If you and your spouse have always wanted to start a family, now could be the perfect time to go after those dreams. While deciding to become a parent is a big life decision to make, it can definitely be worth the chaos if it’s a dream of yours.
Many men and women find a huge amount of fulfillment from being able to help raise another human being with their loved one, and being able to pass on your legacy into future generations is an awesome feeling to have. If you’re planning on having a child, here are just a few steps to take to get your ducks in a row first.
Evaluate Your Existing Budget
The first thing you should do before making any major life decision is to take a look at your finances. Children are an expensive responsibility, costing over $200,000 to raise according to some studies. While you’ve probably heard the adage that if you can wait until you can afford kids you’ll never have them, that doesn’t mean that you should dive headlong into making a baby without your finances in order.
It’s important to have an honest chat with your partner about the costs associated with child-rearing as well as who will be responsible for different aspects of raising your son or daughter. For example, daycare costs are expensive, but not everyone can afford to switch to part-time work or become a stay-at-home parent.
Similarly, while diapers will be an expense for a few years of your child’s life, food and clothing are always going to be an important line item. Taking a hard look at your budget can help you make necessary cuts that make room for bringing a new life under your roof.
Buy a Bigger House
Speaking of under your roof, if you’ve been living in a condo, apartment, or home with fewer bedrooms, this may be the time to discuss buying a bigger house. Maybe your current living arrangement has enough rooms for your future child, but the location isn’t near a great school district. Or perhaps you want more rooms and a bigger yard so your child has a place to play.
As you’re looking at homes to buy, don’t be afraid of fixer-uppers. Just because not everything is just as you’d like it doesn’t mean it can’t be upgraded over time. For example, finding an appliance repair company could save you lots of money if a kitchen seems outdated or has some appliances in disarray. Keep in mind that kitchens are often some of the most expensive parts of a home’s price, so being able to fix up a kitchen with the help of a repair company is definitely worth your time and money if you otherwise like a house.
Sometimes, you can even use the fact that things are broken as leverage in negotiating a lower home price, all while knowing that you’ve got a company that can fix the job at a reasonable price.
Get the Right Info About Conceiving
If you tell any family members that you’re planning on having a baby, you’ll probably immediately get a lot of unsolicited advice on how to conceive. It’s important to weed out bad information as you’re working to get pregnant with your partner since all of that extra pressure can actually make it harder to make a baby.
Men should read up on tips to increase semen volume, while women should discuss how best to time intercourse around ovulation with their doctors. Having this kind of information will increase your chances of conceiving earlier since you’ll be acting on useful advice as opposed to old wive’s tales.
