Getting ready for pregnancy
Getting pregnant is something that most of us take for granted, but conceiving isn't always easy. However, there are things …
Planning
So you're ready for a baby. Maybe you're a little unsure about what you are getting yourself into. There are many questions you must ask yourself and consider. One of the most important things in a child's life is having a stable, loving and nurturing environment to grow up in and where possible, both a mother and a father figure to look up to and learn from. Because these two roles are critical in a child's development they are especially critical in the decision making process before conception.
Your partner may have some pretty strong ideas on pregnancy and childbearing, and getting these out in the open and chatting about them freely is vital to any decision making process. Above all, be honest with your partner. Try to see things from each other's perspectives. It's not always possible to agree on everything, but at least communication will begin the process of making decisions.
Some things to consider with your partner are:
•Are you both equally willing to be dedicated to parenting?
•Are you both prepared to give up some comforts of life, such as sleeping in on weekends, or paying for a babysitter every time you want to go out.
•Do you and your partner have religious differences or differences in life goals and ambitions?
•Have you considered how you will handle any special needs your child may require?
•What about balancing work and family. How will your finances cope?
•Who will be the primary breadwinner?
•How much time should be spent with baby? What are your views on daycare?
•Are you and your partner able to raise the child in a healthy environment with good role-models?
Natural family planning
Revolutionised birth control has supposedly brought women greater freedom. But what is the real cost of managed fertility, and are there less medicalised alternatives? Sarah Tennant investigates. In 1960, women celebrated as the FDA approved the …
Fertility facts for your forties
We’re starting our families later and later, but our body clocks remain the same. Pippa Henderson looks into why fertility declines, and what we can do when we fear we are running out of time. I had my first baby two months shy of my 30th birthday. …
7 things to think about before having another baby
The pitter-patter of tiny feet is a sweet sound to look forward to, but what else should you think about in preparation? Jade Membrey investigates. When you begin planning a family, you will probably start thinking about what you need to do to get …
Time waits for no ovary
Study, travel, career, babies — do women actually have time to fit it all in? Dr Andrew Murray looks at the increase in couples needing help with fertility. If you speak to anyone in their thirties, they are pretty likely to know someone who is …
What's the best age gap between children?
We could all learn from women of the Kalahari Desert who space their babies four years apart for good reason, writes Sarah Tennant. There are a million reasons to have your babies close together. Some women don’t find a suitable partner until 40, …
Can we afford to have a second child?
If you're feeling broody it might be time to consider the dollars and cents of adding to the family. Rochelle Gillespie explains. In an ideal world the only currency you'd need to increase the size of your family would be love. But the sad reality …
Natural fertility
Hidden health issues may be hurting your chances of pregnancy so get healthy and improve your fertility at the same time, writes natural fertility expert Loula George. Most couples happily spend many months and thousands of dollars preparing for …
Health insurance
When baby arrives, your health suddenly seems a lot more important. When you're starting a family, it's quite natural to start thinking more about your health and wellbeing and how you'll keep your children healthy. So we asked New Zealand's largest …
