Baby spacing means that mothers leave enough time in between pregnancies so that the baby and mother can be as healthy as possible. Most experts recommend two years between pregnancies and agree that waiting three to five years is best.
 

Why is baby spacing so important? According to the Hillsborough Healthy Start Coalition:
 

• When women give birth less than two years apart, the second baby has an increased risk of being born with a low birthweight, prematurely or dying within its first year.
    
• A mother needs time between pregnancies to adjust to the lifestyle changes that naturally occur when a baby is born. And her body needs time to replenish the vitamins and nutrients that were lost during the previous pregnancy.
    
• Babies conceived less than six months after the birth of a previous child are 40 percent more likely to be born premature or under-weight.
   

Spacing your babies will:
 

• Increase the chance that your next baby will be born healthy
• Give your body time to replace the nutrients used during pregnancy
• Give you time to bond with your baby
• Allow enough time for you to give each baby the attention he or she deserves
• Reduce your stress level and prevent exhaustion
• Prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and losing your temper with your children
• Give you a chance to work on your personal goals and needs
• Help you financially now, and in the future
• Give you time to lose the weight that you gained during pregnancy, so that your next pregnancy can be even healthier than your last
   

For more information on Baby Spacing, please visit: www.healthyicc.org
 

For information on free birth control for former Medicaid recipients, please visit: http://ahca.myflorida.com/Medicaid/Family_Planning/index.shtml