A New Adventure.
Did you know nothing and no one can prepare you to be a parent? It’s like skydiving. Sure, you can read about it. Sure, you can watch other people do it. You might even ride along in a plane and watch thrill-seekers backflip out the door under the wing. But until you do it, you will never understand it. Any parent will tell you the same.
So if you’re expecting, or planning to get pregnant, you really need to think about this reality, and prepare as best you can. While nothing can prepare you on the inside, you can at minimum give yourself the best foot forward through advance preparation. In this writing, we’ll cover a few things that can better enable you to be a strong mom.
Financial Considerations Must Be Made
How much do you pull in as the primary breadwinner in your house? Do you and your spouse share expenses? Are you able to save money, make any investments, or things of that nature? Can you pick up extra hours at work? Do you have babysitting infrastructure available? Can you afford to feed your new child?
You need to answer these questions fast. If you’re pregnant, financial data needs to be figured out. Tax breaks are available, and there are financial assistance programs you can lean on. The food bank can be helpful, getting food stamps may also be in order. Ideally, you and your spouse will make enough every month to cover expenses prior the birth.
Realistically, many pregnancies are unplanned. So when yours occurs, sit down, figure out how much income you have, any associated debts, and what you’ll need to give your child a comfortable life. Then, go about expanding your financial thresholds to meet and exceed those needs.
Medical Assistance Before, During, And After Birth
If you can plan out the pregnancy, that’s better. Granted, sometimes pregnancies occur totally unexpectedly; but for careful future parents, this can be avoided without anything so dramatic or emotionally impacting as pregnancy termination. When you and your spouse decide the time is right, be sure to visit an OB/GYN near Dallas or wherever you happen to be.
OB/GYN professionals help you before, during, and after birth. They can let you know if any issues that are unexpected have developed which may impact the health of you or your child later on.
Consultation For Early Childcare
Once the baby is born, you should breastfeed. Unless there is a medical reason your doctor has informed you will make this action dangerous, for mother health and the health of your newborn, breastfeeding is absolutely paramount. There are few different schools of thought on this, so it’s wise to find help from a professional like this lactation consultant at Nest Collaborative.
Beyond lactation support, such as lactation supplements, early childhood education and upbringing definitely benefits from the experience of those who have gone before you. Lean on mom and dad—they got you to adulthood, didn’t they?
Also lean on friends of the family and other relatives as necessary. Join support groups for mothers, like Mothers Of PreSchoolers (MOPS). Find groups that “jive” with you.
That said, don’t be too choosy here. Just because a group has practices or beliefs you disagree with doesn’t mean they’re wrong. Contrariwise, just because you agree with a group doesn’t mean they’re right. Some crazies out there tell mothers breastfeeding is a bad idea when the scientific evidence clearly says otherwise. So go with truth, not convenience.
Being Ready To Foster New Life In A Mixed-Up World
The world today is backwards and mixed up. Being a mother was always complicated, that situation has expanded in modernity. You want to be prepared physically and financially, understand how best to handle lactation, join the right support groups, and get advice from those who’ve gone before you.
Nothing can truly “prepare” you for parenthood but becoming a parent. However, if you’re smart enough to do your homework and plan in advance, at least you will be better able to manage life’s surprises. The world is mixed up, but you don’t have to be.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
