The countdown is on—just six weeks until our baby arrives!
I keep hearing people say, “You’re never fully ready to become a parent,” and that’s starting to feel more real every day. My partner and I have done our best to prepare.
- We’ve taken four labor and delivery classes
- A deep-dive breastfeeding course
- And we still have one more session—what our hospital calls “baby bootcamp,” which covers the basics of caring for a newborn.
I’ve learned a lot through Instagram accounts from other parents, pediatricians, and birth educators. I’ve skimmed and bookmarked physical books. And yet, even with all this preparation, the anxieties keep showing up.
Here are the biggest ones I’ve been working through lately:
1. Financial Stress: Will I Have Enough?
I’ve always had a cautious relationship with money, but that anxiety feels heightened now.
Providing for myself and my partner has always been a top priority. But now, I’m adding a whole new human to that equation. Have I built up enough of a nest egg? Do we have enough safety net to weather unexpected costs or time off work? What if things don’t go as planned?
It’s easy to spiral. I’m trying to focus on what we can control—budgeting more mindfully, having open conversations with my partner, and remembering that millions of people raise babies on all sorts of budgets. But yeah, it’s still a big one on my mind.
(Additional Read: Baby Registry Gifts to Prepare)
2. The More I Learn, the More I Realize I Don’t Know
We’ve done a ton of learning over the past few months. But with each new class or Instagram post, it becomes clear how much there is to know—and how much I don’t yet understand.
From baby sleep patterns to car seat safety, soothing techniques to feeding schedules—it’s a lot. And while I know parenting is something you learn as you go, I still feel this pressure to “get it right” before baby arrives.
3. Personal Stresses Don’t Hit Pause
I’ve been in therapy for many years now (shoutout to my weekly sessions), and I’ve found it incredibly helpful. But becoming a parent doesn’t make everything else go away. My usual challenges—anxiety, ADHD, overthinking—are still here. Only now they’re layered with the pressure of stepping into a whole new identity: parent.
Sometimes I feel overwhelmed before the day even starts. Sometimes I wonder if I’m too anxious to be a parent. But I remind myself that showing up, reflecting, and working on these things is part of being a good parent. Especially for a little one who will learn from how I navigate all of this.
4. The Endless List of Things to Do at Home
The to-do list grows faster than we can check things off.
From setting up the nursery to organizing baby supplies, installing the car seat, cleaning, decluttering, setting up stroller, and finishing thank-you notes—it never ends. And it probably won’t for a while. Every day I’m battling the internal voice that says, “You’re behind. You should’ve had this done by now.”
But I’m trying to accept that our home doesn’t need to be “perfect”—just safe, warm, and welcoming. We’ll get there.
A Final Thought
I don’t think I’ll ever feel 100% “ready.” But I also know I’m not alone in feeling this way. A lot of parents—especially first-timers—carry similar worries. Sharing this isn’t about finding a fix; it’s just about being honest. And maybe helping someone else feel less alone in their fears, too.
If you’re in a similar place, know that we aren’t alone. We’re figuring it out, one breath and anxiety at a time.