Young Wrexham

Parenthood

Deciding to have a baby is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make.

Your life will never be the same again and you will be a parent for the rest of your life. You have to put your child’s needs before your own and be willing to give all of your time and energy to raising your child.

You should never rush into having a baby. It’s important to wait until you are in a stable position, preferably in a long-term, healthy and committed relationship, where you both want and a baby and feel you are ready to be parents.

Being pregnant and having a baby can be a daunting and sometimes scary experience so it is important to have the love and support of a partner to help you through it.

Think about the future of you and your child.

• Before deciding to try for a baby, there are a number of things to ask yourself first:
• Am I really ready to put my child first before my own needs?
• Am I ready to give up my social life?
• Am I really ready to put my career or education on hold?
• Am I really ready to dedicate all of my time and energy into raising a child?
• Can I afford to have a baby and raise him/her?
• Do I have the support of a partner or my family?
• Am I ready for the changes my body will go through?
• How will I feel after the baby is born?
• How will my partner feel after the baby is born?
• Am I ready for the emotional strain a baby will put on my relationship?
• How will my life change with a baby?
• Am I really ready to have this responsibility?
• Is this really what I want?

If you are trying to get pregnant, there are ways to better prepare your body:

• Follow a well-balanced, low-fat, low-sugar diet
• Achieve a healthy body weight
• Reduce alcohol intake
• Give up smoking
• Take folic acid before and during pregnancy to reduce the chance of birth defects
• Men can also prepare for pregnancy by keeping fit, reducing alcohol intake, giving up smoking, eating a balanced diet and taking supplements including zinc and selenium which improve fertility
• You should never be pressurised into having a baby, whether you are a man or a woman. You have a choice so don’t do anything until you feel 100 per cent ready and committed