Because everyone’s idea and thought of starting a family is different, there is no right or wrong way in deciding where to begin. I personally did not put much thought into the “trying process” of conceiving until the time came. The time! So when really is the ‘time?’ It’s when you and/or your partner decide to start your family. For those who are married, there comes a time after the wedding when the relatives and family start to ask, “when are you having kids?” Well, you and your partner are the only ones that can make that decision.
Below are 6 signs that can tell you are ready for a baby.
- You are capable of taking care of yourself. In order for you to take care of a little human you should be able to take care of yourself first. Remember how the plane safety instructions asks you to make sure your oxygen mask is secured first before helping your neighbor? Yup, that’s it. Are you ready to be the healthiest and best version of yourself in order to be the best for your little one(s)?
- You have a strong support system in place. This wouldn’t have made much sense to me before I had my daughter, but now that I am a parent, I understand how much of a strong support system and community you need while parenting. Like the popular saying goes, it takes a village.
- You are responsible. There’s a deep raw responsibility that comes with having a baby. I mean you will be responsible for taking care of a little human’s life for a VERY long time. How is your attitude? Do you have bad spending habits? Do you clean up after yourself? Are you ready to be selfless? If you answers are somewhat in the lines of YES then you may be ready.
- You are open to change. Change is inevitable and welcoming a child into your life is going to be a big transformation in your daily living. Are you willing to wake up in the middle of the night to feed your baby? Are you ready to give up your social life for a little while to be home with baby? Don’t be scared. Change is good because it helps us grow. And trust me, becoming a parent for the first will teach you that.
- You are willing to make sacrifices for someone else. Becoming a parent is a very rewarding and blissful experience but requires a lot a sacrifice and selflessness. If you asked me before I had my daughter, would I want to my baby to be attached to my breast every 2 hours even through the night, I would have yelled a big NO. And yet, when it was my baby who was hungry or unable to sleep, it was me more than willing and ready to sacrifice anything to be there for her.
- You just know you want a BABY. Whether it is now, whether it is tomorrow, whether it is next year. You just know you want to be a parent but scared you may lose yourself or the time you have with your partner. No more “us” time or “me” time. The truth is, aren’t we all scared? Aren’t there times when we want to venture into something new but have a plethora of thoughts that hold us back? It’s because we are human. Rather than asking yourself if you are ready to be someone’s mother, ask if you want to be a mother.