And I'm not talking about being able to handle the lack of sleep that comes with a new baby.
How quickly you get pregnant after having a child can affect the health of both you and your baby. It used to be health care professionals suggested that you space your childbirths at least two years apart. But several recent studies suggest that might not be enough. One Michigan study which analyzed 400,000 women over a 5 year period found that infants spaced further apart did much better. Just a few of the things that can be prevented by spacing births three years apart are:
  • Premature birth
  • Low Birth Weight
  • Maternal anemia and hypertension.
But one of the major problems with waiting three years is a lot of American women aren't having children until they're in their thirties. And of course, the longer a woman waits, the harder it is to conceive. So what are you suppose to do? Check with your doctor before you decide to have another child and make sure you're doing everything you can to limit your risk.