my TOP three

"There's no way to fully prepare to have a child, so there's no reason to delay parenthood."

I've heard many people say this. Maybe it's a cultural thing. Who knows? All I know is that I do not agree with it.

Sure, of course, there's no way to know exactly what parenthood will be like until you have a child; however, I believe there are three things that people can do or think about that will help with the decision of starting a family.

Acknowledge and be content with the fact that your life is going to change

Your life is not going to end. You will not cease to exist. You will not need to forget about your hobbies, interests, outings, etc. You will, however, need to adjust how you go about your daily routines. It may take a little bit of time and effort to get used to taking care of your new bundle of joy and including her in your everyday life, but eventually it will become like second nature.

Always remember that it is just as important for your little one to adjust to your life as it is for you to adjust to hers. Don't stop living, rather be ready to tweek your lifestyle so there's room for one more.

Financial Independence

There's not really a way to estimate how much money a baby will cost you. If you want to start a family, I highly suggest you have sufficient, steady, reliable income. Of course, jobs are not always a guaranteed thing; however, you do have control over your work ethic. If you realize the importance of always having a job and are committed to providing for your little one, you're on the right track!

A Support System

Welcoming a baby into your life is huge. Having people around to encourage, support and help you is key.

My number one support was (and still is) my husband, Dustin. He and I were on the same page when it came to starting a family from day one. Dustin was always interested in my pregnancy and came to almost all of my doctor appointments. He took the pregnancy seriously and helped me cope with the physical changes.

Once Isabelle arrived, we started working as a team. We both acknowledged that we had no idea what we were doing, but we did as many things together as we could so we could learn together. We took turns changing her, bathing her, holding her, feeding her. There was no division of roles. We did what needed to be done. We were sensitive to each other's needs and pitched in when someone needed a break. When things got difficult and we put our frustrations on each other, we quickly apologized and got back on track.

Knowing that Dustin is always there to help me is a great feeling. I realize how lucky I am to have such a great husband. I'm a better mom because of him.

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Well, there you go. Those are the top three things I think everyone should think about before having a child.

Thoughts?