Family planning is not merely confined to how many children you intend to have and how far apart you want to conceive them. It should also take into account the health and wellbeing of mother and child, and other factors as well such as family health history, financial and social stability, etc. It means so much more than just using birth control until you’re ready to have a child.
When a woman conceives without intending to do so, chances are high that she has not made prior steps to ensure that her body is well-prepared to house a growing fetus inside her. In some cases, a woman may even accidentally conceive despite not wanting to have any children. While neither cases mentioned above may be favourable for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, in this issue, we will discuss the importance of making proper preparations before trying for a baby.
Planning your pregnancy will not just help you have a healthy baby, but it mare save you the anguish of having to deal with a host of other matters that you have not taken into consideration. Babies who are planned are more likely to be born healthy than babies who aren’t planned. For one, if you’re planning to have a baby, you’re more likely to get healthy before you get pregnant and to get early and regular prenatal care during pregnancy. You would have also ensured that your partner and you are financially well-prepared to become parents and be fully responsible for your child’s life in terms of security, education, healthcare, etc. Here are a few important questions to ask yourself. These questions will help you realise what you are really embarking on when you decide to have a child, and hopefully, aid you in making some good decisions.
- Are you truly ready to be a parent?
- Why do you want to have a baby?
- Do you feel pressure to have a baby?
- Do you want a baby more than your partner does?
- Does your partner want a baby more than you do?
- Do both of you think having a baby will bring joy to your life?
- How will your relationship with your partner change when you have a baby and are both of you ready for these changes?
- How does having a baby affect your work or studies at this time?
- What are your plans for child care? Will you or your partner stay home, or will you need to send your baby to a daycare centre?
- Do you have certain cultural traditions that you want to share with your child? Do you and your partner agree on these traditions?
- Are you ready to take care of a baby who may be sick or have special needs?
- Are you ready to part with the kind of money needed to bring up a child today?
- Are you ready to have less free time for yourself?
The above questions may all sound like we’re discouraging you to have children – only if you do indeed have issues that need to be resolved before embarking into parenthood. Otherwise, there shouldn’t be any concerns in answering them confidently and truthfully. If you give yourselves some time to think about them, these questions are factors that matter, if not now, then somewhere along your parenting journey.
Note to single moms-to-be: If you don’t have a partner, ask yourself these questions to see if you’re ready to be a parent on your own
Your current Statue health matters
Getting your body ready can help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. A great way to get started is to take preconception care seriously. Start by letting your doctor know about your intentions of starting a family and having a full medical and physical checkup. During this time, your doctor will ascertain if you are in good shape to conceive and carry a child without issues. If there are issues with your health status, your doctor will offer advice and also help you to overcome them so that you may realise your dream of becoming a parent. If this is the case with you, the doctor may also advise you on the best birth control method to use until you are ready to conceive.
Are you financially ready for a baby?
Everything costs money and that includes bringing a baby into this world. First and foremost, depending on where you intend to give birth, you’ll have the particular hospital fees and charges to consider and to put aside. Once you bring your baby home, you’ll be needing money for other necessities, one of them being the endless supply of diapers. There are also baby care needs such as a safe place for your baby to sleep; baby clothing; baby toiletries; nursing supplies (breast pump, breast milk storage items, etc); baby car seat; baby stroller; baby carrier and the list goes on.
You’d also want to think seriously about health insurance that will help when you need medical care for your baby.
Here are some more tips that will come in handy for you:
Always stay within your budget: Write down what you spend each month on your home, car, food, medical care, and other bills. Now, you’ll also need to factor in everything you may need for your baby, such as diapers, toiletries, etc. Compare the amount of money you spend with the amount of money you make, and calculate much is left after you pay your bills? This will be what’s left for you to use for the rest of the months, as well as for putting aside for your savings.
Start saving. If you’re not even pregnant, yet, know that it’s not too early to start saving for your baby. Think about how much child care and baby things cost and start putting aside some money now, to make it easier to cope when your baby is here.
Shop smart. Some baby things may need to be new, but you can buy some used or borrow from friends and family. Make sure things like car seats and cribs meet current safety standards.
Find out more about maternity leave
Maternity leave is time off from work after having a baby. In Malaysia, as long as you have worked for your employer for at least 90 days in the four months before applying for maternity leave, you are entitled to it. Under the 1955 Employment Act, you are then entitled to at least 60 consecutive days of maternity leave at full pay, so it is unlikely that you will have issues concerning this. In some cases, you may be entitled to more than the statutory two-month maternity leave. Some multinational companies provide even more than 90 days of maternity leave, where else some companies allow employers to extend their maternity leave but without pay, after the mandatory 60 days. Check your employment contract, collective agreement or consult your company’s human resource department to confirm the details of your maternity leave entitlements and benefits. It is worth noting that maternity benefits generally apply to your first five children. Under the law, you will not be entitled to maternity leave for your sixth child and all subsequent children. Under the law, you are also not entitled to maternity leave after adopting a child although again, your employer may have more generous provisions. Source: www.babycenter.com.my/
Get insured for the protection
Health insurance is important if you’re planning to have a baby, to help you pay for medical care. Find out what your health insurance covers before and during pregnancy. If you’re choosing an insurance plan, think about what medical services and care you need now and what you’ll need if you get pregnant or have a baby.
Life insurance will ensure that your loved ones (also known as your beneficiaries), will be paid a certain amount of money in the event that you lose your life. There are many types of life insurance and they all have varying benefits and advantages, so take your time and figure out which one will suit you best in terms of budget, especially.
Long-term disability insurance will cover you in the event that you get sick or injured to the point of not being able to work. Although it may not seem important now, it’s worth considering if you can afford it, to soften the blow if you have to stop working because of a health condition. You can buy long-term disability insurance on your own, or sometimes you can get it from your employer.
