Are you ready to have a baby?

Motherhood sure is a million times more rewarding than I imagined and brings so much more joy than I thought, especially when kids are provided with everything they need on each level:

Emotionally – a child needs a stable, loving home where they are emotionally prepared for the world out there. A child that is not emotionally catered for is insecure and could develop anti-social behaviour.

Physically – a child does not only need food not to be hungry, they also need the right nutrition. Junk food and sweets cause little angels to turn into hyperactive monsters in an instant and believe me the balance is fine. In addition, without the right nutrients kids become sickly and difficult. Besides healthy food kids need shelter, physical support to learn to do things such as walking, getting dressed, learning to do things by themselves and safety from physical or emotional harm.

Educationally – there is so much for a baby to learn, some things have to be taught repeatedly and when it is something that seems so simple to you, you need a lot of patience to teach it repeatedly.

Socially – you are the biggest influence in your child’s life; therefore they learn the most from you. They learn how to behave socially, how to build friendships and how to cope with various issues.

Spiritually – everyone has their own experience, beliefs and ideas about the mysteries of the universe and where it comes from. You need to act as a guide to your child in helping them understand and build up a relationship between them and their own spirituality.

The best of mothers have had days when things became too difficult. Post-partum depression happens to 80% of mothers in varying degrees. It is no indication of your weakness or lack of experience as a mother. It is all caused by that over-powering love for your child and something goes wrong with them and it is out of your control. One day you will understand when your child is in pain and you cannot take it away from them.

Birth control and preparing for motherhood

Nothing can compare a first time mommy for the emotional roller coaster ride of having a baby. Babies do not conform to your set routine and they do not just fit into your schedule and that can be very hard for a perfectionist mommy! In addition, you need to be strong when everyone is telling you what you should do with your baby when you are the one who read all the latest baby magazines – last month, not 30 years ago…

Of course you should be financially able to cope. I do not advocate that you should wait until you can afford all the latest, most expensive gadgets available or until you have saved up for Baby’s entire Doctorate in brain surgery… but you should be able to supply their basic needs and then some.

A good idea would be to check out some information on the Internet or books to help prepare you for the adventure.

A child is a lifelong commitment – not a hobby that you can merely toss to the side when you are tired of it.

If you are up to it, remember that does not mean plain sailing all along, but it sure is worth the sacrifices along the way!

There are various methods of birth control on the market; I suggest you visit your family doctor or family planning clinic for more information, if you choose to have sex.

There is however a reason why its called birth control and I want you to think about it. The problem with most methods of birth control is that it protects you to some degree from falling pregnant, but it does not protect against Sexually Transmitted Diseases, else it would be called STD-control and not birth control.

Birth control hormones wreck your endocrinal system, as happened to me. After my children were born when I was just short of 21 years of age, I needed to start taking birth control and the Pill made me crazy, which meant that I needed anti-depressants. Later I decided to try the injection, which made me menstruate continuously for two months. I finally found something else which is more permanent, convenient and natural, however that is only available from gynecologists and it is only for women who have already had kids. The point is that you will have to use birth control for many years, so the later you start, the better.

Just remember that having a child when you yourself are still a child, is the cruelest thing you could ever do. A child has the right to two parents, especially in the formative years.