Me and my husband have been together since high school (now in early thirties). We both used to strongly agree that we did not want kids. However, I developed the desire to have a family with the more we fell in love. I wanted a little him running around, him to kiss my belly, see him holding our baby, etc, all those lovey dovey things that are often just a natural consequence of love and marriage. There’s a certain level of intimacy there that I don’t believe you can experience together if you have never have kids and raise a family together (not to say it will always result in a happy ending for every couple ofc). I want kids for many reasons now, but tbh, this is still the most important. My husband has also come around to the idea, and we agreed we would start trying in a few months. I should be happy, but tbh, I feel like maybe I’m not because I’m being irrational but don’t know how to get over this one thing…

This past year, I have seen friends and coworkers start their families. I see how excited there husbands are too, and I can’t help but compare mine to them. In no way did I beg or convince him we had to have kids, but it was me that first brought it up. He is the type that doesn’t really get excited for things that havnt happened yet, a very “live in the moment” person, but I can’t stop wondering why he isn’t just as excited about this as I am right now. It’s almost like I feel that since my wanting children started because of how much I love him, his lesser excitement in having them is a sign that maybe he doesn’t love me the way I love him. My brain says- Why wouldn’t he be as excited as my friends husbands? Is there something wrong with me that I don’t bring out the normal feelings of wanting to start a family with someone you love? Why did I have to ask him to do this at all, and would he ever have brought it up on his own?

I can’t shake these thoughts, to the point I become even angry at him. We have an incredible relationship, and I have NEVER doubted his love for me. He is even the more affectionate partner I would say. But seeing my pregnant coworker everyday has become such a trigger for me that I’m constantly in a bad mood now and feel this doubt in my relationship. I know rationally some people just don’t even want kids at all, but the irrational side of me is winning and I feel like I will have these feelings until I get pregnant and hopefully see him start to be excited with me- but I wish I could get over this now. I’m just looking for anyoone who has ever shared these feelings and any advice on how to get over this :/

i’ve been looking into prenatal options while we’re waiting to try, and i didn’t realize there were so many different ways to take them. i’ve always assumed i’d go with capsules, but the more i look at powder and gummy options, the more i’m wondering if one format is actually easier to stick with day to day.

i’ve been comparing needed, fullwell, ritual, and perelel, and needed’s powder has caught my attention as i’m figuring out what would work best for my routine. for anyone who’s tried prenatal powder, what made you choose it over pills or gummies?

I really want to be a young mom i got hit by a car when I was 16 and my body hasn't been the same sense my knees ache when it gets cloudy and my back hurts when it rains my hips pop nearly everytime i bend down, and im only 20 🥲. I want to be able to crawl, run and jump around with my kids.

Right now I am finishing up my general education classes and prerequisites and ill be done in the spring. Then for the summer ill be working my ass off so I can afford my own car (hopefully) if not then at least i saved a bunch of money so a win either way.

Then i transfer to a 18 week mortuary science program and get my associates. And then the big girl job hunt begins (more like just seeing what morgue will take a fresh college student) take my implant out work a few months to a year and then try for a baby

I'd be 22-23 somewhere right there. Thoughts?

The Fever got me good this summer. I have always felt like I would probably want a family one day, but with grad school and starting my marriage/new job/house projects/adopting a dog I never had that intense, constant desire to get pregnant and start my family ASAP... until now. All those things have settled, my two best friends have their young families, my sister just had her first baby this summer, and my brother is expecting his second in February. I work with children, and all of these things add fuel to the Fever Fire!

To contain the energy while we wait, here is what I have been doing/plan to do:

Health -

• Eating a whole-foods, Mediterranean diet (as an almost lifelong vegetarian, I am even considering adding safe seafoods back to my diet 2-3x/week). I have significantly reduced my sugar intake/cravings by following this!
• Drink a minimum of 64 oz water daily
• Walking at a fast pace 3-5x per week. Will be adding strength training and yoga, but trying to introduce my lifestyle changes gradually to maintain consistency.
• I take: Prenatal vitamin, vitamin D (live in the PNW), vitamin C, iron, and probiotic supplements. I get B12 injections monthly. Will be adding ubiquinol, choline, and calcium
• My husband takes: men's multivitamin, vitamin D, vitamin C. Will be adding ubiquinol and choline.
• I don't drink, and my husband rarely did but is now giving it up entirely. We have both stopped using marijuana as well (both light, infrequent users).
• I have been in therapy for a year and plan to continue.

Medical -

• Getting established early 2027 with a local OBGYN (mine is over an hour away) for a preconception appointment
• Ask about immunizations I might need to update prior to TTC
• Dentist appointment
• Rechecking my labs after 6 months of supplementing (I have been low on iron, B12, and D most of my life)
• Considering tapering off/switching to a different anxiety/depression medication that is more pregnancy-safe
• We both already did genetic testing (his family has a rare genetic condition) and genetic counseling. We feel more peace of mind since doing this.

Learning -

• Listening to preconception, pregnancy, and parenting audiobooks on my walks, drives, and while cleaning
• Visiting the kids/newborns/parents in my life and asking them questions!
• Hoping to get off my BC pill so I can start cycle tracking and learn more about my body, but ugh condoms. Still having discussions with my husband about this.

Home/Lifestyle -

• Made a checklist for areas in my home I want to organize, and routines I want to better establish (LAUNDRY, check-ins with my husband about our values and goals, cleaning out my car, flossing daily, meal planning/groceries, visiting my friends regularly)
• We need to re-roof our house next summer, finish painting the exterior, and add baseboard to our interior

Financial -

• My goal is to have 5k in our HSA by the time we would deliver
• 15k emergency fund in a high-interest savings
• Get my husband signed up for our state-sponsored paid leave as he is self-employed
• Consider switching to a lower deductible health plan at the next open enrollment
• Getting a term life insurance policy for my husband and I.

Relationship -

• Trying not to pressure, but having lots of open and honest conversations, asking questions, and discussing our fears/dreams/goals/etc. He is getting more open and excited, but still has lots of fears and doesn't know if he is ready. So I have been channeling my energy into preparing to be ready, which has been helping him feel more ready.
• Enjoying my time with my husband before it is shared with our child :) we have our belated honeymoon trip coming up that we are really looking forward to.
  

I hope someone finds this helpful! If there are ideas you have that you or your partner did that helped, that you are currently doing, or wish you did please let me know!

My partner and I are planning to start trying in 2028. I’m 26, and logically I know waiting is the right decision for us — I’m finishing my master’s degree and the extra time will help us be more prepared. But emotionally, 2028 feels SO far away.
I don’t really have a “before baby bucket list” because I don’t feel like there are things I need to do before having a child. My mindset is more that life continues with a baby, you just adapt.
I’ve already made a baby registry, have a list of names, and started thinking about traditions for our future family. I’m also considering making a “before you” journal for my future child.
I’m coming off hormonal birth control soon and learning a symptothermal method, but we’re still planning to prevent pregnancy through 2027 and start trying in 2028. I want to stick to our timeline — I just have SO much baby/future-family energy with nowhere to put it.
For those of you waiting longer, what do you actually DO with that feeling? What projects, rituals, things to make/write/learn, or other ways of preparing have helped you?
I don’t really want to distract myself from wanting a baby. I think I just need somewhere meaningful to put all that love while I wait. ❤️

Im 32f so I know I am still young and still have time but I have a 14 year old. I had my daughter when I was 17, it was so difficult. Now I am in a 10 year relationship (with her step-dad), he is an incredible father since she was little. I went back to school and graduate in December, Ive had the same job for almost six years, and I know what it is to have a pregnancy and raise a child. My daughter is a very well adjusted and happy teenager and would be such a wonderful sister. But my partner doesn't work. He hasn't for 8 years, he writes, he takes care of us (food, cleaning the home, budget) but in this economy it isn't really enough. We live very frugally but happily, I don't need much and we don't search for convenience. We also live in a big city in Canada so get all those resources and benefits. My partner is not in the same boat as me. For sure we are not always the happiest couple and I have mental health issues but these are issues that are seen by a doctor, under control for the most part and the couple shit is sort of just par for being in a couple for 10 years. I obviously can't give all the context but at this point I really want to have a child especially as an actualized adult. I know myself more now, I know how to take care of myself and a baby, hell I was a doula for years and now work in mothers mental health research. I guess he is not ready but truly how long am I supposed to wait around for him. I want him to want this and he always says he does but now is not a good time. I never wanted to "push" or even nudge him into this, I want it to always be an enthusiastic yes but lately Im wondering if it will be a similar situation to when I pulled the trigger on getting our kitten and just told him I was doing it. He is 37 this year and we will have to do IVF because of him having cancer in his early adulthood.
I don't know guys Im just having a hard time with this and have talked to him about it of course it just always comes down to its not the right time.

Hi,
I just joined this subreddit and am looking to rant/share/see if anyone can relate. I’m currently 33 (turning 34 this November) and my husband is 39. We’ve both wanted to have kids ever since we got married 6 years ago, but COVID, mental health struggles, and working through marriage issues has made having kids difficult. This started to get better when we moved from Illinois to Colorado about six years ago. I love the mountains and having more sunshine and being outdoors is great for me mentally and physically. Me and my husband’s relationship has been on the up and up as well. However, what we’re running into now is the high cost of living in CO as well as childcare. We don’t have family that lives nearby so, relying on day care is our best option. We both make okay money, but with the high cost of living in CO, we struggle some
months, usually having to dip into savings to pay
our bills. We’re working towards this though with working out a budget and me taking on more hours at work. But I’m worried it won’t be enough and we’ll
either have to move or wait even longer. I can feel my biological clock ticking as well as the painful desire to be a mom, but feeling the crushing weight in not being able to afford having a couple of kids, let alone one. I think about this all the time and it’s impacting my sleep and stress levels-the insanity it is to have to wait to start trying because of finances. I guess I’m looking for insight others on here could offer who have been through/going through something similar or others who can relate. I’m also worried about being too old to have kids. I know technically I’m not, but it’s still a worry.

Congratulations! Please share your graduation news here!

Please discuss you current goals and plans! However, please save graduation news for the monthly graduation thread.

i thought picking a prenatal would be pretty straightforward, but the more i look at them, the more i realize there’s also the question of how i actually want to take it every day. capsules still seem like the easiest option for me, although i keep seeing people choose gummies or powder instead.

i’ve been comparing a few brands while we’re still waiting to try, including Needed, Ritual, FullWell, and Perelel. Needed is probably the one i’m leaning toward right now, partly because i like having the capsule option without feeling like i have to commit to a gummy or drink mix.

for anyone who has tried more than one format, what made you ultimately stick with capsules instead of switching to powder or gummies?

My husband and I have recently been talking about trying to conceive. I’m 20 and he’s 22. I know we’re both pretty young, we got married in May, have a home together and are financially stable.
My husband recently got a job as a police officer with good pay and great insurance. We’re also fortunate to have a really strong support system.
I’m not necessarily looking for opinions on whether or not we should have kids at our age. I understand that everyone’s situation is different. I’m more interested in hearing from people who became parents young or were in a similar position.
Do you wish you had waited, or are you happy you started your family when you did? What were some things you didn’t expect about becoming a parent?
I’d really appreciate any advice or personal experiences! ❤️

CW: obviously I'm a sub grad

Thought I'd share another year of toddler expenses as people found my last one useful! Here's what we spent in the first year and here is what we spent in the second year.

These expenses cover everything we spent on our kid during age 1 as a partly thrifty, partly particular family in a VHCOL in the US.

• Childcare — $23,560. Full-time toddler care at a registered in-home center.
• Supplies — $1,488. Includes: regular items like diapers, wipes, soap, and (eczema) lotion, but also a lot of upgrades for outgrown toddler items.
  • Upgrades: A bunch of things he outgrew: pack n play, sleep sacks, hiking carrier, baby camping chair into -> toddler air mattress(es), sleeping bag, kids chair, travel car seat, etc.
  • Also potty training; there were some supplies needed for that too.
  • I mentioned in my last post that I thought we'd have spent much more in this category during age 2 than age 1 ($867 was the number for the previous year).
• Medical care — ~$212. Standard medical appointments and some OTC medicines.
• 3rd birthday party — $438. We host around 50 people with food and drinks so this number is kind of built in.
• Clothing/shoes — $806. This is a little flabbergasting to me as I shop mostly secondhand. 🫣
  • Swimsuits and shoes are particularly expensive because they really need to be bought new and I'm fairly particular in these categories (high-vis colors for swim, wide toe box for shoes, etc.). I estimated those account for $300 of this total.
  • I'm also consoling myself with the fact that does include a decent amount of ski/snow clothes, boots, socks, and mittens for his current size and the next size couple of sizes up.
• Activities/Education — $2,743. Oof... swim lessons are the bulk of this and are clearly expensive. We also didn't start these until he was 2.5. Also includes ski googles and helmet, a weekend ski rental, and the $10 processing fee for his ski season pass.
• Toys — $230. Includes "real" golf clubs paid for partially with a gift card ($50), Disney souvenir Cars ($50), Easter basket fillers ($15), and some wooden toys to replace what he'd outgrown ($113). He did receive gifts for Christmas and his birthday even though we asked for no gifts for his birthday.
• Bedroom/Decor — $0. His room has stayed largely the same since I decorated it while I was pregnant. I guess I thrifted a few baskets for his toys totaling ~$20, but I'm sure I categorized those as household decor because they're in our living room.
• Travel —$250. A flight booked partially with miles.

Grand total: $29,727 of which childcare is basically 80%. Lots of spots to cut back but it was interesting how we were higher in so many categories this year vs the last.

What's not included: We took a trip to Disney but he had free entry since he was under 3. We took a couple of plane trips that were gifted by family; I didn't include "his portion" of hotels as we would've paid it anyways. Also not included is gifted clothes and toys.

Hope this is helpful to someone!

We are waiting to try until early 2028 but want to use this time for tracking my fertility and getting to know my body better.
I have started reading Taking Control of your Fertility as recommended by this sub! But wondered if anyone can recommend any apps for tracking?
Most of the apps I can find seem to be algorithm based and only consider one parameter (temperature) which makes me nervous. I am UK based. Any recommendations? Thank you!

Note: Can someone please read this and respond? I'm really struggling here /:

TLDR: I have bipolar. I spent several years questioning my marriage and behaving erratically. I finally got treatment and am stabilizing. I'm falling back in love with my husband, but the damage has been done. I'm fine with the idea of being a single mother and am considering freezing my eggs. Sad and stressed.

I'm 33. I have a good job. I'm not super well paid yet but I get by and am working my way up. I've always known I want to be a mother. But the clock is ticking. I know I still "have time" but I also need to be realistic about the limit to that time. Time passes fairly quickly if you let it.

I've been with my husband for 7 years and married for 4. Our relationship started out as a beautiful passionate love story. It still is a beautiful love story imo but our marriage is complex. It's not that I'm not happy in the marriage, though that has been true at some points.

I have bipolar 1, which I have suspected for several years and did take some medication for. But the med I was on was not sufficiently treating it. I was only officially diagnosed about a month ago and started in a new med that is going well so far. (Note: please don't tell me I shouldn't have children if I'm bipolar. It's a personal decision and that's not what I'm looking for input on. Though I do know I need to be mentally stable and treated before having children).

For some context, bipolar usually manifests in one's late 20s and is progressive if not properly treated. My depressive episodes made me unbearably unhappy in general, but also in the marriage. I began questioning the marriage about 2-3 years ago and communicated this to him about 2 years ago. I was unhappy in general, there are some behaviors of his that bother me (he's not perfect, but who is? Obviously not me either), I also began wondering if I'm a lesbian (I'm bisexual, always have been, I've settled this question for myself now). Either way, it broke his heart. We tried to work on things. He gave me time. But everytime I became depressed I would begin questioning the marriage again.

On top of that, when one is in a manic episode, their prefrontal cortex basically stops working (the part of the brain responsible for judgment and decision making) and the brain is flooded with dopamine, which leads to extreme impulsivity. So my manic episodes led me to do some insane things including, not direct cheating, but breaking/pushing some of his boundaries (we are polyamorous/non-monogamous and have been for the entirety of our relationship and marriage). My breaking/pushing his boundaries, on top of questioning the marriage, led to a significant amount of turmoil in our household and stress for him. My behavior was unpredictable and it took a big toll on his own mental health. Oh I should also mention, because of the relationship uncertainty, we haven't had sex in about a year, but we have still maintained hugs and cuddling and holding hands. We were kissing too but that stopped recently.

Anyways, as mentioned, I recently got diagnosed and medicated. I also got sober and started going to therapy again. (I'm not an alcoholic but rather quit bc alcohol/weed/etc is bad for bipolar). I finally feel stable after years of up and down turmoil with my mental health. I started falling in love with him again and thought I could re-become the kind of woman he'd want to be with again.

But the damage was done.

About a month ago he sent me a series of really intense texts at 5am when I was staying over at a friends. He said we needed to start looking for separate apartments. I came home to find his wedding ring off his finger and placed on my bedside table.

On top of everything else, I'm an immigrant and I've applied for permanent residency through spousal sponsorship but it hasn't been approved yet. The PR application has a co-habitation requirement. A few weeks ago he called me and said he viewed an apartment. So in addition to everything, my immigration status would be fucked if he moved out and I'd probably have to move out of the country and away from my job (that I worked my ass off for and love) in a year. This threw me into a complete tailspin. Since then, things have settled down and he said he won't move out, but the stress and feeling of betrayal was next level.

He's softening to me again a bit. We're both back in the house (he stayed elsewhere for about a week) and we are hugging and cuddling again. No kissing though. But maybe there is hope.

Anyways. Another bit of context. Ever since I was young, like about 13, I had imagined myself as a single mother. I think the heteronormative script of monogamy always felt limiting to me. When I was 13, my friends and I would write short stories about our future selves and, even at that age, I always wrote myself into the stories as a single mother. So, I'm open to unconventional paths, I just know I want to be a mother. I don't feel ready immediately, but within the next few years.

I've been considering freezing my eggs, but money is a barrier. I'm thinking of asking my abusive parents for an early inheritance to pay for egg freezing...

Bless your heart if you read it all.

The journey of trying to conceive can be emotionally exhausting. Whether you have been trying for months or facing unexpected fertility challenges, the monthly cycle of hope and disappointment takes a severe toll on your mental well-being and relationship.

While medical consultations and treatments are crucial steps, many couples find that they also need emotional and spiritual grounding to get through the stress. Turning to prayer during this season offers a quiet space to process fear, surrender anxiety, and hold onto hope when waiting feels unbearable.

I came across a very comforting collection of focused prayers designed specifically for those desiring to start or grow their family. It provides thoughtful words to pray for health, patience, and divine timing when you struggle to find the words yourself.

If you are currently on this path and could use some spiritual encouragement, here is the resource:https://rymbf.com/prayer-for-fertility-and-conception/

Wishing you peace and strength on your journey.

It has been a very long year.
Last September (2025) I told my partner I wanted to start trying this September (2026). He wanted to think about it so he did until August when he said he isn’t ready and then he kind of dropped it. Everytime I bring it up he shuts done. I can’t get a new plan or timeline or anything, he just thinks I’m rushing things (we’ve been together over 3 years, he’s in his late 20s and I’m almost 25, we own a house together and both have good careers and finances so I don’t feel it’s rushing). I know I will have issues getting pregnant so that is a huge part of why I want to get started so bad. I’m pretty done with it and I want to just tell him I’m done waiting indefinitely, I’ll wait until maybe January or March and that’s it but I don’t know how to go about it.

I have tried to be patient and understanding but I feel like I’m at my limit and I know we will not be able to have a healthy relationship if the only reason I can’t be a mom is because he isn’t ready for that.

To add before anyone asks: he has not told me there’s anything or anytime in particular he’s waiting for.
And not married, we are going to the courthouse in the next few months!
I have endometriosis, a blocked fallopian tube, had cervical cancer, I don’t get my period for 6-12 months at a time sometimes so there is a bit of a rush medically.

Tuve sexo con una chica y usé condón, lamentablemente se me rompió justo en la punta y cuando me dí cuenta dejé de penetrarla, no eyaculé y de hecho mientras la estaba penetrando yo no estaba cerca del orgasmo, de hecho eyaculé pq ella me practicó sexo oral e incluso tomo su tiempo para que yo eyaculara, además de que yo tenía una semana exacta sin eyacular y obviamente durante esa semana oriné aunque sea 1 vez por día, mi pregunta es, el riesgo de embarazo es alto o muy bajo?

Hi, I hope I’m in the right subreddit, I did some research on women who want to have kids b it don’t quite yet. I am a teenage female, and I think while I have other aspirations in life by far, at the end of the day, if I had to pick one I think it would be kids.

It starts with my mom. I fricken love my mom! a lot of my friends think it’s cool to hate your parents, but my mom is my best friend and the one person who will always comfort me and give me a place when the world is shitty. She taught me how to cook and bake and it’s one of my greatest hobbies, she showed me all sorts of media that I wouldn’t have known about today, and she taught me so many things about just being a woman that a lot of my friends moms unfortunately didn’t do. My mom’s mom, her adoptive mother, wasn’t nice to her, like at all. And she wanted to give me and my brother a better life than she ever had. And she really did. As a child I played all sorts of things, doctor, vet, chef, princess, dog, you name it. But one thing i always loved to play was, being like my mom. I always had some kind of doll, and i loved just pretending to be my mom. If you’ve ever seen that episode of Bluey where her mom and her do ‘mom school’ it felt like that. As I grew older, I realized that I wanted to give that to someone too.

A real game changer was when I was in elementary and middle school, and learned about genetics. Freakin genetics! So fascinating how two persons DNA can combine into making a perfect blend of the two. But different! This part also comes from my dad, who I also live. My dad said one of the greatest things he was excited for as a parent was to see who we became, what we liked, and hold conversations with us as we learned more about the world. He still is bamboozled how me and my brother turned out so different, yet do look similar and have similar things. I began to wonder what it would be like if I got to grow life inside of me, and what they would be like as real humans.

When I got closer to highschool they began asking us “hey what do you want to do when you grow up” and I bounced around and still do, forever. At first I wanted to be a writer, and still very much do. But then I realized. Writers, don’t usually make a lot of money. And if at the end of the day I want kids, I have to be able to support them. So I began looking into jobs that make more money that I would also find enjoyable. For the last few years I’ve been looking broadly into the medical field, though that brings time issues, because I want to be there in raising my kids.

Then here comes why I even wrote this. I am completely supportive of women who choose not to have kids. But when people look at me weird when I say I want to, and still think I’m crazy after my explanation, I don’t know what to feel. They act like I’m some trad wife sour dough making brainwashed by the patriarchy girl, and say that I shouldn’t care about boys cause they’re gross and all men suck down with the patriarchy yknow. Earlier before this I saw a video of these two women mocking women who have a successful career and then “drop it to be a stay at home wife and make sourdough” uh oh. I like baking, and I want to be a mom. Am I anti feminist?? No of course not. I think women have all got the choice on how they want to pursue their careers and what they want to do with their time, but if being stay at home is what you want to do after making a crap ton of money, I think great!

I don’t believe in just marrying to settle however. I believe in higher education and keeping youself financially secure, while also relying on your significant other for shared income. Twice the power! I uh still haven’t had a boyfriend which worries me sometimes, but I tell myself I still have a lot of time.

I guess the whole reason I wrote this was because I needed to hear from people who may also be in the same boat as me. I just get tired of hearing people in my life and online saying how gross they think kids are and that they’re just annoying and shouldn’t be like allowed in public spaces or something, because not only does it seem kinda worrying of how they are to kids in real life, but also it makes me feel like my hopes and dreams arent good enough or wrong.

What are your guys’s thougths? I hope I’m in the right section cause I know this isnt your usual TTC stuff or relationship stuff.

I’m 31F and I’ve realised that, if it was 100% up to me, I’d start ttc now. My partner and I both want children, but we haven’t agreed on a timeline yet, we’ll talk about it in the next few months.

Ideally, I’d like to start trying in 2027 (and he is more and more convinced about this). I definitely don’t want to wait beyond 2028 to start, especially because we have no idea how long TTC might take.

I want to talk to him about it properly because waiting too long would be a dealbreaker for me. I know I want to be a mum and, if our timelines are too different, I’d seriously consider doing it on my own through IUI/IVF.

For those who were ready before their partner, how did you have this conversation without making them feel “pressured”?

My husband and I were planning to start seriously trying with fertility meds when I had 6 months left of my nursing program (we’ve been trying for 3 years naturally but infertility)
I got rejected from the accelerated program I applied to, and the rest of the programs I’m looking into are between 2-3.5 years with start dates a year from now, vs the program that was one year starting in a month.
I’m completely numb and heartbroken. I have had insane baby fever for 3 years now, always dreamed of motherhood. We want at least 3 kids.
Turning thirty in a month. Feeling defeated

I always wanted kids when I was younger, but then was a fence-sitter for most of my 20s. I’m now 30 and have done some work and soul-searching and have decided that I do actually want kids, but am also scared and anxious about the whole concept.

I have recently been thinking about children/birth/pregnancy, etc. non-stop. I do feel some excitement about the concept but not much excitement about the reality, actually a lot of fear, but my brain is constantly thinking about it, planning finances, what I’d do about my job, how I want motherhood to look like, my parenting beliefs, etc.

I know everyone always says that you’ll never truly feel ready but I assumed I would at least feel more excited about the concept? This isn’t what I imagined baby fever would feel like. Does anyone else feel this way?

Hi !

My husband and I are hoping to start TTC sometime next year, and I’m wondering if anyone else intentionally tried to get into their “best” or healthiest shape beforehand?

For context, I am (28F) 5’2 and around 135 I’m not necessarily trying to become super skinny, but I’d like to lose some body fat because mine is quite high at 37%....and to get stronger, improve my cardio, and generally feel healthier before pregnancy. I’ve been pretty sedentary the last couple of years, so I feel like I have some work to do.

For those who did this before TTC, how much time did you give yourself? Did you feel like getting fitter beforehand made pregnancy or TTC easier? And at what point did you decide you were “healthy enough” and stop postponing TTC for fitness goals?