Your biological clock may be ticking pretty loudly, but if any of these things are happening in your life, you’re not quite ready to become a mom yet.
- You’re a hypochondriac. You worry about your health a lot. In fact, it’s a huge source of anxiety. How does this relate to having a kid? Well, having a baby means going through a nine-month pregnancy that affects your body in a variety of ways. If you’re that anxious about your body now, you might really feel the pressure when a baby’s in your womb.
- You’re in love with your career. You’re fast-tracking your way to a promotion and your career is your priority. You don’t see that changing. While you obviously can make a career and motherhood work simultaneously, if you’re in love with your career and it’s a big priority in your life, that probably won’t work with a baby in the picture.
- You love coffee too much. When you get pregnant, you have to make quite a few lifestyle and diet changes. One of these is cutting down your intake of caffeine. If you’re too crazy in love with your current lifestyle and don’t want to reduce the amount of coffee you consume, then you have to wonder if maybe having a baby is just not the right thing to do right now.
- Your relationship is in a bad place. Don’t think that having a baby will improve your relationship. That’s a terrible reason to have a kid. If you and your partner are going through a rocky patch, it’s not a good situation to bring a child into. Not only will your relationship issues persist but you’ll have the added problem of having to raise a kid.
- You’re in a fantastic space with your partner. On the other hand, if you’re in an amazing relationship, it might also not be a good time to bring a baby into the situation. You might want to continue enjoying your relationship when it’s just the two of you, without the stress of being parents. That’s totally fine—there’s plenty of time to become parents later!
- You’re keeping your eye on the clock. Another bad idea to have a kid is to do so because your biological clock is ticking. So what if you’re getting older? Women are having kids at later stages in their lives these days without problems, and just because you’re reaching a certain age it doesn’t mean you have to have a baby.
- You haven’t been saving money. Hey, raising kids is really expensive! If you’re battling to make ends meet then maybe it’s not the right time to have a child. If you want to be a parent in the near future, it’s time to buckle down and save more money to ensure you’re looking out for your child’s future. Having some savings will also protect you in any emergency situations that could crop up when you have a baby.
- You’re a creature of habit. Do you freak out when life throws you a curveball? Are you a big planner who can’t deal with the unexpected? Then maybe kids aren’t for you. There’s nothing predictable about having kids. They also turn your life and routine upside-down. If that’s more stressful than exciting to you then it’s best to put the idea of kids on the back-burner for now.
- You can’t really look after someone else. You can look after a cactus plant no problem, but the thought of another person needing you for so much is frightening. You’re not alone. Many people worry that they won’t be able to step up, especially because having kids can feel overwhelming. And no, you’re not selfish for feeling this way. You might just not want to be a nurturer, and that’s okay.
- You’re always packing your bags. If you’re always bitten by the travel bug and eager to start a new adventure, then bringing kids into the picture is a big no-no. Kids need stability and a home base, and if those things are the furthest from your travel itinerary, then you’d do best to stick to traveling the world and leave the baby business for a later stage.
- You’re high-maintenance about your time. You’re very picky about your time and you like having regular me-time that involves peace and quiet. Yeah, you’re probably not ready to have kids storm into your life and demand all of your attention, energy, and time!
- You imagine the baby bliss. It’s normal to imagine baby situations that are full of happiness, like looking into your baby’s eyes, dancing with them around the kitchen, or teaching them things you’ve learned. But if you’re only imagining the fun stuff and not thinking about all the stress involved in raising a little human, then you’re probably not ready to actually have kids. You can’t go into parenthood with blinkers on, only focused on the glamorized version of being a mom. That’s a recipe for disaster. Instead, you need to be prepared for it all: the good, the bad, and the vomit-filled days.
