Baby Spacing: How Long Should I Wait Before Getting Pregnant Again?

Small age gaps between children affect more than just the sibling dynamic. It also affects a mother’s health. Too little time between pregnancies can have serious ramifications for a woman’s body. After pregnancy, a mother needs time to:

Build up a supply of essential nutrients in the body, such as iron and folic acid.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, a baby gets the nutrients they need from the mother’s body. Not having sufficient vitamins and minerals can lead to birth defects for a baby, and health issues for the mother.

Heal from inflammation.

Even after the swelling and bruising of birth has gone away, your uterus needs time to heal inside your body.

Reset the microbiome of the birth canal.

The microbiome is a group of microorganisms in the birth canal and is believed to play a part in premature birth.The standard recommendation for time between pregnancies is 18 months. That means not getting pregnant again until your baby is at least 1 1/2 years old. This decreases the risk of premature birth and allows mom to fully recover before taking on the physical demands of another pregnancy. So when baby fever strikes, talk to your prenatal care provider about pregnancy spacing and determine the best option for your family planning needs.