Pregnant. How are we going to manage??????

kit

When I told my OH that I was pregnant the first thing he said was 'i really hope the test is wrong'. I had just quit my job of 6 years, he had just been told he was being made redundant..... it was not an ideal time for us!!
He came round to the idea (he kinda had to!), DD is now 2 and we would not be without her.
Yes it was hard at times but its well worth it.

inkie

Just to say that you will manage - there are people bringing up kids on a lots less than your combined earnings. Babies are as expensive as you choose them to be. I know that we tend to have this ideal picture in our minds as to when things will happen, but more often than not it doesn't happen like that and as for the 'right' time - well, that really doesn't exist!
Time for some serious budget planning - check out the DFW board for people to make sugguestions for you to shave off your outgoings if you need this - also the OS board for things that will drastically reduce 'housekeeping' expenditure. There are loads that you can do.

I felt a bit uncertain when finding out pregnant with my first babe, and she was planned, and i'm a midwife and so knew more than most! You will be fine. Welcome to the world of parenting.

Eels100

Oh Giles I totally know how you feel! We bought our first home and moved in at the end of May last year and found out in November that I was pregnant. OH was delighted but I was shocked and felt frightened - we struggled so much month-to-month as it was, and I felt like we were both working 'for the house', so how would we manage with a baby? But because we'd always assumed we'd have kids eventually and OH is older than me we just went for it, and I won't pretend it was easy to deal with at first. I got really low, and stressed about money and our lifestyle, our careers, everything.

However, I'm halfway there now and we've got our heads round some budgeting, and it's looking like finance-wise it'll be cheapest to have OH stay home to look after the little one. I'd never expected it to be like this but then you never know what's round the corner. Every day is still scary and new but now we've both accepted it I don't think we'll look back. Roll on July!

vik6525

You know something? You DO cope... and for most people, they cope suprisingly well. I didnt even find out i was having my ds until I was 6 months pregnant (dont EVEN ask!) so i only had 3 months to get my head round it, find somewhere to live (i was living with my friends at the time, in a proper 'party' house) and prepare. And I was on my own. And i had a really cr@ppy job which i only had cause it kept me in beer and ciggies... But you know what? I did it... And im damm proud of it too... If I can do it then anyone can! youll be fine... you just need the news to sink in first...

Justie

we both swore a lot when we found out I was pregnant - and it was sort of planned, just not quite this soon...

you will get used to the idea, eventually. And you'll manage much better than you think. There are loads of ways to save money and to stop yourself spending tonnes on the new baby so you'll be fine.

seven-day-weekend

Giles, first of all can I say ....:beer: Congratulations!:

Can I say I agree with everyone else on here? It's a long time since I had a baby (my son is 27 now), and yes, your life has to change, but it's just different, not worse.

When we had our son my husband was a student and I had to give up work through pregnancy complications (no maternity leave in those days), our lifestyle changed big time as we had been married and just a couple for nine years, but we managed.

And this is what I particularly wanted to say to you : Have you got a spare bedroom you could rent to a lodger? You can earn up to £4.5k from this source without having to pay any tax on it. This is one of the ways we managed.

Also, have a look on the Old-style board, they can make a little go a VERY long way.

Get your baby's things from EBay, Freecycle, jumble sales, hand-me-downs from the neighbours and doting relatives. Our son's cot had been used by three children before him, and then my friend's three children after!

You WILL manage, and once you see your little son or daughter on the scan, you'll be showing the photograph to everyone like any other doting dad.

Don't worry, you'll be fine!

seven-day-weekend

And you think YOU'VE got problems? I thought I was pregnant when I was 53!:eek: :eek:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

You'll be fine!

jopsey

I think everybody feels like this at some stage ,also don't think its age related I was 34 when fell preg and dp 39,we had been trying for a while and we both secretly felt the same ..horrified..

Being a parent isnt a bed of roses but is no where near as bad as you imagine honestly.

Social life ...., have you got family nearby ? I think its one of the biggest benefits of having children young is that you are still expected to 'want 'to have a social life and grandparents/family/are still young enough to enjoy them and don't moan about being to old to stay up after 10 pm to babysit like my parents do who are in there late 60's

friends ....I can remember friends of mine having there children when we in our early twentys we use to fight to babysit for ,but when It was my turn to have children theres where grown up an a tiny baby is not such a novelty when your in your 30's and you have teenagers.

plzhelpmesave!

three kids - oldest was just turned 4 when our youngest was born! none of them were really planned, and we had onlybeen married 2 months when i got pregnant with first son! It is really really hard work, but you'll get through it with lots smiles, love, headaches and sleepless nites! It does get easier with time, practise and experience, so soon you'll have a brood i'm sure!
Just don't fall into the trap of buying everything people will make you think you need. Far better and cheaper to buy things as you need them, and you'll realise you don't need as much as you thought you would (if that makes sense!!)
good luck to both of you.... it's the best journey you'll ever make x

GirlRacer_2

Oh god, this thread takes me back a few years. 10 to be exact! Had a 2 year old, just bought a house that we were going to do up and found out I was pregnant with DD. Had 2 houses, 2 mortgages, new baby and was down to half pay on maternity leave!!!!!!! Don't know how we done it but we did. Help always seems to come from somewhere.

Good luck to you both x