Planning for another baby? Pros and Cons of Having Another Child

I exactly remember my words, “I am done, I’m not going to have another baby at least.”. Being a mother of a 3 years old toddler, I totally understand the thoughts, the provokes, the curiosity of having another child. The peer pressure by your family members, your spouse, your friends asking you about a sibling for your first born, can be so annoying and exhausting sometimes. Getting just the thought of having another baby, gives you a quick back flash of your tired eyes, soared breasts, dull pain and aches in your lower back, sleepy eyes and feeling fatigued all topped with backbreaking sleepless nights. How horrifying isn’t it? However, even if you’re planning for another baby, the discussion would be same as the first one but the concerns would be different this time. Instead of thinking about spending romantic time alone, coping up with pregnancy blues and how to manage office work along with baby, you must be severely concerned about how your first born would feel about a new family member, or how would he adapt, or how the second child is going to affect the balance of your family, or how many water bottles are going to be hidden under the sofa? Don’t worry, it’s totally normal. Welcome to the next level of parenting! Apparently, every family is different and so their ideas and methods. Hence, when some families are happy with a one child, on the other side some families seek for a football team. So, need of another child is there or not, is totally the call for parents. Now, we have rounded up the true pros and cons of having another child, just in case you change your mind and go on “Mission possible: Another Dino”. Let’s have a brief look:

Pros of Having Another Child

1. It’s easier the next time

You have already been through this; the entire process is familiar to you. You would be more confident the next time, you don’t have to sweat too much for small stuffs. You don’t have to be extra careful for your pregnancy because you know there were few things that you were unnecessarily possessive about. 

2. You know the drill

Of course, you are clearly familiar with the process so, this time you can relax completely. Even after giving birth to your child, you know how to take care of your baby, your hands are already set, you have gained your speed and perfection which makes it easier for you the next time to complete tasks and manage things.

3. Get old items recycled

We all know, there are dozens of baby stuff that lies in your attic or store rooms after being used several or few times as your baby has grown up. Hence, those things and stuffs have no use but still lying there and getting rid of those stuff can pierce your sweet memories attached with them. But don’t you worry, having a second or another baby can help you to recycle those stuffs such as breastfeeding pillows, sitting soft chairs, baby bathing tubs, rockers, strollers, etc. which is one of the best pros of having another child.

4. Kids will have each other

Your kids will be blending together, they will have fun with each other. That’s true, your first child might feel a little awkward initially after meeting his/her sibling (s) but over time, he/she will start loving and caring for the new member and they both will have an equation to have each other’s back.

5. They will learn value of sharing at home

When two or more siblings live together, they learn certain values such as sharing, taking care, friendship, unity, team work and many more. These values they will get right from their own space that is home and you don’t have to work on it specifically.

Recommended: How to teach your child to share

6. Your first child can help you

When you have another baby, it’s natural the first one is all grown up and is a little bit responsible which means he/she can help you with small stuff or babysitting which actually gives a little relief from excessive workload, and yes this is one of true pros of having another child.

7. Teaches you some new chapters with new lessons

When a couple decides for their first born, they learn to implement a part of their love and affection into their baby which is 100% for that baby. That love is no like couple’s love but has another warmth and affection and when they get another child, they learn how to divide that love and affection equally and make both or more siblings feel the same way equally. 

Cons of Having Another Child

1. You will be the goddess of feeling tired

Tiredness would be like everywhere, in the air. You would like breathing on tiredness. You will be fatigued because you would have a new born baby to take care of and on the other side you would have a grown-up child to look after too. All the household chores and same old repeating process would have exhausting havoc on your mental and physical health.

2. Increase in expenses

Undoubtedly, when there’s an addition of another member to a family, it means extra effort, extra food, extra stuff implies extra expenditures. If you plan another baby, make sure you’re financially healthy to take all the financial pressure, because this is one of the absolute cons of having another child.

3. Repeat the process all over again

It would be exhausting to repeat same old process, sleepless nights during pregnancy and after child birth. Same old post-partum depression, same old soared breasts, sleepy and tired eyes and same old back pain and hectic life schedules, can be seriously exhausting and backbreaking.

4. You will become an official referee

Siblings and fight go hand in hand. So, if you’re planning another baby, spoilers ahead! Your babies when would be grown up to have a severe equal effect of brawl from each side, you just imagine yourself as a remarkable official referee to make sure who gets the point who gets the red card.

5. Your time would split and be gone

Forget about “us” time, you would be left with “no time” at all. You would never have to think about romantic couple times because you would be so busy with your 2 or more little dinosaurs that all you would be doing is making peace between them, nagging after them, running after them and cleaning their mess all around.

6. Sibling rivalry can be exhausting

When you get another child, it’s normal for your first born to feel awkward, resentful and competitive, not necessarily at initial stage when the other one is still lying on bed. But in near future, both siblings can end up fighting over any stuff, or being affected by disturbed balance of affection and attention paid by you as parents. So, better be ready for this!

Recommended: 10 tips for dealing with sibling rivalry

7. First born might feel jealous and left out

It is quite common and normal for the first borns to feel left out and jealous of the addition of the new member which is one of the common cons of having another child. Because the attention and affection the new baby garners, affects the emotional health of the first one. You have to be very sensitive and sensible taking equal care of both kids to make them feel they are equally loved, cared and adored.

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