Starting a Family | Starting a Family

It is 3 am in the morning and you hear a wailing. "Waaaah, waaahh," cries the baby. So you thought that having a baby would be all fun and games? That's definitely not true. While a baby can be a bundle of joy, there are many things that you are giving up in order to start or expand a family. Some of those costs include less time with your spouse, less sleep, and indisputably a thinner wallet.

After getting married, most couples like to have "alone" time to just cuddle or be with each other. When one has a child, this joyful addition to the family now takes up most of your time. For example, who would you leave the baby with when you want to take a walk on the beach or just lay out and watch the stars with your hubby? You can't just take the darling with you when you go camping or hiking together with your spouse. The baby now becomes your priority and you lose precious time that could have been yours with your partner.

People often say that they "slept like a baby." That saying is often misused. Not everyone knows how a baby sleeps. They wake up every couple hours to be fed or to be changed. When your baby wakes up and starts crying in the middle of the night, either you or your partner has quiet the precious thing. Either way, one of you will have to get up and lose sleep and after you wake up, it is often hard to fall back asleep. When you go back to work the next day, you can truly say that you slept like a baby.

When a baby comes, your wallet better be pretty thick because nowadays, it is very expensive to have a child. For example, just for the hospital stay, it could be up to $1000 depending on the duration of the stay. A baby needs lots of diapers also. Diapers are extremely expensive and babies can go through 1-4 diapers a day. Baby food is another item that's not very cheap. You can't just feed the baby Top Ramen or Macaroni and Cheese, the bundle of joy needs its own food. Gerber baby food is not Whiskies Cat Food. It costs a lot more. Don't forget about the office visits and all the clothes for the baby! Get ready to stop thinking about those new pants that you wanted to get because the baby needs some diapers!

Babies can be lots of fun but before starting a family, remember the costs. It won't be easy and there are a lot of things you will be giving up. Time will be lost with that loved one, you will get less sleep, and will have a thinner wallet.