It doesn’t matter how many children you have, that feeling of broodiness always creeps in somewhere, somehow. You find yourself looking at your children playing independently, and you think about what life would be like if you added just one more baby. One more bundle of joy into the fold. You think about the small nose, the way they are so pink and perfect when they’re brand new and are yet to be molded into a person. Those things are lovely to think about, but they’re not very practical, so it can take time to settle into a decision while you battle head and heart. If you have babes on the brain and you are ready to go for it with another child in your family, here are some things to think about before you seal the deal and make plans for another baby.

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  1. Finances. It would be nice to just have as many children as you want, right? The thing is, babies may be small and cute, but they cost money. They need new furniture, new clothes, food – you name it, a baby needs it. And the pregnancy care and hospital appointments are an additional expense that you need to consider. Hanging onto the bigger items from previous children can be a big help if you choose to have more, but you need to be financially prepared for another baby in the house. Plan this first before you ditch protection!
  2. Space. You need the right amount of space to fit a baby into the mix. For example, you would rather check out the mortgage rates from your mortgage lender of a new home than bring a baby home to a studio apartment. Take the time to do some research and learn about where you are living and whether you can afford a bigger home with more space to have a child running around in.
  3. Stamina. As we get older each year, our level of patience and ability to keep up with children running around starts to thin. Extra kids means extra energy and you need to have the energy to keep up with them – kids are exhausting. The newborn days can rob you of your sleep for months on end, if not years. When they get older, you have to chase after them with a level of energy you don’t anticipate. Think carefully about this decision; your energy levels depend on it.
  4. Goals. Parenthood is amazing, but what about the person that you are outside of being a parent? Raising children is a very important goal, but you’ll find that there are other goals that you have in life that you need to think about. Your own personal goals do matter, and you need to think about whether another baby is going to prevent you from hitting the personal goals that mean the most.

 

Baby fever could be ricocheting all over your body, but if you aren’t prepared for a new baby, you shouldn’t be having one. Take your time and plan it right and all your dreams get to come true.