1.Do you have your birth plan written out and have you discussed it with your doctor or midwife?



2.Is your suitcase all packed and ready to go or do you have the supplies that are needed for a homebirth organized?

3.Is your emergency contact list ready and easily available just in case you go into labor unexpectedly and at a time that your spouse or partner is not available?

4.Is the nursery all set up and ready for the baby?

5.Does your baby have a family?

That last question may seem a little strange, but we carefully plan so many other parts of our babys lives that sometimes we overlook the basic thing that your baby needs, which is a family. I am not going to even get into the political battle of single moms having children, that is a minefield of opposing arguments, I am simply going to advocate for a family for your baby.

Your parenting goal should be to build strong relationships for your child so that you will give them confidence in themselves. Sad to say, but a weak marriage does not do this and it does not give children the confidence which they so desperately need. Good parenting flows out of a stable and good marriage. If you protect your relationship with your spouse, then your children will be happy and healthy too!

Many times when a new baby joins a family (remember that you and your husband are a family before children), the marriage is not taken care of. Many times this is because of exhaustion, lack of time, lack of energy, etc., but you need to keep your first love healthy. Did you not get married because you love each other?

Before you bring this little one home, take the time to consider your marriage. If there are certain areas that you need to work on in your marriage, then do it now. Babies respond to stress so you want to keep your home life as stress free as possible. Besides, you dont want your baby to start out life being stressed, now do you? Later in life there is the potential for much stress, so your baby must be protected from this during their early years.

Keep your marriage healthy so that your family will be healthy as well. You will never regret the time that you put into it!