The decision to have a baby could change your life and begin a brand new one. It is hard to overstate the importance of taking time to assess when you will be ready to do this, as well as whether it’s the right choice for you. In this article, we’ll review a few fundamental questions to ask before you start trying.

Are you ready?

First thing’s first: are you ready to take on this kind of responsibility? Becoming a parent requires an investment of your time, money, and energy that can be hard to estimate accurately but is certainly significant– just ask your mum or dad. It may indeed be the case that you won’t comprehend what it’s like to be a parent until you are one, but you’ll still want to take your financial and living situations, as well as any career or personal goals, into account when considering it.

You need to be able to provide for your child’s basic needs and education, as well as create a safe and nurturing environment where they can develop. Are you in that kind of position?

You may be of an age where becoming a parent is on your mind but are you ready emotionally? A parent-child relationship will challenge you constantly as it evolves and you’ll be the only grownup in that dynamic for a very long time. Do you have a community or family you can lean on when things feel difficult?

Is your partner ready?

If you’re starting a family with your partner, they need to be on board with the decision from the beginning. The arrival of a baby can test even the strongest of bonds, so make sure to take this decision as a team. Discuss how and where you want to raise your child. Opposites may attract but you will need to be on the same page about everything from childcare to religion, finances, and personal habits to create a stable home for a baby. Even if you both feel ready to be parents, it’s vital to assess whether your partner is the person with whom you want to share this responsibility? Make time for open, honest, and even potentially uncomfortable conversations.

Health considerations

Now, the health of both parents– and especially the mother– is crucial to consider before you decide to have a baby. You and your healthcare provider need to be aware of your health and lifestyle, including anything that may create risks or otherwise impact your ability to carry a child to term or even just to conceive. If having a baby is even in your head, get in touch with your doctor and have a proper preconception checkup.

Arrive prepared with all your questions and make sure you leave with thorough guidance on how to get yourself in the best possible health before and during a pregnancy. Remember to speak up about any medication or underlying conditions, no matter how irrelevant to conception they may seem. New fertility and pregnancy research emerges all the time and it’s often the case that you don’t know what you don’t know. Aim to schedule this appointment at least three months before you start trying to conceive.

Maternal age

The mother’s age can have a significant impact on both fertility and pregnancy. As a woman ages, the risk of genetic abnormalities, infertility and other unhappy complications increases. Many of us believe there is no ‘best’ age to have a baby, but it is still essential to keep your stage of life in mind and be informed of associated risks when you’re deciding whether or when to have children.

Lifestyle changes

Deciding to have a baby is so emotionally charged that the ways your lifestyle – hobbies, luxuries, and even just your daily routine – will have to change may be low on your list of considerations. However, it is practical to take them into account.

Are you really willing to adapt almost everything in your life to accommodate a child, and even wave goodbye to some things entirely? Parenting comes with many rewards but also plenty of personal sacrifice that may make you resentful if you mull it over. ‘Having it all’ is possible for some but how will you cope if it isn’t in your future? Are your social life or career going to be as fulfilling with a child to prioritise?

Parenting may be the best thing you ever do but it will definitely be one of the most challenging, so make sure you’ve taken all of the factors we’ve mentioned into account.

Deciding to Have a Baby

As we begin Unii’s Preconception Journey, we ask whether having a baby is right for you?