Motherhood, to some it's exciting, and to some it's scary. The truth of the matter is it's both. When any woman finds out that they're pregnant a few common thoughts run through their head. First thought is usually, "can I do this?" And the answer is yes. Almost anyone can be a parent. Not everyone should be, but being a good parent is always a possibility.
The hardest part of parenting, especially at a young age, is managing money. First-time mothers sometimes focus on all of the cute clothes instead of necessities such as diapers and wipes. It's easy to get caught up in things such as clothes, toys, and nonessential nursery items. But any mother should be saving and stocking for maternity leave. Babies go through shocking amounts of formula diapers and wipes. A really good way to save money is for the mother to buy the baby's clothes second hand. And no a person doesn't need to be rich to have a baby. As long as they can provide essentials, love, and stability, they're all set.
Another stressful factor of having an infant is sleep. When a person is pregnant, especially, towards the end it is incredibly essential to sleep. Before an infant is on a schedule they can be waking up screaming at any given time of night for a bottle or a diaper change. And just wait until teething starts. Even though between laundry, showers, cleaning, and eating while the baby's asleep, it's hard to take a break, it's best to try and sleep when the baby does. Things will get easier when the baby develops certain times where he/she feeds and sleeps. And of course the beautiful moment when the baby sleeps through the night for the first time.
While having an infant a support system makes everything easier, but it does not have to be a spouse. Friends and other family are amazing helpers, even if it's something as small as watching the baby for an hour while the parent take a nap, it's wonderful. Having a baby can isolate you sometimes, especially if the mother doesn't have a significant other. So sometimes it's nice to have a few friends over for a girls night, especially girl friends who don't mind a screaming new born. It can be hard though, especially if the parents are at an age where not many of their friends are getting pregnant or having babies. But don't forgot your friends and family who are willing to help Even if there is no support system, it is possible to raise a healthy happy family, and there are a lot of groups who help single women who have no help.
But at the end of the day a parent always has to put their child above themselves. Parents need to remember that the child did not ask to be born. And if the person taking care of the child feels as if they cannot, there are other options such as adoption. A parent also needs to remember that they do not need a spouse to take care of a child. In fact it is very detrimental to a child for a parent to have many different parental figures and short term relationships that the child is aware of. This can cause a child to not respect what the parent says, and can cause them to not be able to have healthy relationships when they are older. One of the most important parts of parenting is teaching by example, and always putting the baby first.
The major things that a parent needs to remember is that it is all about the child, There are many windfalls, it costs a lot, and it takes a lot out of anyone, both physically and emotionally. But it is all worth it watching your child smile, laugh, and grow.
