how prepared where you?

Hello to all the mammys and mammys to be I was just wondering how prepared for pregnancy and parenthood where you [b:1p7jdeai]before[/b:1p7jdeai] you became pregnant. I mean did you do much research into hospital and consulting costs, diet, what to expect during pregnancy and labour, childcare issues that kind of thing.... I know I'm such a worrier and we're not even ttcing yet

I hadnt a clue. Id never expected to get pregnant I read extensively throughout the pregnancy though, and found it completely fascinating. But it took me a long time to realise that motherhood seems to be primarily a case of flying by the seat of your pants! I bought the baby manual books, tried them, felt disillusioned by them then eventually tried things by instinct and it worked a whole lot better for me personally. Good luck when you begin TTC

thanks Luigi! Getting quite broody and it's scaring me!!!

I don't think you can ever prepare yourself unless you have gone through it...I did'nt diet or read into things or cut back on fags or drink while ttc,I enjoy everything while I could..If you read all the books you can find on labour or even raring a child it won't make you any better at it,or prepare yourself for it...its afterwards thats when you can really comment

The main preparation really for me was going to the doc's for a check up and starting my folic acid. I learned a lot from reading the girls stories here too. What I wasn't prepared for though was how the morning sickness hits you like a train! It really is tough going some days. I think sometimes people tend to brush over that part but it really is physically hard. I'm glad now that we had 8 months of married bliss before getting pregnant because at the moment I am a shadow of the woman who married hubbie! Wouldn't change it for the world though, roll on November and a healthy Flutterby jnr

thanks ladies! We're not planning on ttcing for about a year mainly for financial reasons the wedding has knocked the stuffing out of us and I hear consultant fees ain't cheap and I just wanted to be prepared for all outcomes I should probably stop watching birth stories and baby er

terribride, do you have health insurance sorted? You need to have that for a year or something before they will pay out. Also, start taking folic acid tablets now! That's all I've done and I have no intention on tcc for a few years yet. Accidents happen though

I have VHI First plan plus (level 1) whos maternity benefits are: [quote:yhpvzj9y]If you are having a baby, First Plan Plus provides: Full cover for 3 days private accommodation in a public hospital An allowance of up to €2,100 (effective from 1st January 2007) towards treatment and accommodation for up to 3 days in a private hospital. Up to €2,100 (effective from 1st January 2007) for medical expenses incurred in a Home Birth. A contribution of up to €830.93 towards your Consultants’ fees. Free cover for your new born baby until your next renewal date. [/quote:yhpvzj9y] starting to think I should bump up to family plan plus: [quote:yhpvzj9y] Full cover for treatment and 3 days private accommodation in a public hospital. An allowance of up to €3,250 (effective from 1st January 2007)towards treatment and accommodation for up to 3 days in a private hospital. An allowance of up to €3,250 (effective from 1st January 2007) towards medical expenses incurred in a home birth. A contribution of up to €830.93 towards your Consultants’ fees. Free cover for your new born baby until your next renewal date. A contribution of up to €100 per day towards child home nursing for up to 28 days per calendar year. An allowance of up to €100 per day for travel and accommodation expenses for a parent visiting a hospitalised child. Child counselling cover of €30 per visit up to a maximum of 8 visits per child per year. Allowance of €75 for baby massage classes in the year of birth. €75 for the first visit to a Consultant Paediatrician. [/quote:yhpvzj9y] I thought I could wait til I was preggers though

I think I was very prepared, I had wanted to start trying months before my hubby so while I was waiting bought loads of books about trying and pregnancy and did a lot of reading, also tried my best to get some loans cleared, started taking my folic acid and got VHI. To be honest even though it took us six months to get pregnant it still was a bit of a shock when it came and I felt out of my depth for a couple of weeks. I dont think you really can prepare by reading books and stuff you just have to deal with stuff as it comes. Its an experiance which you can only learn about by living it I think.

I am sitting here, in 26 weeks I will have a baby. In 26 weeks I will be in labour. In 26 weeks my life will never be the same again. I don't think I CAN prepare myself for it. I digest a certain amount of information from various sources, especially from friends who have babies. But I think that it's never going to be the same for everyone. I'm really looking forward to it. I can't wait to have this baby. But I think everyday will be a massive learning curve when it arrives and apart from knowing facts and getting hints, I think I'll be waiting for my body and my emotions to catch up with the reality of it all. Does that make sense?