Twitter is a wonderful thing. Not only do you get to connect with like-minded people, but you also meet (well online at least) people you may otherwise never have – even on the Facebooks of this world.
Take Jennifer, a broadcast journalist, for example. When I saw her profile (entitled Baby Makin(g) Machine – see the end of the article for her full Twitter ID), I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
She’s a married 23-year-old with a successful career who knows that she wants to have kids one day, and is preparing now for that such day. How? By writing a blog on the very subject, getting as much information on motherhood from real mums, so that when she finally has her own bundle of joy, she’ll be well prepared.
This is very refreshing – especially for us working mums; how many of us can remember taking five years (post-marriage) to do this, if we did it at all? It’s not just about getting finances sorted and a bigger house before the pitter of tiny feet either – Jennifer has a to-do list of things she wants to do before conception, like taking a dance class with her husband, and swimming with dolphins. Oh and running her own business “on the side, or something to that effect that I could eventually solely do from home,” so she’s already thinking like a real mum!
I couldn’t resist inviting Jennifer to tell us a bit more about her plans for the future, and to see if she has set a date for motherhood yet.
When did you realise that you would like to be a mother one day?
Hmm, I’m not sure. I’m not one of those women who dreamed of being a mother since I was a girl, but I think deep down I’ve always known I would be a mom. I think once I met my husband is when I realized I really wanted to be a mom.
You say you’d like to have children in the future – what will be the deciding factor in when you have your first child?
I thought it was getting my cavities filled, but now that that’s come and gone I’m not sure. I hear you’re never truly “ready” but I’ve been thinking of things I want to do to prepare before and I keep amending that list. I think the biggest desiding factor will be my husband though. Pigs may fly before he’s totally excited, but hopefully soon we’ll both be on the same page at the same time, and give it a go!
Why wait at all?
I keep asking myself the same question. Age wise, marriage wise and money wise we’re better off than our parents were when they had kids… But I guess we’re both planners and want to have as much stuff figured out as we can beforehand. If I had to choose one reason for me, I’d say money fears.
What does your husband think about starting a family?
He’s really excited to have kids, but I think as most men – Worried about providing and wants to be sure he can do that before we have kids. To what extent of readiness – He fluctuates.
What made you decide to start the blog – as opposed to just speaking to other mums?
When I started my blog is was a place for me to vent about all the babies and pregnant people around me, and a place to sort our my thoughts and feelings on starting a family. As open as I am on my blog, I’m more shy discussing the topic in person. I’d rather read comments and suggestions and be able to look back and think about them again versus having a short conversation with someone.
Do you think you can ever be too prepared for motherhood?
No. I don’t think you can be too prepared for anything. And I think – No, I KNOW I’ll be learning about it for the rest of my life! I also know though that my ideas on things change so it’ll be interesting to see a comparison of my reactions to what Im learning now, and how I actually react later. I think knowledge is power, and I find researching mothering topics now to not only be helpful, but a gem I take with me as I journey through motherhood.
What does motherhood mean to you?
This one is a hard one to summarize. To me motherhood is about giving. I feel like generally I’m a giving person, and right now there’s no one I’d rather give to than my husband. I love him so much, and the idea of having a person with a part of us both to give to brings an overwhelming feeling to my heart. I don’t think there’s anything else I’d rather devote my life to.
Do you intend to continue working once you start your family?
Yes. I’m not sure in what capacity but I think I’ll be working in some way. I’d love to work from home eventually, and continue to use my writing and journalism skills somehow that way, but I’m not sure yet how I’ll be able to work all of that out. I’m a busy woman, and I love to mulit-task, so I imagine once I have a child I’ll be working in some shape or form.
Have you got any baby names ready yet?
Yes, we have two baby names picked out already! I’m not allowed to tell the boy name (as per husband’s wish) but the first girl’s name will be Jovita Lee. We aren’t decided on any others though, so the first at least we know will be covered!
What does your picture-perfect family look like?
I love this question! Oh man, I really would love three children. I don’t care if it’s two boys and one girl or two girls and one boy, I just want at least one boy and one girl! Oh, and we can’t forget Snoop… He’s our dog, and he’s a part of my picture-perfect family!
Twitter ID: @BabyMakinMachin
Blog addresses: http://BabyMakinMachine.com and http://conceiveonline.com/ready-or-not/
