Mum-to-be and struggling to adjust

[MsLeBen]

Hi
I’m expecting my first baby and currently 17 weeks. I’m excited but nervous around all the changes to come, from the birth to managing with leaving my job and returning to work (my job is long hours and 2 hour daily commute and can be full on but I love it), as well as coping financially, I feel I have to return to work to manage financially and so I don’t lose my independence. 😬 I’m lucky I have my husband, he is excited too but think he feels the pressure too. Being in isolation from COVID-19 probably isn’t helping us either. I feel like it’s been an emotional rollercoaster so far which I really wasn’t expecting so early on, maybe when the baby came, yes, and hope it’s just hormones? We have had some heated discussions mostly around finances and budgeting for the baby. I feel like I’ve lost my confidence a little and I don’t have any family close by that could help and relatively new to my area so not sure I have built up trust or any relationships yet for support. I’m not sleeping through the night and hoping it’s not the start of pregnancy insomnia so think that’s not helping. 😴 I feel that these feelings are distracting from enjoying being pregnant and putting our bundle of joy first 🤗 I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who has or had similar worries around adjusting to new life. Thanks for listening 🙏xxx

Hi ops, I'm also pregnant at the moment with my second and what you're feeling is completly normal even without what's going on at the moment. Even the most wanted pregnancy can suddenly seem overwhelming once it finally kicks in how life changing it is and there seems so much to think about and learn. My advice is focus on the things you need to think about now and leave the rest for later on
Budgeting- yes its important to think about and save as much as you can now, buy things as your pregnancy progresses, look for things in the sale or good quality second hand, find out what your essentials are, there are a million and one baby products and you dont need most of them. You can always pick things up after the baby comes if you think they'd be useful. Newborns actually arent that expensive and branded names are always best.
Work- stop worrying about this now. You're easily a year away from having to make a decision about returning to work. When the time comes you might be desperate to go back, you might decide on putting in a flexible working request or you might decide youd rather stay at home. All options are fine you'll know what's right for your family when the time comes.
Support- theres some good baby groups on here for women due the same time and face book has a similar page for first time mums. Hopefully in autumn we should be over the worst of this so groups and classes will be running again.
Good luck x

You can only control what's going on right now, for you. Stop worrying about the future.

Parenthood can be brutal, but you get through it like everyone else does. There are good bits and bad bits. There will be wonderful times, but also a lot of challenges. Some babies cry more than others, you'll have to see what you get.

Money wise, you'll be amazed how little you can get by on when you're not going out much! You don't need half the stuff they try to sell you. Loads of threads on here about that.

Good luck!

*arent always best