You get married and everyone wants to know when you will have a baby. You have a baby and they ask when you will have another baby? At first you roll your eyes and laugh at the suggestion. At some point, you may start thinking of adding another child to your family. Can you handle another pregnancy? Whether this will be your second or your sixth baby, you may wonder if the timing is right.
There are no hard and fast rules regarding the spacing of children. Everyone has an opinion and these opinions vary widely. People with children that are spaced close together will tell you that it’s great to have kids close in age. They will be interested in the same activities and are built in play mates for each other. People with children spaced farther apart will tell you this is perfect. Your first baby has plenty of time in the spotlight and you can enjoy each stage of infancy and toddler years. In fact, they are both right. There are benefits to each choice. The key is to find the right fit for your [tag-ice]family[/tag-ice].
Before you ditch the [tag-tec]birth control[/tag-tec], there are some things you may want to consider. One is your general health. Are you in good health? Do you have any chronic conditions that may complicate pregnancy? Make an appointment for a check up with your doctor several months prior to trying to conceive. A physical will help ensure that you are in good health going into your pregnancy. If you have any conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, you will want to be sure these are under control before you get pregnant.
How was your last birth? Were you happy with the outcome? Was the care adequate during the pregnancy and after? Evaluate your health care practitioner and the hospital where your baby was born. If you are happy and intend to make the same choices, you are all set. If you were less than happy with either the doctor or the hospital, do you want to make any changes? You can always change care providers during your pregnancy, but this is one decision you may want to make prior to getting pregnant.
Consider your finances when making the decision to have another [tag-cat]baby[/tag-cat]. Can you afford another child? Take all the expenses of pregnancy and birth into consideration here. Evaluate your health plan to determine your benefits. Do you have a deductible or co payment for your pregnancy? Is this amount different whether you choose an in network or out of network provider for your care? Is your provider on the list from your insurance company? This information will help you get the most from your insurance coverage.
Do you work or stay home with your child? If you work, consider the added costs of day care for more than one child. Can you afford to pay for day care for both children? This is one of the biggest expenses for working mothers. You will need to calculate the costs to determine if you can afford to continue working. You may find that daycare isn’t an option with two children.
If you can’t afford daycare, will you stay home with the children? You will need to determine if you can afford to leave your job and still pay your bills each month. Make a list of all your bills and keep track of all the money you spend over a couple of months. This will help you see where your money is going. Once you have this information, you can see where you can cut corners and save money on expenses.
The most important factor is to discuss the subject with your partner. Is he ready for another baby? This is a decision that the couple should make together. In some marriages, one person may be ready to add another child to the family, but find that the partner is hesitant. Discuss the issue and try to reach a consensus about the best time to try for another baby.
Here is a delicious strategy if you are trying to get pregnant. A new study from Harvard shows that women who eat more ice cream have a much better chance of getting pregnant as compared to those who don’t.
I love this post. I am a male who is expecting a new baby. I have also set up a blog to show my learning and ask for help. Any advice?