In fact, whether by choice or life, some can find themselves pregnant years after they thought they had finally finished with nappies!
If you are a little worried about how you'll cope with such a gap though, here are eight reasons why it is the best ever:
1. Automatic babysitter
By the time your youngster is old enough to be looked after by a babysitter, your eldest will be old enough to mind them. If you’re lucky, you’ll never have to pay for a sitter ever again!
2. There will be no fighting over clothes
Sisters fight over clothes - it’s an inevitable part of family life, but not if your daughters are far apart in age. They’ll be too big, too small, too babyish or too grown up to 'borrow'.
3. They’ll accept it a lot easier
It can be hard for a younger child to suddenly have to fight for the attention of their mum and dad, often ending in cries and jealous squabbling. However, the older your eldest is when baby number two comes along the easier it will be for them to accept the new addition – hopefully!
4. You’ll be able to shower in peace
Most mums of newborns will struggle to find a ten minute window in which to shower, but when you’ve got older kids you’ve got a sitter on tap.
5. You’ll have plenty of helping hands
From cleaning their clothes to sterilising bottles, babies are a lot of hard work. But if you are lucky to have a tween or even a teen in the house you’ll have plenty of helping hands to help you get those hundreds of jobs done!
6. They won’t be envious of each other’s lives
It’s easy for siblings close in age to end up feeling resentful or even jealous of their brother’s or sister’s life. But if there are ten or more years between them they’ll never be at the same life stage, and therefore less likely to fight.
7. Your baby will have plenty of people to keep them entertained
Having older people around the home not only helps you but also helps your baby’s development. Seeing different faces, being cared for by people other than you and growing up with older siblings can help your child progress more quickly.
8. It’ll be like having a first child all over again
While your first, second and third child is just as special there is something about the first time you give birth that is truly magical. If you have a big age gap between your kids then the second time around can feel like your first time again.
