Awesome twosome or two much?

Even before Prince George turns two on July 22 Britains royal baby will have a twomonth old sibling for company as the Duchess of Cambridge is set to deliver another baby any time nowPrince William left and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge extreme left with Prince George during a visit to the Sensational Butterflies exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London last July PicAFPGreat Britains royal couple mdash Prince William and Catherine mdash who announced their second pregnancy less than 14 months since the first one are set to be part of the two under two club mdash which includes bringing up two children within the age difference of two yearsCloser home many city couples are also opting for backtoback pregnancies Seema Hingorrany clinical psychologist and author observes the trend Most working women cannot afford to take a maternity break twiceAlso with women marrying very late these days mdash and their biological clock ticking already mdash they plan a second pregnancy soon after the first one as age is not on their sideDouble advantageAccording to psychologists bringing up two children together is beneficial mdash not just for the couple but for the kids as well Neeta V Shetty psychotherapist and life coach says Psychologically a couple is in a better frame of mind to accept the second child and bring up both kids togetherIf there is a huge gap between two pregnancies they might find it difficult to adjust to parenthood all over again Moreover there is better bonding between two kids with lesser age gapKids who are younger than two years dont feel insecure or jealous of their sibling since these emotions develop at a later stage So accepting a sibling becomes much easier If the age difference is wider a child is not willing to share his parents and heshe might feel neglectedTo avoid these issues it becomes more practical to have a second child within two years of the first one However being part of this club has its own challengesthe guide looks at these areasPhysical fitness is keyDr Duru Shah scientific director of Gynaecworld and Gynaecworld Assisted Fertility Center says When a woman delivers two children within two years it means that she has conceived within 12 to 15 months after her first deliveryUsually a woman breastfeeds her baby for nine months and gradually weans off her baby from her breast by 12 months after birth When she is breastfeeding she is losing calories and feeding her baby at the cost of her own health This can affect her second pregnancyDr Vandana Walvekar obstetrician and gynaecologist Bhatia Hospital seconds A woman may not be physically fit if she has lost or gained weight post her first pregnancy This may add to her physical strain Moreover if she has gone through cesarean during the birth of the first child second pregnancy might be more difficultTips Try not to conceive till the first child is almost two years old when heshe is on solid food moving about and understands spoken instructions Get fit bythe time the first baby is nine months old says Dr Walvekar Stop breastfeeding by one year so that you are ready for the next pregnancy adds Dr ShahMental stress checkWhile raising one kid can take a toll on many parents handling two children can be stressful for the couples especially during the initial years Says Shetty The first child is still an infant and needs your attention and care A mother might feel emotionally exhausted and her tolerance levels might decreaseTips Ensure that you have a support system in place mdash be it grandparents friends or domestic help who can step in Taking a fouryear break from work is advised for mothers Also involve your partner in daily responsibilitiesStudies have shown that fathers feel postpartum depression too so sharing responsibilities actually helps fathers bond with the kid He can feed the elder sibling who would have taken to the bottle by then or take care of the kids when the mother wishes to spend some metime explains ShettyLogistics at playPlanning pregnancies backtoback can be a logistical challenge for Mumbai couples Space crunch and financial issues are common problems that couple face says HingorranyTips Ensure that your financial planning is in place before going in for the second child Secondly as the age difference is lesser you can plan doctor and pediatrician visits for both the kids together says Shetty Enrolling both children in the same school can also work out logistically for most couples