If you are in a position to be thinking about starting a family, then there might be a few things that you need to check or think about first. Of course, there never seems like there is a ‘right’ time to start a family. However, there are certainly some times in life that are going to better for starting a family than others. So in order to give your baby the best start in life possible, there are some things that you should look into first. Here are some suggestions for you, if you’re thinking about taking that step to parenthood.
Consider Your Health
Being healthy is really key to having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. So if there are any factors that you need to look into beforehand, then make sure you do. If you have any health issues that have not been addressed, then they should be looked into sooner rather than later. Being able to carry a baby to full-term is important, so you want to be in the prime position to be able to have a healthy child and pregnancy. There are factors like being overweight, diabetes, and even things like undiagnosed STIs that can be harmful to a baby or lead to miscarriage or premature birth. So having a general health check to check your weight and blood pressure, as well as something like a chlamydia treatment if you think you might need one, is a good idea. You want to be feeling at your best to carry a baby as it does take it’s toll on your body.
Consider Your Thoughts on Parenting
With your partner, it is a good idea to talk about things that you would expect with a baby. Often these kinds of topic won’t have come up unless you bring them up, but it is important to discuss it. Would you want the baby to be christened? Would you have a baby led style of parenting or more of a structured routine? What are your thoughts on discipline and other parenting tools? You need to talk about these things as it can be hard to discuss it when you’ve got a child and are in the thick of it all. So start those kinds of discussions about family life now.
Consider Your Financial Situation
There is no getting away from the fact that babies cost money. Plus, there is the fact that they need care every single day. So you need to check where you are financially to see what the best options are for you. Would you be financially able to get by if one of you was to give up work full-time and stay at home with the child or children? Would you prefer to go back to work? If so, you need to weigh up the costs of your wages versus childcare options to see what will work for you. It might seem a bit crazy to talk about these things now before you’re even pregnant, but let me tell you, a pregnancy flies by! And you won’t have too long after the birth before you will have to return to work (or not). So knowing roughly what your plan is going to be can be a really good idea.
Consider Things That You Want To Do In Life
As wonderful as having a child is, there is no escaping from the fact that some things are harder to do with a baby than others. So if there are some things in life that you’re pretty desperate to do, such as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or exploring Alaska, then you might want to get those things done first or just put them on hold. While taking kids to travel with you is great, some expeditions aren’t going to work too well with children or a newborn. So it might need to be a case of go and do them now, or wait for a few years and do them when the children are a little older.
Consider Where You Live
Thinking about schools and family life might be one of the last things on your mind. And if you want to move at any given time, then you can do just that. But if you stayed in the home you’re in and the neighbourhood that you’re in, could you imagine raising a family there? Look at the school reviews, as well as preschools, and even things like parks and outside space, especially if you don’t have your own.
Is there anything else that you would add to the list?