AD | COLLABORATIVE POST
Having a baby is the gift that keeps on giving. I know loads of people that claimed they never wanted kids and were happy without them. Then, they have a child and tell you how amazing it is! This is a common reaction that most parents have when they bring a baby into the world. It’s such a precious and incredible thing – how can you not love it?!
Having said that, it’s also important to acknowledge that a lot changes when you give birth. Yes, yes, you’re all aware of the physical changes the body goes through during and after pregnancy. That’s not what we’ll be discussing today. Instead, we’re looking at some of the biggest life changes that happen when you bring a child into the world. How does your life change the most? Well, let’s find out!
Your priorities instantly change
Before you have a child, you probably have a long list of priorities in life. Maybe your job is at the top of things, or perhaps you’ve got some saving priorities to afford a nice car or a holiday. As soon as your child is born, everything changes.
From that moment, they are your number one priority forever.
Everything that you do after this point will be dedicated to your baby. You want them to be safe, healthy and happy. All of the other things in life will take a back seat; nothing comes close to your baby anymore.
Your schedule is thrown out of the window
A lot of new mums struggle when they give birth because they have to come to terms with a new schedule. Before, you could do things on your own terms. You’d know when to wake up, what to do during the day when to eat when to sleep, and so on.
After having a baby, your schedule becomes their schedule. All of your time is dedicated to them and you have to learn to work around their schedule. If they’re sleeping, you should catch some sleep as well. If they need to eat, you might have to grab a bite to eat also. It’s impossible to plan things and live by your old schedule because you have this little piece of joy in your life now.
Can it be frustrating? Yes, obviously! But, one word of advice for all mums is that it is only temporary. You have to put yourself through a disrupted schedule, but eventually, things will return to how they were. It might take a few years for this to change, but there is an end in sight.
You will have less money
Unless you or your partner gets a raise or a new job, you’re bound to have less money when your baby is born.
They might be tiny, but they have big demands on your finances. Some reports have stated that you’ll spend about £11,500 in the first year of your baby’s life. This goes on things like nappies, baby clothes, other baby products, new furniture and possibly even some upgrades to your home or car. The more you think about it, the more you realise how expensive babies are.
It doesn’t stop there; as they get older, they need more money to be spent on them. Thus, you have to be ready to manage your finances better than you did before. Think about ways of paying for things that won’t be as harsh on your financial situation. Let’s say you need to get a new family car or you want to convert the spare room in your home to a nursery. It can make more sense to get a loan to help pay for these things. There’s even the possibility of payday loans for bad credit if your credit score is in the dumps. Either way, you can now afford these essential things, but pay for them in instalments. It’s easier on your finances, so you aren’t living on a shoestring budget every month.
The bottom line is that you will have less money. So, you need to explore ways of saving money, managing your finances or making more money.
Your relationship changes
Having a baby with someone will completely change the dynamic of your relationship. Right away, your instinct is that the change will be negative. But, this isn’t necessarily the case.
Yes, it’s true that lots of couples struggle after giving birth. The added responsibility of a baby can put more tension on the relationship. You learn things about your partner that you didn’t know before and it can damage what you have.
However, it’s also highly possible that the opposite happens. For many couples, having a baby brings them closer together. Now, you have a shared responsibility that you both created. Seeing one another devote countless hours to looking after the baby and providing for them will fill you both with a newfound respect and love. Sure, things may also change romantically in the first few months or years. Don’t expect to get as much alone time as you once did, but you will still feel the love and attraction after giving birth.
In essence, this is the ultimate test of a relationship. A baby can either highlight some cracks or bring the two of you closer together than ever before.
Your relationship with your parents changes
Similarly, the relationship you have with your parents will change dramatically – especially the one with your mum.
Finally, you understand everything they went through when they had you. There’s newfound respect there that didn’t exist before. Of course, you always respected your parents and what they did for you. But, you don’t truly understand the struggles and tribulations until you’re in the same situation.
When you have a baby, your parents become your number one supporters. They are always eager to help you in any way possible. Why? Because they know what you’re going through and how hard it can be – and they got the same support from their parents. It brings you closer to them, improving the relationship you have. You can get advice from your mum about different things as well; it’s nice to sort of share this unique bond amongst mothers!
You get a new perspective on life
Lastly, one of the biggest changes involves your perspective on life. Before you might’ve had a relaxed attitude to everything. You were one of the YOLO crowd – you only live once, so make the most out of it. When you have a kid, things change.
Instead of living a crazy lifestyle where you don’t care about consequences, your whole life revolves around this child. In turn, it influences the things that you do. Many parents will have a baby and then start living much healthier lives. They become health conscious and want to eat healthily, stay active and improve their health.
After all, you want to be around for as long as possible to see your baby grow up. Also, you want to raise them in a healthy household, so they can grow up strong and healthy too! Things that didn’t bother you will suddenly become bigger issues. You have a totally new perspective on everything as your baby makes you change the way you think about life.
Clearly, your life will change dramatically when you have a baby. The weird thing is, none of these changes needs to take you by surprise. A lot of mothers struggle with some of the changes because they were unaware of them. Being aware will let you plan ahead and get ready for them. So, you have a better chance of taking them in your stride and adapting to the new way of life as a mum.
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