Find out that you’re expecting a baby is either going to be a blessing, or it’s going to be a complete surprise. Well, people love to call it a surprise, but how much of a surprise can it be when if one thing leads to another without any protection…the circle of life is eventually going to come your way. But either way, we know that expecting a child can bring fear into any family. Even if you have already been through the process before, and feel mentally prepared than ever before, that fear will slowly creep in. The fear of your body going through all of those changes again. The fear of going through the birthing process, whether it be natural or a C section. But we don’t want to scare you too much, especially if you’re reading this as a first time expecting mother. Instead, we want to try and prepare you as much as we possibly can for this new addition to your family. There’s going to be so many highs and lows throughout the whole process, and especially once you’ve actually given birth. But instead of feeling like you’re being dealt many low blows, we want to try and make sure that your experience is as positive as it can possibly be. So, here’s how we think you can best prepare for a new addition to your family!
Dealing With The News
Dealing with the news is the first step that every parent is going to have to do. Because the moment you look at the pregnancy test, you’re either going to be filled with pure panic, or you’re going to be filled with pure excitement. Either way, whatever the overpowering emotion is, the fear is going to kick in eventually, and you need to be able to deal with that. Because as soon as you start panicking about pregnancy, the sooner you start forgetting everything else that’s going to come with it. It’s so common for expecting mothers to struggle with mental health problems during their pregnancy, simply because they’re so stressed with everything that they think is going to come with it. So, the first thing you need to do, is start talking to people about your emotions, if they’re negative. The last thing that you want to do is bottle up all of this fear, because that’s how some serious mental health problems come in. And, the more you start to open up to people, the more you’ll realize that you’re really not alone with that feeling. And once you start to work past it all, you’ll begin to realise that you’re overjoyed with the news of your new little one, and soon everything will be able to fall into place. Some of the worries you’re probably having we’re about to talk about, so keep on reading and let us settle your mind.
Figuring Out The Finances
If there’s one thing that you’re going to be panicking about, it’ll be your finances. It’s the main fear that all new expecting parents have, especially if it’s not their only child. It’s no secret that having a baby is going to put a big strain on the bank account, but as long as you figure out a plan beforehand, you’re going to be just fine. So for all of you who are going to be first time parents, the best way to cope with the financial change, is to change your own life. If you think about all of the money that you waste each month, perhaps on food, getting your nails and hair done, social events…it all adds up. So it might just be that a simple cut back is all you need. A baby doesn’t actually cost as much as you think when it’s here, as long as you learn to control other areas of your life. Starting to save as soon as you find out is also so important. You need to make sure that you’re not living from paycheck to paycheck, but you have so many months to try and prepare for this, literally nine of them! So just sit down, work out a plan, and keep it calm. Talk to a financial advisor if you need to, and talk to other parents about how they coped with the process. If you already have another little one, and you’re worried that your bank really isn’t going to be able to cope with this, you need to think about ways that you can save yourself some money. Perhaps using old clothes if you still have them from your first child, old toys, changing mats…whatever you have! Don’t go out and buy everything brand new if you have perfectly good things at your disposal.
The Must Buy Items
You’ll soon find yourself browsing baby items, but you don’t want to get carried away buying all of these things that you don’t necessarily need. So focus on the basics. One major item is a crib, and you really need to make sure you find one that’s going to suit you. Some people like the ones that attach to the bed, so closeness to the baby is felt. Some people prefer the old school moses baskets, and some prefer the normal cots that seems to be circulating more at the minute. You also need to get a baby crib mattress, just for added comfort and protection for your baby. Always make sure that the only thing in the crib is your baby and a tightly tucked in sheets, or swaddle your baby before bed. It’s such a hazard to have anything loose in the crib, especially toys. You need a changing mat, a big supply of nappies, and starting clothes. We’d wait until the last minute to buy a bulk of clothes, because not all babies are going to fit into newborn clothes, and you might have a premature one, which will be even smaller. You’ll also need everything to do with baby bathing, which can be found from the store. A nursing pillow for yourself is also important for comfort. There are so many more items but just focus on the ones that are going to help you care for your baby in the beginning, rather than toys and things like that.
Dealing With The Body Changes
The changes to your body are most likely going to be the hardest one to adjust to. But the main thing you need to do, is care for your body as much as you can, so the symptoms of pregnancy are as minimal as possible. You need to make sure you’re giving your body ample rest, too many moms rush around until the bitter end, and the stress on the body and mind is huge. Take relaxing baths, get pregnancy massages, bathe your feet in cool water… the works. It might get painful along the way, especially in the lower back and potentially ribs depending on where your baby is lying. So ensuring you’re using heat as a pain relief, and staying away from painkillers as much as possible is important. If you’re ever worried about your body and the way it’s changing, talk to an antenatal midwife, or go to your GP! The more you focus on the negatives of your bodily changes, the more you’re going to become self-conscious and worried. Everything you’ll experience is most likely going to be natural, so embrace the changes and enjoy being pregnant as much as you can!
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