Are You Ready For Another Child?
As a parent to one child, you are probably getting into a rhythm and have learned what to expect during any given day or time. However, when you realize that your child is getting older, you may start to feel like you miss the baby stage and begin wanting another child. This is when you will have to decide whether or not you really do want another child and there are many questions that you can ask yourself to help with this decision.
One of the first things that you need to think about is how close in age do you want your children to be. Some people love the idea that their children will be close in age, while others prefer a few years in between. One of the pros of having children close in age is that you will not have to worry about starting the baby phase all over again when your oldest is five. You will be used to the diapers, middle of the night feedings and the continuous crying from colic. You will also not need to worry about whether or not you should store all of the baby gear or toss it out and buy new when you have another baby.
Having children a few years apart has its own benefits though. You will be able to spend quality time with each child instead of feeling like you are being pulled in multiple directions every minute of the day. You will also be able to have a couple of years of sleeping through the night before you will have to be up at all hours again with a new baby. This may mean that your body can completely recuperate and you might feel re-energized. If you wait a few years before having another child, you will also be a little older and wiser. This could be helpful as you are raising two children.
You will face a few possible health issues if you become pregnant too soon because your body will not have had time to replenish the vitamins and other nutrients that your body needs in order to have a healthy pregnancy. If you get pregnant too soon after the birth of your first child, you may find that you are having problems with your placenta, which may mean bed rest for many months or going into labor prematurely.
There are many lifestyle and financial situations that you will need to consider before you decide to have another baby as well. A newborn baby will take up a lot of time and energy. If you have just gone back to work or started going out on dates with your husband for the first time in years, you will want to consider the fact that it may not be possible to continue once you have another baby.
Money is always going to be an issue no matter how many children you have. However, if you are not able to pay all of your bills now, there is no way that you will be able to once you have another baby. Babies are expensive and the amount that you pay for expenses every month will only continue to grow for many years.
Only you can decide if it is the right time for you to have another baby and then you will need to sit down with your spouse and see if they agree with you. You both may have conflicting thoughts on the topic and while you may not agree with each other right away, you will both arrive at the same conclusion when the time is right.
If you both decide that it is the right time to have another baby, you will be able to look forward to all of the signs of pregnancy together as you are bringing another child into your family. Once your new bundle of joy arrives, you will both be thrilled that you agreed to have another little one!