{"id":3225,"date":"2015-11-25T11:53:19","date_gmt":"2015-11-25T11:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=3225"},"modified":"2022-10-21T06:32:37","modified_gmt":"2022-10-21T06:32:37","slug":"embracing-the-joy-and-excitement-of-planning-a-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/family\/embracing-the-joy-and-excitement-of-planning-a-family\/","title":{"rendered":"Embracing The Joy and Excitement of Planning a Family"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Embracing<\/p>\n

Planning a <\/span>family<\/span><\/a> can truly be one of the most wonderful parts of being a married couple and therefore you want to put a great deal of thought into it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though you both have so much to say about it, you are also going to find that there is a certain approach that you want to take in thinking through how to start a family or how to plan a family.<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting a family may not come as naturally as you might think,<\/b> and you want to be sure that you <\/span>keep the communication alive<\/b><\/a> and well the entire time.<\/b> This is an exciting time, but you should be sure that you have some important conversations along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the <\/span>best advice for planning a family<\/span><\/a> is to try to relax and enjoy the process. Do consider if you are ready for kids and how many kids you would ideally like to have.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask yourself when to start a family? What are the pros and cons of having twins? Are you financially stable to have kids? These are only some questions to ask yourself before having a baby or when you feel you are ready to start a family.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do talk about the future in terms of what you want for your kids or how you will raise them. Beyond that though, just <\/span>be sure that you are also considering the fact that having a baby brings a wide array of emotions.<\/b><\/p>\n

You want to go in with your eyes wide open and know that being a team or a true family will help dramatically.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Take the stress out and try to enjoy the process<\/span><\/h2>\n

In thinking through how to start planning a family, <\/span>know when the time is right.<\/b> Know too that <\/span>not everything will align perfectly for you<\/b>, but there are going to be considerations that you must discuss with one another.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are planning a family, think of the space that you have, the timing, what the future will look like, and what type of parents you want to be.<\/span> Take the stress out of the equation<\/b> and try to make decisions considering that having a baby is an exciting thing and one full of happiness.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you can put aside the negative sentiments and get to a point where you can enjoy the process, then <\/span>planning a family can be one of the most rewarding aspects of your life<\/b> together as a married couple.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes <\/span>the best advice for planning a family is to enjoy the journey just as much as the destination<\/b>, and know that it will all fall in line if you work together as a true team.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Take<\/p>\n

<\/span>Maintain a healthy mind and body<\/span><\/h2>\n

Here are certain things you can do to maintain a healthy mind and body when and if you are planning a family.<\/span><\/p>\n

  1. Once you and your spouse have started trying to have a kid, make sure you <\/span>pay attention to your ovulation cycle.<\/b> Determining the exact ovulation period or day gives a couple a much higher chance of conceiving a baby.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>
    1. One of the most essential activities that a couple needs to administer before starting a family is to <\/span>get rid of certain vices.<\/b> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>

      Expecting mothers or husbands should <\/span>quit smoking as it can be very harmful for both the mother and the baby.<\/b> Similarly, alcohol consumption is very harmful for the mother and baby during and for a while after the <\/span>pregnancy<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

      1. Both under and overweight women are at risk of manifesting complications during pregnancy. <\/span>Try to attain a healthy weight possibly before pregnancy<\/b> but do not go overboard with the idea of healthy weight, which can have harmful repercussions as well.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>
        1. Get your medical checks done at regular intervals<\/b> to stay ahead of any complications that may arise during or after pregnancy. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>

          While you are at it, also consult an expert on parenthood so that you can prepare yourself for what is to come during and after pregnancy.<\/span><\/p>\n

          1. Partners play a vital role in creating a healthy environment for the partner having a baby. Not only is it important to ensure that the mother stays physically fit, but <\/span>a healthy lifestyle away from negative thoughts and ideas for both partners is very essential.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>
            1. Consider taking a genetic carrier screening test to identify if you carry any genetic mutations<\/b> that can be inherited by the baby. Genetic disorders such as Autism, Down syndrome etc. can be detected through genetic screening testing. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>

              In case you do bear such mutations you can prepare yourself and <\/span>make arrangements to make yours and your child’s life more comfortable.<\/b><\/p>\n

              <\/span>Crunch the numbers<\/span><\/h2>\n

              Planning a family is hard and expensive<\/b> and as a couple, you need to consider your financial situation and ascertain how you would manage. As per the <\/span>report published by USDA<\/span><\/a> in 2015, the <\/span>estimated expense to raise a child from birth through age 17 is $233,610.<\/b><\/p>\n

              Apart from the monthly expenses after the baby is born, there would be a <\/span>considerable amount of cost involved before giving birth.<\/b> Car seats, cradles, strollers, clothes, diapers, and many other things can cost you a fortune.<\/span><\/p>\n

              You might have to <\/span>extend your health and life insurance policy to accommodate the newborn.<\/b> Certain policies can be changed mid-year but that would again need a lot of considerations once you take a hard look at your finances.<\/span><\/p>\n

              Kids grow up fast and before you know it they are off to school and colleges. If you want to secure your kids’ future, <\/span>you need to start saving even before they are born.<\/b> Higher the education, higher the cost.<\/span><\/p>\n

              Wanting to start a family or <\/span>planning a family needs a lot of deliberations on your current and future life choices<\/b>, not that it all won’t be worth it at the end but you can make the process a lot less strenuous on you and your partner.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Planning a family can truly be one of the most wonderful parts of being a married couple and therefore you want to put a great deal of thought into it. Though you both have so much to say about it, you are also going to find that there is a certain approach that you want to take in thinking through how to start a family or how to plan a family. Starting a family may not come as naturally as you might think, and you want to be sure that you keep the communication alive and well the entire time. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":675,"featured_media":3226,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[39],"tags":[2662],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3225"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/675"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3225"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3225\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56237,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3225\/revisions\/56237"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3226"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3225"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3225"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3225"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}