How many kids do you want and when?

This is a very interesting discussion for me. I think that the number really varies and I also don't think it's something you can decide in first grade or while dating or anything like that. I think you actually have to be in the moment, in the process. That said, there isn't one right number for everyone. People need to be free to explore their thoughts, feelings, abilities, financials, and other things that come into play.

Mostly, when I was a teen, I didn't want to get married or have kids. The one time I can remember straying from this thought was when my uncle died. My mother told me she wished she had a sibling so someone would understand her grief. At that point I thought that having three kids would be best, if one were of that mindset. I can't tell you how surprised my high school friends are to hear that I have eight children. There are days my husband and I are surprised too, it wasn't what we set out to do. While each was planned (Okay, I'll admit with the twins, we really were just planning on one...), it was a one at a time kind of thing as opposed to people who know they want a large family from the get go.

There are plenty of people perfectly pleased with having no children or with having one child. I really enjoyed reading one blogger's take on having more than one child after listening to a friend of hers talk about why she wanted just one, you can read Kathy Schlaeger of MWLM as she writes about how her feelings of having more than one child work.

But once you've made the decision to have more kids, how do you decide on the when? While we know that having at least 18 months between pregnancies is the healthiest choice, it doesn't always work out that way. There are many factors that go into a second baby (or more).

Related:

• Second Pregnancy
• Second Baby Showers
• Weight Gain Between Pregnancies