Having a baby changes your life in so many ways. Many of those ways are unable to be articulated to you by well meaning friends and family. It simply takes becoming a parent to get a grip on what having a little one in your life means. That said, the second (or more) time around you do have a bit more of an idea of what to expect. That may make you ask yourself if you really are ready to do it again. Here are some places to start:
- Evaluate your practitioner from your last birth.
If you had a positive birth experience and what to have a similar experience you will probably not need to do much research or changing. However, if you’d like something different, you may need to find a new doctor or midwife or switch hospitals or other birth settings. - Physical Health
Everyone needs to have their health checked out preconceptionally. This is true, even if you’ve had a baby before. Things to be sure to address would be any chronic conditions you’ve had like thyroid issues, high blood pressure or diabetes and be sure that they are in control before attempting to conceive. Also be sure to discuss other health concerns. - Age differences between kids.
You may have some strong feelings over how close in age your kids should be. While you may have some control over it, remember, it’s not all up to you. In general, you need to space your pregnancies at least 18 months apart. This is to ensure your body is fully recovered. This is especially true if you had a previous cesarean or other uterine surgery. - Finances
Are you fiscally ready to handle a new baby and everything that comes with it? From maternity leave to day care, it can get expensive. Hopefully you can save some money by reusing items from your first including baby clothes, maternity clothes and big ticket items. You may also look at the benefits of staying home on your finances as child care for more than one can add up.
