What do you wish you had done before you had your first baby?

[joemarcie]

What do you wish you had done before you had kids?

My DH and I are considering having kids now that we've been married almost 3 years. We're both in our late 30s and have successful careers. I'll just work part time if/when we have kids and I'm OK with that. We don't have money troubles and have a great relationship.

I was wondering what things I should do before I have kids though. Things that you can't really do after you have kids. Like take a Hawaiian vacation... run a triathlon... enjoy the last days of free scheduling ??? What do you wish you had done?

[Macaela25]

Paid off all debt, which we got paid off within a year of DS being born anyway.

Most can't do that, but it's better if you can.

[bonniebabies]

I had my DD at age 36 after having a career and enjoying travel. I'm now a stay at home mom with a 2 year old. I think you are on the right track-vacations that are not easy to do with kids (long flights, physical activities like snorkeling, biking, etc.) and enjoying your last days of freedom. Not sure about a triathlon, maybe lighter exercise along with prepping your body to conceive (a high enough BMI, prenatal vitamins...)

Good luck!

[foggierbard9]

I wish I had finished my degree because it would have been easier, but then again I didn't know what I wanted to study. I now know that I want to get my Masters in U.S. History. It isn't going to be easy as a SAHM, but someday I will get my degree.

[smiles4sunshine54]

I wish I would have stockpiled diapers when they were on sale and I had a coupon...wipes, too. Because having a baby and buying diapers is ridiculously expensive, and I'm ashamed of how many times I had to pay FULL PRICE for those items because I was coupon-less and desperate! (Also, formula if you're not going to BF)

[rrpate]

USED CONTRACEPTIVES!!! my first one i was only 17....

[joemarcie]

Thanks so much for the posts.

[ch1701]

oh - traveled especially to Alaska - We were planning on going, but my ds was born on the exact day that we were suppose to go on our Alaska trip. Not kidding! Talk about irony.
Saved more money and saved more time off at work.
Enjoy just being the two of you (husband and wife) and enjoy the hot meals, slow showers/baths, less laundry and going to bed when you want to.
There are a lot of wishes, but the rewards from having my ds are unreal !! It makes you think your life before him was totally boring.

[joemarcie]

That so good to hear! My life does seem a little boring right now - a little too easy to manage. Must be we are getting ready for the chaos a little one brings!

[Tracy_in_Missouri]

I come from a different camp on this one. My husband and I were young when we started our family. I was 22 and he was 25. While we did lots together before we had children, we've done far MORE since having our family. Your post about the Hawaiian vacation made me chuckle because we had ours with 7 children as well as my last child in utero. We had an absolute blast. It is what you make of it ( parenting and family life).
I honestly believe that the only thing thats really necessary is to have a solid, selfless relationship between husband and wife - If you have that and you both want to start a family, then life can throw all kinds of things at you and you'll always come out on top.
When I was pregnant with my first child, I had a friend who literally figured we would never see eachother again once the baby was born. She really believed that when one has a baby- you cant do anything that you once did. She really didnt think we would ever get out of the house to even come and visit. Well, she was wrong - but the interesting thing is that when she had a baby - many years later and sort of later in life, she was all those things that she was worried that we would become. She just had it set in her head and so it was. Like I said, parenting and family life is what you make of it. You run the show