Taking action

• Balance work and family. Many parents worry about how they’ll manage their newborn and all they entail, plus the job, the household and the other children (in case they have them). Attenuate your worries by talking to your partner, discuss (in detail) how each of you would like an average day to be like, what you expect from your partner and what are your aspirations for the future (both personal and professional). Establish a network of trust, ask advice from friends or family who already went through something similar, and start building your support system. Maybe you’ll need to get help from a health care provider or a family member. The sooner you work out those little details, the sooner you’ll breathe a little easier.

• New responsibilities/financial strain. A newborn will always entail bigger responsibilities and babies almost always dig into your savings. Everything’s possible if you plan ahead. Adjust your budget accordingly before they arrive and manage your expenses in a way that includes saving and sticking to a budget (consider a few luxuries here and there, but it’s important to splurge every now and then).  The most important take-away here is to monitor what you spend your money on, and continuously strive to improve. There are plenty of budgeting tools available online or you can reach out to a financial advisor or family member who can help you create your household’s budget.

• Lack of sleep and time with partner (that includes sex). A baby will, whether you like it or not, change the dynamics with your resting hours and in some cases with your partner. Just in case you don’t hear it enough, communication is key. Establish with your partner what kind of parents you want to be, what you expect from each other, what each of you can do to support the other, who will tackle which responsibilities, and how you will make time for each other throughout the chaos (date night anyone?).

Being a parent is a challenge, the more prepared you are for what comes, the more confident you’ll feel once your little one finally arrives!