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Ready, Set, Mother

Making Changes and Choices

By Teri Brown

Dr. Leman says that the one piece of advice he always gives parents-to-be is to try to live off of one income immediately after finding out there is a baby on the way. "That way you become used to living on one income and will feel freer to make the decision to stay home with your child if that is what you and your husband want," he says.

 By living on one income for a while, you may also be able to set some money aside for emergencies.

Other logistic issues to consider: If you do decide on childcare, who will take the baby and who will pick up the baby? Should you get one car seat or two? For some parents one is enough and they simply switch the seat from car to car when necessary. Other parents, especially those who share daycare duties, prefer to have a seat in each car.

Preparing to be a mother certainly isn't as grim as preparing for battle, but you are getting ready for one of the most life changing events you will ever experience.

"There is probably no more defining time in a woman's life than walking through the doors of a hospital as one person and walking out two days later as another," says Braner. "Maternal devotion allows us to step beyond ourselves and in the process leads us more deeply into the truth of who we are. Sure, there will be sleepless nights and endless laundry, but underneath will be one of the richest and fulfilling experiences you'll ever know."

Want to see more?

• Baby's Early Days: First Trimester Growth
• When Dreams Come True: Pregnancy After Infertility
• When Am I Due? Calculating Baby's Arrival Date
• Talk about it!