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Maybe Another Baby

Are You Ready to Be Parents Again?

By Kendeyl Johansen

"Jeff and I spent a lot of time with Andrew during the pregnancy talking about the baby and how he or she would change our lives forever," she says. "We talked about all the care and time babies need."

Andrew adored his baby sister, Kiara, and the additional siblings that came along later. "Andrew was and still is a loving, kind and gentle big brother," Boland says. "Kiara especially has stolen his heart. She refers to him as 'my Andrew.'"

Sometimes couples differ on their ideal number of children. "This is a very difficult situation," says Douglas. "The more strongly couples disagree on this point, the more likely it is that they'll need to work with a therapist to resolve the issue."

Todd Templin of Pembroke Pines, Fla., knows disagreeing on family size can be frustrating. "My wife has urges to have a third child and probably would do it if I signed off," he says. "I want to keep the family the size it is because I have one boy and one girl and feel that's the prefect combo."

Both Templin and his wife work, and he feels an infant wouldn't fit into the family's active lifestyle. Finances also come into play. But his wife was an only child and Templin understands her urge for a bigger family. For now the couple remains at an impasse.

Deciding to have another child or not will impact the rest of your life. Discuss options with your spouse to determine the family size that fits best with your expectations and lifestyle.

Want to see more?

• Baby No. 3: What Do You Do When Just One's Content with Two Children?
• When He Won't Change to Start a Family: Your Partner's Preconception Health Matters
• One and Only: Is One Child Enough?
• I Want Another, He Doesn't: 3 Steps to Coping
• Join the discussion on our Family.com community!

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