So, you're wanting a baby. Many women are beginning to see the possibility and the positive side to pre-planning their pregnancy. Not long ago, technology and information on conceiving was not readily available. Now thanks to in-vitro fertilization, ovulation information, predictor kits, the Internet, and more, information about conceiving a child has never been more accessible. 

Deciding to pre-plan a pregnancy is a very personal and unique experience. This may be planning the month your child is born in, how many years apart from a brother or sister, your age, or other factors. Whatever your reasoning behind planning a pregnancy (except to trap someone into a relationship or try to make a bad relationship better), pre-planned pregnancies are generally more enjoyable and healthier.

The pregnancy may be more enjoyable because you were expecting to get pregnant and you wanted the responsibility of a child. Therefore, you may not feel as negative toward the not-so-pleasant complaints about pregnancy and parenting.

The pregnancy may be healthier because anything that should be avoided during pregnancy is usually done so before conceiving and therefore creates a healthier environment for your growing baby. The pregnancy may also be healthier because pre-existing conditions (like anemia or high blood pressure) are caught before getting pregnant.

Things you should consider:

Before you begin to have a baby, you should consider several very important aspects of your life. If you drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, or use recreational drugs, these things must stop before even trying to become pregnant. Do not think that once you get pregnant, THEN you will stop doing "whatever". This will not be the case, especially with cigarette smoking. Most women think that they will stop smoking, but pregnancy actually causes the person to become more nervous and anxious and therefore leads to the continuation of smoking.

If you drink alcohol and you are trying to become pregnant, stop. Many women do not realize they are pregnant until they miss a period. If you are consuming alcoholic beverages, the earliest days in pregnancy are the most dangerous.

Insurance:

Before beginning to try to conceive, you need to find out what coverage you have on your insurance. Do you have maternity coverage? If so, how much? If you have to have a cesarean what will the insurance cover? Find out all the information you can before getting pregnant. You would not want to find out later that your not covered as much as you thought. You do not need any undue stress.

What if you are unable to afford insurance, but you still want a child? I would suggest checking with your local health department. Ask them what kind of plan they have for someone who does get pregnant without being on insurance. Usually they do have some sort of slide-scale fee (based on your income). Just tell them that you have been concerned about getting pregnant. Most people will not want you to purposely get pregnant and begin a plan that is funded by the government, but this is sometimes the only type of insurance some can afford. On the other hand, make sure you are capable of raising a child in a healthy environment before bringing in additional financial concerns.

Spacing Children:

If you have already have one or more children, you should consider how far apart you will want them. Most women will have their children with the same distancing as their parents had them. Therefore, if your mother had two children that were 5 years apart, you may also lean toward that amount of time in between children. What do experts say the perfect spacing of children is? I have heard that anywhere between 3 to 6 years is the optimal spacing. I would suggest 3 or 4 years apart.

Spouse/Marriage:

Another aspect you need to consider before trying to get pregnant is how you and your partner are getting along. If you are getting along good, I would say go for it! BUT, if you are not getting along, do not attempt to have a baby at the present time. When you have a child, you may feel more love because of the new baby. However, if your partner did not want a child at this time they may resent having less time with you and/or sharing you with another person. You may feel that everything is going better than ever. Then problems become very serious and you are raising a child on your own. Please talk with your partner and tell them how you feel about having a child. If they are not interested in having a child at the present time, you may want to negotiate a time frame or reconsider your relationship.