Planning your future and making the decision to try for children is a large one to make. Having children is a life-altering decision and one that can feel completely overwhelming. While, like anything, parenthood will inevitably have its challenges, it is a time for you to have fun, grow and embrace your new journey as a parent. If you are thinking of having children, but not sure where to start, here are some top tips to help you.
Prepare
It is a good idea to prepare as much as you can beforehand. If you like to plan, then this can even go as far back as before you start trying to conceive. It is good to first review your lives and ensure that you are going to be able to take the time off after your newborn’s birth and be able to financially afford all the extra amenities. Next, make sure you are mentally ready for children; this is in terms of managing your expectations, letting go of any idea you have seen on social media, the emotions you are going to go through, and expecting a huge shift in dynamics. Change is always something difficult, so if you can mentally prepare yourself, then you are setting yourself up for better. Lastly, it is important to physically prepare. You may be choosing the traditional route, in which case all contraception needs to be removed and/or stopped, if a male spouse has previously had a vasectomy, may wish to have a reverse surgery done with a trusted surgeon, such as dereklok.com.au. If you are seeking alternative options, such as IVF, surrogacy, or adopting, it is important to conduct thorough research and find a reputable company to go with.
Trust yourself
There is only so much of the future that you can plan for. For the rest of it, you need to learn to trust yourself and your abilities. There is a lot of narrative on social media, but you have to remember that you only see a small section of people’s lives on social media, and a lot more goes on behind the scenes. Don’t compare yourself to other families, and trust that you will do the right thing for yourself and your family.
Get support
Emotional support, as well as physical support with your newborn, is vital. Support can be from trying to conceive, to ongoing. It is normal as a human being to go through ups and downs in life, and when you have a child, things can be a little more challenging. Make sure you surround yourself with friends and family who you can talk to if you are struggling or feeling emotional, or perhaps attend a support group or hire a therapist. It is also a great idea to connect with similar parents, whereby you can support each other physically, for example, babysit for each other, so you give yourself a break, and time to catch up on sleep.
Parenthood is going to bring you new challenges, some you may be able to plan for, whereas others may be completely unforeseeable. Make sure you prepare as much as you can, trust yourself, and surround yourself with a good support system.