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Home › Articles › Considering Pregnancy › Money, Marriage and Medicine

Money, Marriage and Medicine

Some Things to Think About Before You Conceive

By Jessica Frank

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You're still in an apartment – and it's one bedroom. Your student loans aren't even close to being paid off and your job is extremely stressful, chock full of deadlines. But your heart is set on hearing the pitter patter of little feet. You think you'll look forward to those 3 a.m. feedings and even the smelly diapers. You want that baby. But it's a bad time for one, isn't it?

First off, there is never going to be a perfect time to have a baby. Life is so full of wild twists and turns that you never know what's coming next. What seems calm now might be a storm waiting to happen during the nine months that you are carrying that child. But is it any reason to wait? Read on and see if the time is right for you.

Money, Money, Money, Money
Another thing to consider is the cost of raising a child. Pop culture sources put the average cost of raising a child over its lifetime at about $250,000. That's enough for two Ferraris. Are you ready to start scrimping and saving for those classes, ballet lessons, sport fees and future college tuition? If so you might be ready to be a parent.

Can you afford to take time off from work? If you can't, can your partner? More and more men are becoming the primary caretaker. There are Web sites and clubs devoted to this.

Still, many families seek alternatives for baby care. It's the age of the working family, and extended family will often pick up the slack. Whatever the choice, have a plan in place, and you will be more likely to have a stress-free pregnancy. Just don't wait until the last minute to do this.

New Yorker Tanya Himes*, 29, who is pregnant with her first child, plans on taking two years off when the baby is born. She knows that minus her teacher's salary, she and her husband will have to cut back. "Somehow, you always manage to find the money," she says, laughing.


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