Wanting Another Baby.....

I feel the same way you AND your husband do. My husband and I both want another child (our daughter turns 2 this month), but I am a little apprehensive about it because of our finances. It is true, that a family can budget, save, skimp on certain items/extras, but i also think of my daughter and what she will be lacking if we go ahead and have the 2nd child. I want the best for all of us and want us all to be happy. I would suggest reevaluating why you really want the other baby, bigger family, playmate for your daughter, do you feel pressured because your "clock is running out" etc. We women put so much pressure on ourselves as it is. What matters the most is that you and your husband and little girl are happy, healthy and able to have a comfortable life together. This helped me and I am just feeling things out. Good luck, you sound like a great mom. I wish you the best.

Well, we weren't exactly financially stable when we had our 2 girls 15 mos. apart. My husband was a nurse, and both he and I were in grad school. But, we made it through, and we wouldn't change it for anything. I don't know what financial stability is anymore. We make enough to pay the bills and have fun with our kids, but we don't have any leftover. I can share with you my in-laws predicament... they had 2 boys. My mom in law wanted more kids, but my dad in law said no b/c of financial reasons. He wanted to be able to afford to put the kids through college, the whole bit, and the money took precedent over the emotion. Now that they are grandparents, they wholly regret not having more children. We live 7 hours away and don't see them much, and their other son just moved back to their area. They both regret putting finances above the joy of family. I say if you are going to be completely strapped, like can't put food on the table, then maybe think about it... but if not, go for it. Fill that desire. It will likely work out, but regret is a hard thing to live with. Few people regret having a child, you know??

My husband and I feel the same way you do. We want a baby (our first), but we're not in a good financial position right now. What helps us feel better about our decision to wait is to think of this: What if you had a baby with special needs and you couldn't afford his/her treatment? That question alone is enough to make us wait until we both have reliable full-time jobs. I couldn't stand to look my sweet baby in the face and know that I brought him/her into the world and I can't provide the care that he/she needs.

I don't have any ideas for you on how to feel differently. But maybe it would help if you saw a financial planner together, that way you'd have an idea of what specifically you needed to do $$$-wise before another baby.

I know good financial planners cost money. But you can also do Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and it costs money but it's cheaper than most and it will really help you reach your goals...forever.

This is so difficult. I don't know your beliefs, but I would say to pray about it daily. Don't push your husband but just pray that God places that desire in his heart as well and that he can have strong enough faith to know you'll be taken care of financially. Good luck, and you may want to stick one reminder in to your husband on how much fun it is to work on making another baby. ;o)