OP if you truly want to crowd source ask a similar question to this on the forum for 50 somethings.

Asking in general parenting is heavily biased as this forum is largely populate by families in building mode. If you truly want to crowd source you need some balance in the feedback you are receiving.

In my opinion you shouldn't have a kid because crowdsourcing is not a way to decide on having a child.

I also think you are at two very emotional stages right now. 1. You are at a point when you realize your fertile days are coming to an end and are experiencing that proverbial tick tock.

2. You realizing that your mommy days are coming to an end. That you won't be defining yourself as mommy forever and your kids won't need you in the same way. You are left wondering about yourself and your relationship with your husband. Are you and your husband really strong enough to be together when their no kids at home? Is that all you have in common? Both are normal fears.

Anonymous wrote:No. You don't deal with your kids growing and leaving by constantly pumping out replacement babies. At a certain point, you're done and you focus on the family you have.

This.
It's something I've seen a lot of and it never ends well for anyone involved.

I also see a lot of constantly pumping out a baby to avoid dealing with their own issues or issues between themselves and their spouse.

Anonymous wrote:My brother and I are 4.5 years apart, and we're very close. Go for it!

Some siblings with that gap are and some are not . You can't predict sibling closeness.

Anonymous wrote:My vote is on a dog.

+1

20 year commitment at most