Are you ready to have a baby?

Before you jump in and try to conceive consider whether you are emotionally, physically and financially ready for a child.

Becoming a parent is a big, life-altering decision. 

Are you  emotionally ready?  You and your partner can yourselves these questions from the March of Dimes:

• Why do you want to have a baby? Do you want to have a baby or is your partner, parent or someone pressuring you?  
• How will a child affect your relationship with your partner? Are you both ready to become parents?
• If you’re not in a relationship, are you prepared to raise a child alone? Who will help you?
• How will a baby affect your education or career plans?
• Do you and your partner have religious or ethnic differences? Have you discussed how you’ll handle these differences and how they might affect your child?
• What will you do for child care?
• Are you prepared to parent a child who is sick or has special needs?
• Are you ready for your free time to become limited? Are you ready to give up sleeping late on weekends? Or find child care when you want to go out without your baby?
• Do you enjoy spending time with children? Can you see yourself as a parent?
• What did you like about your childhood? What didn’t you like? What do you want for your child?

Physically, are you ready?  Are you healthy or do you have multiple health problems that should be addressed first?  Are you overweight?  Are you living your life already stressed out?   Get yourself in good physical health first; eat healthy, exercise, quit smoking, cut down on alcohol consumption and de-stress your life.  

Are  you financially ready?  Ask yourself these questions from the March of Dimes:

• Take a look at your budget. How will having a baby affect your income and expenses?
• Check the leave policy where you work. How much maternity leave do you get?
• Check your health insurance. Does it cover medical care for you during pregnancy and for your newborn baby?
• Make saving a habit.
• Review or purchase long-term disability and life insurance coverage.
• Check out special benefits that you may qualify for such as Medicaid and the WIC program.