. Nature is all-powerful; a reality that can cause frustration, heartache, joy and sometimes, complete surprise (I've experienced the complete surprise).

So tell me, what is the age gap(s) between your children? If you had complete control, how many years would you have between one baby and the next? 

PS. No, I'm not pregnant.