You've been feeling it again lately; that tug at your heart when you hold your friend's baby or walk down the infant clothing aisle at the department store. The desire for another baby is in the air, but is it the right time to turn that longing into a reality?

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There's no simple answer to that question; every family is different and the timing of building your family is something very personal that depends on many factors. There's a common idea that spacing your children 2-3 years apart is ideal, but in reality there is no ideal; it's up to you and your partner. You shouldn't give in to pressure from friends and family regarding when you "should" have another child.

There are some practical issues regarding timing that you can think about, for example, how you prefer to handle childrearing and the stages kids go through.

It's All In The Timing

Some women prefer to have their children as close together as they can. This way they get all the challenging stages over with at around the same time. Going through two consecutive years of the Terrible Twos may not sound like your idea of fun, but some moms may prefer it to facing that stage again after several years of relative peace and quiet.