Becoming a parent

You're becoming a parent!

It is probably the most important decision of your life. As they say, your life will never be the same again. There is a mass of information and advice to help you make a success of the change and sometimes it can be very difficult to determine which to accept.

First and foremost, take care of yourself. It is vital that you eat well, keep yourself fit, try and eliminate unhealthy lifestyle choices.

Second, work on your communication with partner, family and friends. The changes that are about to occur in your life are likely to affect the nature of your relationships with these important people. By talking about these changes and their likely effect on your relationship you are more likely to be able to cope with them.

Third, pregnancy and parenthood have a dramatic and continuing effect on family finances. There are many new items to be bought, food costs will grow as the child gets bigger. Health costs, especially in the first few years, will increase also. So, whatever your financial circumstances, anticipate and plan for those financial changes. Finally, whether a single or two parent household, do try and involve the father in the child's life from the outset.
 

Personal support

If you have just found out that you, or your partner is pregnant you may want to talk to someone you trust. They need to be the sort of person who will listen to your needs and wishes rather than talk at you. This could be a friend, or family member, or a professional adviser or counsellor.
 

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