Are you asking yourself “am I ready for a baby?” This post breaks down the top eight things you need to consider before trying to conceive.
There are so many things to consider before having a baby. This includes your health, finances and whether or not your partner is on board.
Having a baby comes with a lot of responsibility too and might require some lifestyle changes, especially in the early years of your child’s life.
This post covers everything you need to know before trying to conceive and becoming a first time mom.
This post is all about what to consider when asking am I ready for a baby?
Am I Ready For A Baby?
If I’m being totally honest, you will never really know if you’re ready to have a baby. You can plan and try to prepare but until you actually have the baby, you really can’t fully know how you will feel.
BUT, there are a few general things to think about before trying to conceive.
1 – You understand and accept the responsibility.
Having a baby is a big responsibility. Your baby will depend on you 24/7 and will inevitably change your life.
I wholeheartedly believe having children changes your life for the better but gone are the days of sleeping in and doing whatever you want, when you want.
You should absolutely still spend time with friends and do fun things, but how you live your life will still change a little bit.
For the first year, your life will depend on nap schedules, bottles and diapers instead of going to run errands whenever you feel like it.
2 – You don’t feel like you’re checking a box.
Society puts a lot of pressure on people to have a baby after they’re married. But that’s not what everyone wants.
Some prefer to travel and enjoy married life before taking on the responsibility of being first time parents and that’s more than ok
Before you make the decision to have kids, it’s really important to think about what you want and not what others want.
Having kids is a big responsibility and you and your partner should only go into this phase of life if it’s what you want.
3 – You and your partner are healthy.
Your health is very important when planning for pregnancy and trying to conceive. Not only can it help you get pregnant but it can also help prevent pregnancy complications.
A few easy things you can do include:
- Taking a prenatal vitamin
- Exercising regularly
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Making sure any medicines you take are pregnancy safe
It can also be beneficial to talk to your doctor before trying to conceive too. Your doctor will discuss your medical history, any medical conditions that can impact pregnancy, previous pregnancy problems, medications you’re currently taking, vaccinations you might need and any other steps he or she recommends you take.
4 – Your relationship is in a good place.
Having a baby comes with sleepless nights, constant feedings, never ending diaper changes and so many emotions. Some days are really great and others are very difficult.
Waking up multiple times overnight can make a person more short tempered and grumpy so it won’t help an already rocky relationship.
Having a solid relationship before trying to conceive will be very beneficial to you and your partner. It will still take work to maintain your relationship through the thick of parenthood but starting on solid ground is a really good thing.
5 – You understand your child will be their own unique person.
All babies and children are unique and will inevitably develop and hit milestones at his or her own pace. It can be hard to not compare your baby to another baby, especially with social media, but it can really help you to avoid any unnecessary pressure.
As long as your baby’s pediatrician is happy with his or her development, then that’s all that matters!
6 – You’re financially independent.
Having a baby isn’t cheap. Between the hospital bills, diapers, formula (if you’re not nursing), clothing and so much more, you will be spending quite a bit of money each month to feed and clothe your baby.
It is important to understand this and start saving for it as early as possible to eliminate any excess stress it may cause.
7 – You can handle sleep deprivation.
It’s no secret that you probably won’t sleep very well the first few months of your baby’s life. I like to refer to this period of time as the “newborn fog”.
Babies are born not knowing the difference between daytime and nighttime so they still wake up every few hours to eat throughout the night. Some awake for longer periods of time overnight too or have trouble going to sleep.
I highly recommend taking a sleep class (like this one) so you can do everything you can to help your baby. But having a realistic expectation of what sleep may look like with a new baby can be very helpful.
8 – You take care of your mental health.
This is another really important thing to think about when asking yourself “am I ready to have a baby?”
You will go through dramatic changes to your hormones during pregnancy and postpartum so it is important to stay in check with your mental health. It’s helpful to know what to expect from the baby blues as well as be able to identify early indicators of postpartum anxiety or postpartum depression. You can read more about both here:
- The Shocking Truth About Postpartum Emotions
- Everything You Need To Know About Postpartum Hormones
- 17+ Practical Postpartum Mental Health Tips To Know Before Giving Birth
- How To Tell If You’re Experiencing Baby Blues Symptoms
- Postpartum Depression Causes: Everything New Moms Need To Know
Your doctor is always the best resource if you are experiencing any troubles with your mental health. He or she can refer to a therapist if it makes sense and/or prescribe medicine.
This post was all about what to consider when asking am I ready for a baby?