Once you become a parent, a lot of changes will happen to you and your partner. Starting from checking out items to buy especially with the ingredients and nutritional values of stuff for your baby, entertainment preferences and even with your relationship with husband after the baby comes home. But these changes will shape you to become a better person and a parent to your child. Thus, remember that even these changes come with difficulty, what’s most important is what you’re gaining from the experience of being a parent. So, here are 9 things you start to give-up once your baby arrives.
1. Being a compulsive buyer
Women like to collect personal things and find happiness in looking at their own stuff like food, clothing, luxury items or branded bags and shoes. But for some women, they developed an uncontrollable behavior known as “compulsive buying disorder”. This means that they have the tendency to shop or buy excessive things irresistibly which results oftentimes to financial difficulties. As parents, you should start to plan for an early pregnancy checklist of essential things to buy before your baby arrives and things you need after giving birth. Giving-up on this thing once baby arrives will help you to manage your finances as well as it won’t create a big regret for you at the end.
2. Wallet
Having a baby will surely make your expenses top off. This is one thing that will show you what a great chance you have once your baby arrives. Starting from newborn essentials, labor, check-ups and eventually their education, no one can accurately sum up the expenses because of the difference in baby’s preferences. These expenses will drastically increase when health factors arise and will never seem to end up especially if you are willing to give all the best for your child. One recommendation as a starter is to plan on how to prepare for a baby on a budget and financial planning for your child’s future.
3. Having excessive stress
Stress is one factor that contributes to babies’ anomalies. According to much independent prospective research, severe stress can increase the risk of having an emotional imbalance for mothers as well as abnormal development growth like ADHD, impaired cognitive anomalies and other range of disorders. As one study conducted by scientists at the University of New Mexico, stress can affect the baby’s size and as well as his health. As it cannot be avoided, excessive stress should be managed and treated properly. For expectant mothers, they need to learn some stress management tips to help them divert their attention such as to keep a positive attitude, learning and practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga and accepting the fact that there are things beyond our control and we cannot do something about it.
4. Unplanned travel
What can traveling do to us? How important is it for our health? According to studies, a person who finds time to travel has better physical and psychological benefits. Travel improves one’s health by creating a big impact on one’s well-being. It helps you feel better and lessen your depression and anxiety feelings. Also, it helps you disconnect from your everyday routine especially from your all-day sitting on a chair working routine. But once your baby arrives, giving up on traveling especially unplanned travel will cause you no trouble. As we all know babies need lots of stuff even for a day, especially if you are planning to go out of the house. Parents often prepare their checklist on what to bring or what their baby needs to minimize trouble especially on having trips and even ongoing for your baby’s check-up or if you have plans on staying with your parents after the baby is born. So having your baby around, means you have to think and organize your schedules and what to bring a checklist if you plan on having a get-away or even a visit to your baby’s doctor.
Read also: “Common Pregnancy Travel Worries Answered”
5. Picky eating or unhealthy foods
Food is an essential thing for man’s survival. It is one of man’s basic needs for life sustenance. Food provides our body with nutrients and energy to help us with our growth and development. One thing that an expectant mother should give up before the baby arrives is being a picky eater and being fond of eating unhealthy food. A picky eater is usually associated with toddlers but is also present among adults. For a pregnant woman, it may cause poor dietary variety, especially during her pregnancy. While eating unhealthy food will help accelerate the risk of problems in fetal brain development, birth weight, and many birth defects. High consumption of unhealthy food of junk food will cause the baby to have a high consumption of sugar and fats which can raise the risk of obesity and increase the possibility of having heart problems for babies depends on what their mothers eat and take. Loving parents provide their child all the best they can give, and one way of showing your love for your child is to keep him or she has healthy growth and development and lessens the chance of having problems such as premature birth. So to save yourself from all the trouble, keep yourself away from unhealthy food and say yes to a healthy pregnancy.
Read also: “Eating Hot Dogs And Barbecues While Pregnant”
6. Longer bath time
Taking a bath is one of the things a person looks forward to especially after a tiring work or a not so good day. It helps you feel relax, recharge and sometimes give you time to reconnect to the real you. Women usually spend a lot of time taking a bath, for obvious reasons that they love taking care of themselves, especially their skin and they all have skincare routine to do. But after having a baby, you will likely feel deprived of having a longer shower time. Babies need to be tended and taken care of. So, sometimes being one of the stays at home moms, without anyone to help you, you will eventually learn how to do a quick 5-10 minute bath, not because you want to but because you need to before your baby wakes up. But don’t worry, you will have the luxury to spend a longer time in the shower once your husband is at home or when your parents and in-laws arrive for help after the baby is born.
7. Sleep
Sleep is undoubtedly one of the major essentials of having a healthy physical and mental well-being. It helps our body re-energize and ensures our body to function well. Sleep accompanied by a comfortable bed will surely make your day. But once you are waiting for that big day, one thing that you should learn to give up before your baby arrives is having a good sleep. Babies, especially newborn do not have the idea of day and night yet. So, it is a common issue for parents to have a lack of sleep, especially during your baby’s first year. Other babies sleep longer in the morning and stay up late at night and vice versa but it doesn’t mean you can sleep too for you need to feed them every two hours. In the morning, when your baby’s asleep, other chores such as laundry, cooking, and cleaning awaits you thus, sometimes deprives you to take a quick nap. So, better grab the opportunity when your family is visiting after the baby is born to have time for a nap.
8. Couple time
Becoming a parent is an important role in the development and personal growth of your child. Parents have endless responsibilities and obligations to ensure that the child is properly provided with education and guided in their physical and emotional needs and moral guidance. Having kids around, especially newborn will mostly make you forget what it feels like having “a couple of times” with your partner. This includes having your dinner date and late-night movie date. You and your partner will be preoccupied most of the time alternately taking care of the baby. Sometimes even eating together or having coffee together will seem impossible because one of you should be left to watch and take care of your baby. You might find it a struggle but surely nothing comes above being a parent and having a baby or better yet, plan fun things to do before the baby arrives.
9. Space at home
Organizing your home takes quite some time for planning and organizational skills. As a couple, having a place to call their home is such a fulfillment for them. Other couple loves to collect and use delicate stuff as decors to make their home more interesting and relaxing. But unfortunately, couples should give up some space at home to make room for some baby stuff. We all know that a baby, especially a newborn have lots of stuff to need and sometimes allows the parents to take away some decors and furniture to allow make room for all baby stuff to have a place in the house. It might be frustrating for some for rearranging your decor and furniture but surely you’ll realize that it will give you a great hand once your newborn arrives.
Final words:
Parenting is not an easy task. It puts you and your partner to a challenge whether you can survive and overcome the changes in your life once one chapter is done. It is important to think that becoming a parent gives you a feeling of satisfaction and completeness, of gaining more than what you have sacrificed.
Read also:
- Having a Second Baby With a Toddler
- 10 Tips For Making Artistic Photos Of Your Baby At Home
- Ready or Not: 9 Crucial Things to Consider Before Having a Baby
