Have you been trying to have a baby for so long you are at the point of giving up your dream of ever having a cuddly little baby of your own to hold, and rock, and sing to sleep, even though your Doctor says you just need to be patient?
Don’t give up, quite yet, but do try to change your focus for a while. Instead of using your friends to vent your frustration on, as yet another month goes by with no sign of that dream ever becoming a reality, why not use this waiting time to prepare yourself to be the best parent any baby could ever ask for?
Whether you give birth or end up adopting a child, spend some time on the following things while you wait.
1. Read books on child care. Motherhood and fatherhood, contrary to popular belief, don’t just spring forth in our souls the moment we become parents. Learn what to expect from children at each stage of their development. Of course, not all children develop at the same rate, but arming yourself ahead of time can save a lot of time and worry later on.
2. Make a list of books you will want to share with your little one; maybe even some favorites from your own childhood. Visit your local library and browse through the books in the baby and toddler section. Jot down titles of the ones you particularly like. You might note which ones are more suitable for boys and whether some are oriented to “girls only.”
3. Look around for a child you can “adopt” occasionally for an hour or two, or even for a day. Nothing beats actual experience when it comes to knowing what it will be like to have a child of your own. Volunteering as a Brownie Troop Leader, or as a reading mentor in a local school is another way to get “hands on” experience with children. You will be surprised to find out that you probably don’t know as much about kids as you thought you did, but that’s all right. We all have to start somewhere.
4. Make a list of supplies you will need for your little one. You don’t have to buy them yet, but making a list will help you start planning financially for what having a baby is actually going to cost. Put your list where you can lay hands on it quickly if you think of other things to add to it, or just in case you find out you are going to have to use it in the very near future.
5. Finally, watch the interaction of other parents with their children. Undoubtedly, you will see them make mistakes. Don’t be shocked. You will make plenty of your own, but watching others ahead of time will help you, hopefully, not to make the same ones you are observing. Watching other parents will also let you know what works and what doesn’t. Store this knowledge away for your own future use.
Of course the suggestions above will not bring an immediate solution to a problem that seems insurmountable to you at the moment. Let’s face it, the disappointment, you feel when your monthly period arrives will always be there, until the day you do conceive, but if you refuse to dwell on that disappointment, and instead, begin concentrating on becoming the best parent you can possibly be, the waiting will pass a little more quickly and you will be able to approach parenthood with far more confidence.
