Having a baby and growing your family is one of the single best things in life. A new baby brings so much joy and promise to a family, and whether this will be your first baby or you already have your own little tribe, you might be thinking about bringing another little one into the world. This is a huge decision to make, so before setting anything in stone here are some points to consider.
Is Yours and Your Partner’s Relationship is Solid?
If you’ve been having issues, speaking about breaking up or things just don’t feel right- now probably isn’t the right time to consider having more kids. No partnership is perfect, but having a baby is a huge deal, you and your partner need to support each other at this time for things to go as smoothly as possible. If your relationship is solid and you’re both on the same page about extending your family then it’s probably the right time to do so!
Are You Financially Stable?
Kids are expensive. You certainly don’t need to be a millionaire for kids to have a happy and healthy life but having some financial stability is of course important. If your job is at risk, you’ve been made redundant or are between jobs, now might not be the right time to be thinking about a baby. Having enough money that your family can comfortably live, and being able to give your child the things it needs are crucial. You could perhaps spend a year saving before you start to try, that way you have a buffer there along with the money you need for expensive purchases.
Do You and Your Partner Have The Time and Energy?
Babies and young children are a lot of work. Early starts, broken sleep and everything else can be difficult for anyone. However, if you already struggle with time or energy it could be worth reconsidering plans. Perhaps you have a very stressful job, or a health condition which means you don’t have much energy. It’s not to say you shouldn’t still have children, but maybe consider rearranging things at work and getting on the right medication first.
Should You Foster Or Adopt Instead?
Instead of having another child of your own, you might consider fostering or adopting. Perhaps you or your partner are unable to have children naturally, maybe due to fertility issues, tubed being tied or a vasectomy. According to this vasectomy information there are a few ways this can be performed, and while some are reversible others aren’t. So if you’ve had a change of heart regarding having more kids, fostering or adopting could be good options.
The decision to have another baby is such a personal one which you and your partner will need to think carefully about. Make sure you weigh up all of the pros and cons so you can go into it with your eyes open and know what to expect when your new baby comes along.