Couples expecting this year or next, are you prepared?

[Tblock]

Hello guys,

Did post this on the Dads section, but probably get more exposure on here haha

interested to see any Couples out there expecting a child anytime soon? Me and the misses are early 30s, expecting our 1st child due April 29th 2021. Had our 1st scan today and got the reassuring heartbeat etc, which is great news.

We are getting married next month abroad with all our family and friends attending, so I plan to announce it in my speech ;)

We bought our own home about 4 years ago and this after the wedding will be the next step.

If I’m going to be honest, we have thoroughly enjoyed our life commitment free in the sense of travelling the world, clubbing and nights out more than I have had hot dinners, but now we feel it’s time to settle for a baby and start a family. Getting really excited at the prospect of it.

Don’t get me wrong, life won’t suddenly end for us and we will still make sure we have time to ourselves and go out when planned, but once the baby is born, that’s the priority now.

Just wondering if any of you are in the same boat ?

Congratulations to you both on the pregnancy and the wedding next month. I hope everything goes well. That’s great news on your first scan.

DH and I are expecting our first baby on 22nd April 2021 so very similar to you. We are oldies though in comparison! We have been together for over 20 years so we’ve spent a long time waiting!
We are at the stage where we are very tentatively excited as I’m only 9 weeks. I think we will feel more comfortable once I have the 12 week scan.

Luckily for us we are home bodies so we won’t miss a social life. We are thinking we will actually get out and about more once the baby is old enough to go on outings which we are looking forward to! We are fully expecting that the baby will shake us up like a rocket after being together so long just us two. It’s something you can try and prepare yourself for but won’t fully know what to expect until it happens!

I think you are right to set aside time for yourselves as a couple when the baby arrives though. Also try and agree on what things you will be doing so that things can be equally shared such as housework, cooking, etc. You will see from so many threads on here couples who are struggling because there is resentment caused for this reason.
I wish you both such luck, this is a happy and exciting time!

Thank you so much. Sounds fantastic for you guys to and I’m happy for you, as you mentioned it took you a while. Most definitely, you still need time to yourselves. It’s healthy for you as a couple, but also healthy for the child as the relationship will be much stronger

Hi @Tblock
Congratulations, Waw it's all happening for you at one, so exciting!!!!

My husband and I are 40 and expecting out first in March 21. Despite being 'older' (the midwife likes to keep reminding me!!😆) and I still have tiny wobble moments when I realise how much life is going to change!! We just bought our house last year, been married 3 and had a few nice holidays etc. We had wanted one more holiday before baby came along but Covid sort of changed those plans 😫 but we'll still have holidays, just family ones now 🥰also have a queue of grandparents and auntie/uncles wanting to babysit so I'm sure we will get some us time when we need it.....I bet we won't want to leave baby though! 😁

We find out the sex next week so we can start planning nursery etc. Really excited for what's ahead despite the odd 'what if we are crap parents' worry 🤣🤣

Good luck to you both, so much to look forward to 😊

Congratulations!

Not currently expecting but had a baby last December and just offering some advice from the other side! We've always had a chilled and fun relationship and people love to tell you how that will change and focus on the negative impact on a baby on your relationship which I always found so weird. Don’t get me wrong, it’s the hardest thing you will ever do, the tiredness, the bickering at 3am as you’re both exhausted and there are definitely moments where you think ‘what the hell did we do!’, but that’s totally normal and it literally
lasts a second and your baby will smile or laugh and you’ll forget that feeling instantly.

The only thing I think we’ve found harder to adjust to in saying goodbye to our spontaneity, every trip about takes planning and it takes 10 times longer to get out the door than it used to. You’ll be able to have time just you two once the baby is a little bit older and goes to bed before you or when you’re happy to have someone sit with the baby for a few hours whilst you go out for dinner but nothing ever feels as spontaneous anymore. You have to actively make time for yourselves as parenthood is all consuming but once you’ve met your baby, you wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s absolutely fine to have moments when you miss your old life but just think, they aren’t newborn/babies forever😌

Congratulations again and good luck for the wedding!!

Lovely ,thanks for the stories guys, very interesting: I totally agree by the way about the spontaneous aspect of life ending when we eventually have a baby, which is obviously to be expected and will take some getting used to. Like now for instance, me and the misses if we’re bored one night can say “let’s go out for meal” or Cinema etc. This obviously won’t be possible with a baby, but like you say, by planning well and having great parents, which we both do, you can both still have a life and go out. I certainly don’t want to be that set of parents that suddenly hibernate once they have had a child. The parents you’re friends forgot. Won’t be happening with us trust me. That being said, baby will no doubt be the priority :) life will change and we are expecting this, but extremely excited at the same time.

we're due our first baby in less than 6 weeks and we feel reasonably prepared, I've not seen family or friends or done anything social since march so a small silver lining in that I feel not being able to spontaneously go out is something I'm now already used to.